Florida Railroading
Atlantic Coast Line Passenger Service: The Postwar Years
By Larry Goolsby, Jun'99. The story of ACL's wonderful postwar passenger trains is told in a readable, coherent text supported by scores of great company publicity photos of the trains and equipment, inside and out, with car and locomotive rosters, diagrams and drawings, and material useful to modelers in construction and painting of ACL prototype passenger cars. Treated are not only the great New York to Florida streamliners but the locals and work-a-day passenger trains that crisscrossed the ACL's system. Hardcover, 128 pages, over 200 b&w and color photos, official diagrams and drawings.; Reference List Price: $26.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad: Steam Locomotives, Ships, and History
By Richard E. Prince, Mar'00. Railroad buffs, historians, and casual readers alike will be delighted by the reappearance of Richard E. Prince's Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. First published over 30 years ago, Prince's book has been in great demand for its thorough examination of one of the South's preeminent railroads. The author gives detailed histories of the Atlantic Coast Line's composite railways and subsidiaries, as well as connecting steamboat and ship lines operated or acquired by the organization. He documents the ACL's passenger and freight routes, which included popular services to and from New York and Havana plus Chicago and Florida. Prince's background in engineering informs the book, as he provides full descriptions, photographs, rosters, and pages of schematic diagrams of the railroad's steam locomotives. Hardcover, 228 pages, 446 b&b photos; 1.12 x 11.04 x 8.54; Reference List Price: $49.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Atlantic Coast Line: The Diesel Years
By Warren L. Calloway, Jul'93. The first hardcover history of the diesels of this railroad. It contains a rich photographic record of the classes, both in the purple-and-aluminum days and the black-and-yellow phase as well from 1939 until the Seaboard merger in 1967. Included are a year-by-year overview of dieselization, research notes on each class, paint diagrams and an all-time roster. Hardcover, 192 pages, 443 mainly b&w and some color photos; 8.5 x 11; Reference List Price: $49.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Atlantic Coast Line: The Standard Railroad of the South
By William E. Griffin Jr., Feb'02. Capsule history of this important Southeastern carrier with emphasis on the late steam and early diesel eras. Much on passenger trains and service, freight service, rolling stock, depots and terminals. Extended captions to the superb photos provide details on the facilities and operations through the merger with SAL in 1967. This book is ideal for passenger buffs, ACL fans, and people interested in Southeastern US railroading. Hardcover, 224 pages, over 380 mostly b&w and color photos; 0.82 x 11.30 x 8.78 ; Reference List Price: $34.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
By Streamliner: New York To Florida
By Joseph M. Welsh, Aug'94. Perhaps the most thorough work ever on this subject! This is a book for passenger train afficianados as well as passenger-car historians, with ample coverage of the trains and their railroads, their consists, schedules and evolutions. One chapter fills in the pre-streamliner background, there are pre and post-war chapters separately covering Seaboard and Atlantic Coast Line / Florida East Coast, plus a chapter each on Pennsylvania RR and Seaboard Coast Line.
Get this book if you can! Paperback, 144 pages, Abundance of b&w photos, some color; 11 x 8-1/2 x 5/16; Reference List Price: $39.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Classic Diesels Of The South: A Railfan's Odyssey
By J. Parker Lamb, Oct'97. From 1949 into the 1970's these superb photos from the lens of J. Parker Lamb demonstrate railroading in the southeastern U.S. He is considered one of the best of the railroad photographers, and some of his best work has been collected in this book with interesting stories and histories of the lines covered. Includes first-generation diesels and many of the standards on ACL, SAL, SR, L&N, GM&O CofG, IC and more railroads of the Old South. Hardcover, 126 pages, 180+ b&w illustrations, 0.59 x 11.37 x 8.80; Reference List Price: $26.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Classic Steam Trains of the South
By Curt Tillotson, Jr., Oct'00. Great collection of photos showing steam locomotives with trains in the Southeast, including SR, N&W, C&O, VGN, ACL, SAL, L&N, and others. Interesting extended captions comprise the bulk of the text in this superbly designed book that gives due credit to the many excellent photos used. Hardcover, 128 pages, 175 b&w and color photos; 0.63 x 11.31 x 8.78; Reference List Price: $26.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Florida East Coast Railway
By Seth Bramson, Oct'06. Florida East Coast Railway has been the speedway to America's playground for more than 110 years. FEC offered some of America's finest rail passenger service until 1968 and remains the freight lifeline of Florida's east coast. The railroad arrived on the shores of Biscayne Bay on April 15, 1896, and it reached Key West in January 1912. That feat etched both Henry Flagler's and the railroad's names in Florida and U.S. railroad history. FEC's operation is so precise and punctual, its roadbed and motive power so well maintained, that it is the benchmark for every other railroad in the country. Paperback, 128 pages; Reference List Price: $19.99
