Literature

Arlington's Little Local Railroad:
An Illustrated History of the Lexington & West Cambridge Railroad and Its Successors
by John L. Worden III

8-1/2" by 11" Paperback, Text, Maps and Photographs, 26 Pages

This is an excellent overview of the history of the Lexington Branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad in Arlington, Lexington and Bedford. Today, this line between West Cambridge and Bedford, Massachusetts, is "rail banked" and used by the popular Minuteman Bikeway. The author has thoughtfully included route maps that show original track alignments and station locations. This is one of those reference books you'll keep as a permanent part of your rail history library. Model railroaders will appreciate this book for its track schematics, too.

Boston & Maine in the 19th Century
by Bruce D. Heald, Ph.D.

Paperback, Text and Photographs, 128 Pages

All the romance of early railroading in northern New England pervades Boston & Maine in the 19th Century. This fascinating journey begins in the 1830s with an eight-mile line that just kept growing. By the end of the century, the Boston & Maine was traveling over 2,324 miles of track.

This first pictorial history of the Boston & Maine explores the heyday of an enterprising railroad. Using spectacular images, most of which have never before been published, the book takes us along scenic stretches of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Through the generosity of the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society, the author was able to assemble this tribute to a transportation dynasty. Working with rare photographs and original documents from the Society's extensive archives, he has produced a work that is destined to please not only railroad enthusiasts but also residents of northeastern regions crossed by rail.

Boston & Maine in the 20th Century
by Bruce D. Heald, Ph.D.

Paperback, Text and Photographs, 128 Pages

As the 20th century dawned, the Boston & Maine Railroad Company controlled virtually all of the rail lines in New Hampshire, as well as much of the service in Maine and Massachusetts. Ultimately, the company operated more than 2,000 stations in northern New England. The train was the most important mode of travel, and the stations were the center of the community.

Boston & Maine in the 20th Century continues the first pictorial history of the company, Boston & Maine in the 19th Century. With more than 200 rare images and historical narrative, the book details the trains and their destinations:  the terminals, stations, depots, and whistle stops to which they sped. Times changed, and the railroad was passed by; however, its legacy lives on.

To preserve and document the history of the region's transportation giant, the author worked extensively with the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society.

Boston & Maine Locomotives
by Bruce D. Heald, Ph.D.

Paperback, Text and Photographs, 128 Pages

The Boston & Maine Railroad has long captured the hearts of rail enthusiasts, and its locomotives are models of the majesty, power, and romance of American rail. The Boston & Maine was a railroad dynasty running through Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, and many still remember hearing the whistle blow as a Boston & Maine locomotive spewing smoke and steam pulled into the station.

Boston & Maine Locomotives, the third volume in a series of books that document the B&M, is a history of the locomotives that powered New England's most dominant line. The Ten Wheelers, the Mastodons, the Pacifics, and the other classes of locomotive are seen here as they pull passengers and freight throughout the Northeast. The Boston & Maine was one of the last railroads in the area to continue naming its locomotives, and those engines, from nineteenth-century steam to twentieth-century diesel, are recorded here. The Portland, the Newburyport, the General Sherman, and more ride New England's rails once again in Boston & Maine Locomotives.

The author, with the assistance of the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society, has assembled more than 200 rare photographs of the B&M's locomotives that date from the 1830s to the present. This book bears witness to the charm and beauty that powered the legendary Boston & Maine Railroad.

Boston & Maine Trains and Services
by Bruce D. Heald, Ph.D.

Paperback, Text and Photographs, 128 Pages

The Boston & Maine Railroad serviced most of New England as a primary mode of transportation during the 19th and 20th centuries. The birth of this railroad spurred the growth and development of industry in New England. This heritage is captured in Boston & Maine Trains and Services, the fourth volume in a series to focus on the history of this enterprising railroad.

The trains and services included in this book are the Pullman passenger cars, work trains with flatcars, boxcars, circus trains, plows, stock, cabooses, as well as the Boston & Maine bus service, trucks, and air service.

For this documentation of the American railroad, the author has assembled 200 rare images that celebrate the romance of the Boston & Maine's legacy. Special thanks are given to the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society for its generous assistance and support in preserving the history of New England railroading.

Boston and Maine Memories
Featuring the Photography and Career of Preston Johnson
By George and Katherine Melvin

Hardcover, Black & White and Color Photographs, 112 pages

Take a trip down memory lane as we guide you through the 45-year career of former Boston & Maine Railroad dispatcher Preston Johnson and present many of the memories and photographs of this lifelong railroad aficionado. Learn about the various B&M main and branch lines that Preston came to know so well, including the Lexington Branch to Bedford, Massachusetts.

This high quality book contains 230 photos of steam locomotoves, brand new Diesels, stations, towers and yards that are richly captioned with details about the railroad's operation and history. Preston's love for the old Boston & Maine emanates from each page.

