The Way It Was Stories

[Anonymous]

Hello


While I was looking through an old box of my old magazines in the closet, I found two issues of Classic Trains.(I found Classic Toy Trains, Model Railtroader, Garden Railways all magazines that I can buy at my local store and some british magazines.) I read the way it was stories in the winter 2000 issue and by far my favorite was "I rode the Cresent For free". What are your favourite stories.

Nick

[joseph2]

I enjoy reading old issues of "Railroad Magizine" that were published from 1930 to 1978.There is a huge amount of great true and fiction stories in that magazine.Favorite author is Gilbert Lathrop,who wrote of the old Denver,Rio Grande and Western. Joe G.

[gbrewer]

Joe,

I hardily agree about Gil Lathrop's writings.

Did you know that he wrote several books: Little Engines and Big Men, Rio Grande Glory Days, Wispering Rails are the three I can recall. I think there may be one or two more.

Glen

[coalminer3]

Try finding the book, Gone Railroading - a real good one, esp. if you like Colorado. A couple of other good ones are Vanishing Markers (about the Boston and Maine) and another old B&M-centered book called High Green and the Barkpeelers. If you are looking for some logging-related stuff, get a copy of Tall Trees and Tough Men (New England), logging rrs in WV (a fascinating subject) are covered in a book titled Tumult on the Mountains. Also, if you can find them, there are two gems about the New Haven; both are titled The New Haven Railroad - A Fond Look Back. A more recent one about the Central Vermont is titled the Banana Belt ( fascinating stuff about the way it was).

Happy reading - work safe



work safe

[Anonymous]

I still like Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel! [:D]

[agentatascadero]

Topping my list is anything by DPM. I can't remember his mane now, or find the correct issues, but TRAINS ran a series(80's?, 90's?) written by a railfan Pullman conductor, which ran in several installments. My current favorite would be the Mad Dog Chronicles, currently running on 2 other sites, by a retired, I think, officer of the SP, great stuff.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TMCCexpert

I still like Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel! [:D]

A classic! This is a hand me down book!!!!

[route_rock]

But what about tootle???? The train that loved flowers?? and couldnt stay on track! Sounds like my favorite rail company.Yes Mike and his steam shovel is a great hand me down.To tell you the truth first hand accounts are always my favorite part of Trains and Classic trains.I like Unforgetable Railroad days in Vintage Rails by Robert Janz.His true life tales.Plus anything from Ed King is a fun read.

[Anonymous]

What about the little train that could........

I think I can.......

[Overmod]

agentatascadero, I believe you're referring to the great Bill Moedinger (who, among many other things, taught me it's easier to carry two 80-lb suitcases than one 50-lb one).

There were other pretty good children's railroad books. (The Little Engine That Could is NOT a particularly good example of a 'railroad' book, imho, and another one was responsible for my drawing side rods incorrectly for years) There was one, which IIRC was a Little Golden Book, which described a steam engine coming to the aid of an early diesel which had a cylinder-head problem (!) -- somebody either knew what they were reading in news stories at the time, or liked railfanning more than casually...

I loved reading boomer stories in the old Railroad Magazines -- sometimes you had to stretch your imagination a bit, but who knows? Maybe the red-headed widow WAS as lively as described...

I agree on the first-hand accounts; even something as prosaic as a day run with a couple of Alcos could become magical just in the telling.

[SSW9389]

I just did a computer search that led me to this thread. I recently reread a story by Lathrop from Railroad Magazine titled Operation: Tidewater. It is the story of Western Pacific's carfloat operation on San Francisco Bay back in 1950. The story was published in the March 1951 issue. What else can you tell me about Lathrop?

QUOTE: Originally posted by joseph2

I enjoy reading old issues of "Railroad Magizine" that were published from 1930 to 1978.There is a huge amount of great true and fiction stories in that magazine.Favorite author is Gilbert Lathrop,who wrote of the old Denver,Rio Grande and Western. Joe G.

[gbrewer]

Gilbert was the son of Stewart Lathrop who was a pioneer engineer on the D&RG narrow gauge Marshal Pass line to Gunnison. Gilbert became a conductor on the same line.

His first book, Little Engines and Big Men, was in part stories from his father. He also had an uncle who worked for the South Park line and he tells a few stories about that and the F&CC too.

There are lots of good stories, many based on fact.

Yes, many of his fiction stories were published inRailroad Magazine.

[gbrewer]

From the dust cover of Rio Grande Glory Days:

He was born May 26, 1895, and lived his first years in a converted boxcar in Crested Butte, Colorado, where his father was engineer on a narrow gauge switch engine.

First published in Railraod Man's Magazine in 1930.

By 1958 he had produced 60 stories and serials under his own name and a host of pen names. Three books were published during this time.

He died in 1959.

[joseph2]

He was also a WW1 veteran,fired steam locos on the D&RGW Utah division,and was a station agent on the WP. Joe G.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by agentatascadero

Topping my list is anything by DPM. I can't remember his mane now, or find the correct issues, but TRAINS ran a series(80's?, 90's?) written by a railfan Pullman conductor, which ran in several installments.

I think those were the PULLMAN stories of William Moedinger out of Phili. I think his son is the president of the Strasburg Railroad.
I miss RAILROAD Magazine and the fine photography of Virgil Staff. Great pics with plenty o' limbs all around.
Mitch