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Florida East Coast Railway In Color
By Bill McBride, Jan'15. The Florida East Coast Railway has long held the interest of railfans and casual observers alike because of their clean locomotives and immaculate right-of-way. Running fast long trains through a wet, palm-treed landscape makes for an exciting encounter with one of the country's premier regional railroads. We cover this road from its transition from steam to diesel up until its present-day, much heralded return to its heritage 'Champion' paint. Hardcover, 128 pages, color photos throughout; 8.5 x 11; Reference List Price: $59.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Florida Railroads in the 1920's
By Gregg Turner, Feb'06. Florida's railroads emerged in the 1830s amid Native American upheaval and territorial colonization. Many periods of development marked this fascinating heritage, but one era towers above the rest: the 1920s. It was then that Florida experienced a colossal land boom, one of the greatest migration and building stories in American history. People poured into the state as never before, real estate traded hands at breakneck speed, and the landscape added countless new homes, hotels, apartments, and commercial buildings. Florida's biggest railroads-the Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, and Florida East Coast-were unprepared for the tidal wave of traffic. Thus, the "Big Three" had to rapidly expand and increase capacity. Dozens of projects unfolded at great cost, by one estimate over $100 million. When the building frenzy ended, the railway map of the state stood at its greatest extent-some 5,700 miles. Further, the frequency of railway service within and to the Sunshine State reached an unprecedented level, never again to be repeated. Paperback, 128 pages; Reference List Price: $19.99
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Florida's Great Ocean Railway: Building the Key West Extension
By Dan Gallagher, Jan'03. Considering the remoteness of the Florida Keys, the inconsequential communication links available, and the massive amounts of materials that had to be moved with steam power, the completed F.E.C. Key West Extension stands as a monument to those who planned the infinite details of this project. Much of this book deals with the planners and their plan, a masterpiece of both engineering and administrative design that made the Key West Extension one of the major construction projects of the early twentieth century. This book tells the story with nearly 250 old photographs, many taken by the engineers who built the Extension and most never before published. In addition, the author created many new graphics of the Keys based on old F.E.C. construction maps. Together, the photos and graphics cover all of the construction on all of the Florida Keys. Hardcover, 197 pages, 0.60 x 11.46 x 8.66; Reference List Price: $19.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
From the Cab: Stories from a Locomotive Engineer
By Doug Riddell, Apr'99. More than 25 years in railroading have provided Doug Riddell ample material to entertain and inform everyone interested in day-to-day life on America's railroads. A 10-year veteran of broadcasting, Doug hung up his microphone to pursue a passion that began when he was a child listening to stories about his grandfather's early years on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad as conductor of the George Washington. His own railroad career spans from his first day on Seaboard Coast Line to his current position as an Amtrak Engineer. Paperback, 208 pages, 0.58 x 9.15 x 6.03; Reference List Price: $14.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Last Train to Paradise: Henry Flagler and the Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Railroad That Crossed an Ocean
By Les Standiford, Sep'02. In Last Train to Paradise novelist Les Standiford has written a lively, felicitous account of the building of the Florida East Coast Railway, which, for a little over two decades, connected mainland Florida with Key West. Henry Morrison Flagler, John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil partner and, in many eyes, the true genius behind that company, embarked on the project in 1905 when he was 74 years old. The railroad, which crossed more than 150 miles of open sea, was an engineering feat nearly equal in scale and difficulty to the digging of the Panama Canal. Standiford's narrative skillfully blends tales of construction perils (not the least of which were escadrilles of mosquitoes) with brief, illuminating travelogues and natural histories, pocket descriptions of life in early 20th-century Florida, and a truly gripping description of an epic standoff between Mother Nature, in the form of a monstrous hurricane, and a stalled, 160-ton steam locomotive. With nary a single missed note, this fascinating tale is popular history at its best. Hardcover, 288 pages, 1.00 x 9.46 x 6.08; Reference List Price: $24.00
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Night Trains: The Pullman System in the Golden Years of American Rail Travel
By Peter T. Maiken, Nov'92. This is a meticulous account of the American railroad sleeping car, mainly in the late heavyweight and streamliner eras, from 1920 to 1955. The organization is geographical, with details and photos of the major passenger lines and trains. In addition there are chapters devoted to selected corridors such as "Going to Florida" and "The Transcontinentals". The last section "stops" all Pullman-carrying trains at a hypothetical midnight in March 1952, for a fascinating examination of their locations, consists, routings and schedules. Reprint Edition, Paperback, 415 pages, 1.03 x 11.02 x 8.51; Reference List Price: $24.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Railroad Depots of Central Florida