Daily Except Sundays:
The Diaries of a 19th Century Locomotive Engineer
by Dana Adams Story

Paperback, Text and Photographs, 135 Pages

In the winter of 1991, the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society acquired a rare collection of 43 diaries kept by Philip T. Adams, an engineman on the Essex Branch of the Eastern Railroad, later to become the Boston & Maine Railroad. These diaries open windows into history, recording the intimacies of the day-to-day operation of the railroad, glimpses of life in the town of Essex, and a personal look into the life and affairs of Philip Adams and his family.

In the lore of railroad legend, in story and song, the engineers of crack trains and fast main line schedules were always the heroes. Yet, as the author notes, men like Philip Adams, who "worked long hours, encountering every conceivable situation that might possibly arise, through winter storms and summer heat, were the real, if unsung, heroes of railroading, manifesting an operating skill much superior to a main line man. These were the men who personified the railroad and made it run."

 

The Rail Lines of Southern New England:
A Handbook for Railroad History
by Ronald Dale Karr

Paperback, Text, Maps and Photographs, 384 Pages

Have you ever come across an active rail line or abandoned right-of-way and wondered where it goes, how it came to be, what kind if traffic it saw, or who owns or operates it today? Historian Ronald Dale Karr answers these questions for railfans and history buffs alike in this unique handbook. Each chapter comprises a lively, detailed chronicle of a rail line and its branches, a map showing the line's relationship to other lines, an all-time station list, and information about when the line was built, its operators, the number of passenger trains, and dates of abandonment.

With 90 photos and illustrations, this is a must for any New England "railfan."

The Rail Lines of Northern New England
by Robert M. Lindsell

Paperback, Text, Maps and Photographs, 416 Pages

Have you ever been excited by the sight of a train or the sound of its whistle at a grade crossing? Have you spotted an unusual hump in the pavement, crossbucks in disrepair, or cuttings going off on either side of the road, each indicating an abandoned rail line? This handbook will help you answer your questions about which railroad it is or was, how it came to be, the places it linked, when and why closure and abandonment came about, and what use is made of the alignment today.

This oft-requested companion to The Rail Lines of Southern New England is packed with information about all of the rail lines of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The author has distilled a wealth of information about Northern New England railroads into capsule accounts of 77 lines, from their beginnings in the 19th century through today. Each chapter includes a comprehensive summary of the development of a separate rail line and its branches; a map detailing the line's relationship to other lines; an all-time station list; and summaries of construction dates, operators, passenger trains, and abandonments. With over 100 vintage and current photographs, no other publication has ever brought together so much information in one handy reference guide.

The Lost Railroads of New England
Second Edition
by Ronald Dale Karr

Paperback, Text, Maps and Photographs, 167 Pages

This guide is another essential book for the New England "railfan." With an informative summary of the rise and fall of New England's railroads, Lost Railroads of New England is a comprehensive guide to all abandoned rail lines in the six New England states. The core of the new edition is an expanded, updated, fully annotated directory of abandonments from 1848 through 1994. It also includes new photographs and all new maps.

This new new edition features:

* All new maps showing abandoned rail lines in the six New England states

* An expanded, updated, fully annotated directory of abandonments from 1848-1994, incorporating many corrections and additions

* The same clear, informative summary of the rise and fall of New England's railroads and information on how to locate their rights-of-way that distinguished the first edition.

This is a book you will turn to again and again!

Boston & Maine Trackside with Arthur E. Mitchell
by Carl R. Byron

Hardcover, Text and Color Photographs, 128 pages

The “trackside” series of books continues on this trip to the Boston & Maine Railroad during the 1950s. As Arthur Mitchell sets out to record the end of steam on New England's pioneering railroad, he also encounters the emergence of new Diesel equipment.

Boston & Maine in Color
by Jeremy and Jeffrey Plant

Hardcover, Text and Color Photographs, 128 pages

Tour the B&M from the steam years to its acquisition by Guilford through the medium of over 250 color photos. This is a vivid look-back at everything from the Pacific locomotives to FTs to GP40s.

RDC: The Budd Rail Diesel Car
by Donald Duke and Edmund Keilty

Hardcover, 375 Photographs and Illustrations, 295 pages

This book chronicles, in word and picture, the history and development of the Budd Company's Rail Diesel Car, better known as the "RDC." The story evolves around a search for a self-contained, self-propelled railcar to reduce costs on suburban and branch rail lines. This book describes Budd's experiment with a stainless steel rubber-tired railcar, the first RDC prototype in the 1940s, the company's entry into the stainless steel railroad car business, and the birth and growth of the RDC. A vast appendix features every carrier that operated RDCs, a description of how the cars were used, route maps, and rosters of each railroad.

Anyone who is interested in the Boston & Maine RDC that is on display at Bedford Depot Park will appreciate this hefty book. The B&M once operated the largest fleet of RDCs in the world.