By Michael Mulligan, Aug'08. Railroads have served the northern counties of Central Florida since before the Civil War. Following the war, railroads expanded down the peninsula to bring transportation services to even more people and places throughout the region. By 1929, the railroad network in the state had reached its peak, with some communities being served by two or more railroad lines. Trains provided the means for growth and development, and the local depot was the focal point of every town throughout Florida's central region. Stretching across the middle section of the peninsula from coast to coast, the Central Florida area includes Levy, Gilchrist, Alachua, Putnam, and Volusia Counties to the north, while the counties of Sarasota, Desoto, Highland, Osceola, and Brevard define the southern boundary. Featuring depots of the Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, Florida East Coast, and their predecessor railroads, the photographs used by the author were obtained from local historical groups, the Florida State Archives, and private collections. Paperback, 128 pages; Reference List Price: $19.99
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Railroads of Southwest Florida
By Gregg M. Turner, Dec'99. When the first "Iron Horse" arrived in Southwest Florida-at Charlotte Harbor in 1886-nearly 150,000 miles of railroads already existed in America, the transcontinental route was open, and Pullman sleeping cars were in wide use. But despite a late start, railroads forever transformed this beautiful region of the Sunshine State and connected its people to the outside world. In Railroads of Southwest Florida, the golden age of railroading is documented with captivating images of stations, machines, and the people whose lives were affected by this significant form of transportation. From interior views of well-furnished passenger cars to scenes of hardworking men who made it all possible, this collection provides a thorough look at a fascinating, almost forgotten heritage. Paperback, 128 pages.; Reference List Price: $19.99
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
The Railroad That Died at Sea: The Florida East Coast's Key West Extension
By Pat Parks, Aug'86. Concise and well-documented account of the railroad that went to sea, from its conception by railroad magnate Henry Flagler in the 1890's, through its tragic end in the great hurricane of 1935. Details the elaborate and torturous construction against the forces of nature and its unique operation from 1912 to the end. Complete with historic b&w photos, maps and locomotive roster. Paperback, 44 pages, 1/4 x 8-1/2 x 5-1/2; Reference List Price: $7.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
The Railroad That Went to Sea: Florida East Coast Railway's Overseas Train to Key West
By VIDEO produced by Historic Tours of America, Dec'00. It was the beginning of the 20th Century, America's Gilded Age. And Henry Flagler, one of America's wealthiest men, set out to build the "Eighth Wonder of the World" - a railroad over the Florida Keys from Miami to Key West, 128 miles out to sea. Learn about Henry Flagler, the man who transformed Florida's East Coast from a wilderness into a winter wonderland for America's rich and famous. Marvel at the innovative engineering techniques that conquered the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and brutal conditions that tried the mightiest of men. Experience the day the first train arived in Key West in 1912, and the magic of gliding by rail over a Seven Mile Bridge, while stingrays dance in the waters below. Witness the fury of the 1935 hurricane that destroyed the railroad, and the building of the Overseas Highway that today carries visitors over the railbed Henry Flagler built. This award-winning video is rich with archival photographs and film footage, eyewitness accounts, and interviews with historians. Together, the weave a spellbinding story of the greatest American railroad engineering feat of the 20th Century. NTSC VIDEO format (US and Canada only); Reference List Price: $24.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Seaboard Air Line Passenger Service: The Streamlined Era
By Larry Goolsby, Mar'11. Before the coming of Amtrak in 1971, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad was long recognized as having some of the best long-distance passenger trains in the country. Billing itself as "the Route of Courteous Service" Seaboard took great pride in running trains that the public would like the first time and would want to ride again and again. This book focuses on the last decades of Seaboard's existence. The 1930s through the late 1950s in particular witnessed many dramatic changes - the replacement of steam with diesels, the ascendancy of lightweight trains, and the last hurrah of the once-familiar local passenger train. This is a chronological account, although special treatment has been given to Seaboard's lightweight trains, other named trains and locals. Paperback, 176 pages; Reference List Price: $34.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Seaboard Air Line Railway: Steam Boats, Locomotives, and History
By Richard E. Prince, Mar'00. In this richly-documented railroad history classic, Prince tells the story in words and pictures of "The Progressive Railroad of the South". First published to acclaim 30 years ago, the book covers both the Seaboard and its various predecessors and subsidiary lines. The Old Bay Line (Baltimore Steam Packet Company), Norfolk County Ferries, and the Seaboard's tugs are included in the marine section of the book. Over 20 pages of steam locomotive rosters and diagrams supplement the historical and technical text, and there are several hundred photographs of steam engines, boats, and trains. Hardcover, 272 pages, 445 b&w photos; 1.15 x 11.03 x 8.55; Reference List Price: $49.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Seaboard Air Line Railway: The Route of Courteous Service
By William E. Griffin, May'99. The complete history of this interesting railway with concentration on freight and passenger train operations, steam and diesel locomotives, passenger and freight cars. Many great photos from numerous photographers and official company publicity photos. Griffin presents a highly readable history that concentrates on the cars, eras and subjects of most interest for railfans, historians and modelers. Includes a 16 page section of color material as well as over 250 black and white photos and maps. Most material selected has not been previously published in other books. Hardcover, 224 pages, Over 250 b&w and color illustrations.; Reference List Price: $29.90
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
By Douglas B. Nuckles, Sep'96. The scene is set in many locations of the South in the 1960's, 70's and 80's, as Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line (and later subsidiaries) create Seaboard Coast Line. Operations by state are covered in separate chapters. Chapters are also included on diesels, passenger trains, rolling stock, plus separate equipment and locomotive rosters as of merger date. Excellent b&w photography is meticulously identified throughout with many rare shots of passenger and freight operations in forgotten towns. Hardcover, 108 pages, .63 x 11.40 x 8.81; Reference List Price: $19.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
A Short History of Florida Railroads
By Gregg Turner, Mar'03. Florida's railroad heritage began in the 1830s amidst Native American upheaval and territorial colonization. Surpassing waterways as the primary mode of transport, the "Iron Horse" linked practically every town and city, carried tourists and locals, and ably conveyed the wealth of Florida's mines, factories, forests, groves, and farms. Nearly 175 years later, railroads still remain a dependable source of transport within the Sunshine State. Paperback, 160 pages; Reference List Price: $24.99
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Speedway To Sunshine: The Story of the Florida East Coast Railway
By Seth Bramson, Nov'02. This long-awaited title is an update of the original 1984 edition with revisions and a new preface by the author. It is the history of one of America's most exciting railroad lines, the Florida East Coast - how it began and how it survived booms, busts, bankruptcy, sabotage and hurricanes to become one of America's most admired railroads. Also includes extensive appendices on train names, schedules, passenger agents, locomotive rosters, mail service, freight equipment, passenger equipment, intrastate connections, and track layout. Seth Bramson owns the largest collection of Florida East Coast and Florida transportation memorabilia to be found anywhere and is known in railroading circles as 'Mr. F.E.C'; he lives in Miami. This is a
must have for anyone interested in Florida railroading! Hardcover, 352 pages, over 400 b&w photos; 8 1/2 x 11; Reference List Price: $39.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Streamliners: A History of the Railroad Icon
By Mike Schafer and Joe Welsh, Oct'02. A "must have" for the passenger train fan. An extraordinary accounting of almost 250 of the great trains and some lesser-known regionals, from 1933 through the 1960s, a time when people knew these streamliners by name. There is a wealth of information on each streamliner's manufacturer, car types, and service history. Generous coverage of Florida-bound trains in the "Streamliners to the Southland" chapter. Other regions covered include "Atlantic to the Heartland", "Westward Across the Continent" and "Northwest Passages". This is a re-release of the Sep'97 hardcover
Classic American Streamliners. Paperback, 160 pages, 150 color + 50 b&w photos; 0.49 x 9.99 x 10.03; Reference List Price: $17.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Tampa Union Station
By Jackson McQuigg, May'97. This specialty book is devoted to the great station's history, scenes from its heydey and its recent restoration. ACL and SAL passenger trains and general railroad scenes from the Tampa Bay area are also included. Every fan of ACL, SAL and Florida railroading will want a copy! Paperback, 128 pages, 200 b&w photos; 6 x 9; Reference List Price: $16.99
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Through the Heart of the South: The Seaboard Air Line Railroad Story
By Robert Wayne Johnson, Nov'95. Perhaps the most complete book in existence on this important railroad. The author is a former SAL employee from a family of Seaboard men, so the factual text is enlivened with anecdotes. Content focuses on the diesel era from 1938 to the 1967 merger with rival Atlantic Coast Line, but covers the earlier history as well, along with detail of physical facilities, rolling stock, subsidiaries, the high-profile passenger service, route maps and rosters. Hardcover, 160 pages, 200 b&w photos, 11.29 x 8.83 x .70; Reference List Price: $34.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Rail Games
A-Train: The Official Strategy Guide
By Nick Dargahi, Jan'93. Accurate guide to the railroad-building simulation software game by Maxis. Covers insider tips and tricks, winning strategies for the 6 map scenarios, innovative track diagrams and many other details about the structure of the game not contained in the manual. Extensive facts, figures, tables and illustrations explain the economies of the various train and building choices. Will make you an A-Train magnate! Paperback, 366 pages, 3/4 x 9-1/8 x 7-1/4; Reference List Price: $18.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Rail Travel
Europe by Eurail 2020: Touring Europe by Train
By Laverne Ferguson-Kosinski, Darren Price, Sep'19. Europe by Eurail has been the train traveler's one-stop source for visiting Europe's cities and countries by rail for more than forty years. This comprehensive guide provides the latest information on fares, schedules, and pass options, as well as detailed information on more than one hundred specific rail excursions. The book contains information readers need to enjoy visits in historic cities, romantic villages, and scenic hamlets on more than ninety rail trips starting from twenty-eight base cities located in twenty countries. Sample rail-tour itineraries combine several base cities and day excursions into fifteen-day rail-tour packages complete with hotel recommendations and sightseeing options. Packed with practical information, step-by-step directions, advice on where to go and what to see and do, and complemented by the inclusion of twenty maps, Europe by Eurail takes the puzzle out of European Rail Travel. 584 pages; 5.98 x 1.4 x 8.98 inches; Reference List Price: $24.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
USA by Rail: plus Canada's main routes, 9th Edition, Bradt Travel Guide
By John Pitt, Jun'19. This ninth edition of Bradt's USA by Rail guidebook has been fully revised and expanded to take account of changes to Amtrak routes and services, plus the latest Amtrak and VIA Rail pass details, and features over 500 destinations, including Disney World, the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls. With 25 long-distance train journeys across the United States and a further 12 in Canada, plus sightseeing highlights for 38 major cities, accommodation options from cheap to chic and everything you need to find your way around unfamiliar train stations, this book has all the practical information required to make the most of a rail pass. There are maps, route plans and photographs, up-to-date security and immigration information, plus vital tips for sightseeing, local transport and accommodation, as well as chapters on VIA Rail, the Rocky Mountaineer and other trains in Canada. The book also includes a history of North American railroads, current steam train operators, tourist railways and museums, as well as sound advice for the visitor from overseas. Hundreds of Internet contacts make it easy to plan and make reservations for any trip you desire. The grandeur of America's scenery - from its never-ending prairies, the Joshua trees of the Mojave Desert and the saw-toothed peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the pounding surf of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans - is one of the continent's greatest attractions and there is no better way to enjoy it than by train. Written by an expert author who has travelled around 80,000 miles by train in North America in the last 25 years, Bradt's USA by Rail is the essential companion for a successful trip. Paperback, 368 pages, 5.47 x 0.79 x 8.6 inches; Reference List Price: $25.99
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
Rail-Trails Florida: The definitive guide to the state's top multiuse trails
By Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, May'16. Explore the best rail-trails-52 trails and more than 856 miles-with the official guide. Looking for a level trail where you can enjoy a brisk fitness walk, bike ride, or stroll with the family? All across the country, unused railroad corridors have been converted to public multiuse trails. Here, the experts from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy present the best of these rail-trails in Florida. General James A. Van Fleet State Trail runs 29 miles through Central Florida's expansive Green Swamp, home to some of the state's most impressive wildlife. For a real adventure, try the 106.5-mile Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, which stretches from Key Largo to Key West. Or for visitors who really want to unplug, visit Sanibel Island, a beautiful sanctuary with 24 paved miles that take you to beaches, a wildlife refuge and rehabilitation center, a historical lighthouse and village, a renowned seashell museum, and more. In this book, you'll find: Detailed maps for every rail-trail, plus driving directions to trailheads, Icons indicating the activities each trail can accommodate, Succinct descriptions written by rail-trail experts, "You can now throw away all your self-help books on fighting depression, losing weight, toning muscles, finding something to do with your kids, and learning American history. Just use this guide, find a great trail-and enjoy!" -Peter Harnik, Director, Center for City Park Excellence, Trust for Public Land 192 pages; 5.4 x 0.3 x 8.4 inches; Reference List Price: $16.95
Click For AMAZON.COM Price!
SEARCH MILLIONS of titles at AMAZON.COM:
florida railroads
About color schemes: The colors on this page show Florida East Coast Railway's red, yellow and silver, used from 1939 to 1962.
![[amazon.com - get the books you want]](/gfx/amspiral.gif)