Equipment of the Boston & Maine, Volume One:
Diesel and Road Switchers
By Robert A. Liljestrand and David R. Sweetland

Softcover, B&W photographs, 48 pages

[This description is being written by Barry Sampson. Please check again later.]

Equipment of the Boston & Maine, Volume Two:
Diesel Cab Units
By Robert A. Liljestrand and David R. Sweetland

Softcover, B&W photographs, 48 pages

This is a collection of 67 photos (64 B&W, 3 color) of the Boston & Maine Railroad's "E" and "F" Diesel cab locomotives that were built between 1943 and '50. Included is a map of the B&M system and a roster of Diesel cab units used by the railroad.

Equipment of the Boston & Maine, Volume Three:
Gas/Diesel Rail Cars, Talgo and Electric Locomotives
By Robert A. Liljestrand and David R. Sweetland

Softcover, B&W photographs, 48 pages

[This description is being written by Barry Sampson. Please check again later.]

Passenger Cars of New England: Boston & Maine
By Robert A. Liljestrand and David R. Sweetland

Softcover, B&W photographs, 48 pages

[This description is being written by Barry Sampson. Please check again later.]

Rails Across Boston, Volume Two:
North Station
By Robert A. Liljestrand

Softcover, B&W photographs, 48 pages

[This description is being written by Barry Sampson. Please check again later.]

Boston's Red Line:
Bridging the Charles from Alewife to Braintree
by Frank Cheney

Paperback, Text and Photographs, 128 Pages

When the Boston Elevated Railway Company broke ground for the Cambridge Subway in May 1909, its intention was to provide the cities of Boston and Cambridge with the finest and most efficient rapid-transit system of the time. Other cities, such as New York and Philadelphia, paid close attention, adopting many of the Cambridge Subway's revolutionary design features. The subway became known as the Red Line and eventually extended from Cambridge across the Charles River through Boston, serving Dorchester, Braintree, and Mattapan.

Boston's Red Line: Bridging the Charles from Alewife to Braintree details one of Boston's oldest and busiest subway lines. This nostalgic collection of vintage photographs documents the line's construction and its engineers and leaders, such as Major/General William A. Bancroft, mayor of Cambridge and president of the Boston Elevated Railway Company. In these pages, watch as crews break ground in Harvard and Andrew Squares and see the 1929 trolleys that replaced Mattapan's commuter train service.

Through exciting, historic photographs, Boston's Red Line: Bridging the Charles from Alewife to Braintree tells the fascinating story of how the Crimson City's subway became the modern Red Line, taking passengers beneath the streets of Boston to landmarks such as Harvard Square, Massachusetts General Hospital, Park Street, and the Longfellew Bridge.

Streetcar Lines of the Hub
By Bradley H. Clarke

Hardcover, 216 pages

"The Heyday of Electric Transit in Boston"

Enjoy what may be the most detailed book ever written about Boston's streetcar lines! This definitive book contains nearly 500 photographs -- many in color -- plus maps and track diagrams.

During World War II, the Boston area's streetcar ridership hit record levels. The trolley's viability was reaffirmed one last time. This book covers all 52 routes, every car house and station, plus Eastern Massachusetts lines to Stoneham and Quincy. It's a must-have for anyone interested in the golden years of Boston's network of trolley lines.

Boston's Blue Line
By Frank Cheney

Paperback, Text and Photographs, 128 Pages

Boston's rapid-transit Blue Line covers a distance of 5.94 miles. It is a 23-minute commute that begins at Bowdoin Station in downtown Boston, travels beneath the harbor, passes alongside Revere Beach, and ends at Wonderland. Today's commuters might be surprised to learn that the line they are riding was once operated by trolley cars and narrow-gauge steam-powered commuter trains, for it was not until 1904 that the East Boston Tunnel under the harbor was completed.

By 1917, the number of people riding the Blue Line had climbed to 25,000 a day. Although significant advances had been made to accommodate high-volume commuter traffic, rush-hour congestion at downtown stations remained a problem. In the 1920s, with ridership exceeding 42,000 people a day, the Boston Elevated Railway and the Boston Transit Commission agreed to convert the tunnel to a rapid-transit operation with a transfer station at Maverick Square. Further expansion occurred in the 1950s when the Blue Line was extended to Orient Heights, Suffolk Downs, and Revere Beach.

Trolleys Under the Hub
By Frank Cheney and Anthony Sammarco

Paperback, Text and Photographs, 128 Pages

Recently republished, this book is chock-full of vintage photographs of streetcars in Boston and Cambridge from the early 1900s through the 1960s.

Boston Transit Equipment, 1979-2009
By Michael R. Prescott, Boston Street Railway Society

Softcover, Color Photos and Text, 64 Pages

In the 1970s, Boston's MBTA transit system was on the verge of a complete overhaul. In the decades to follow, the historic subway, bus and streetcar fleets were transformed from outdated to fully modern, just as the system itself changed and expanded. This full-color transit album showcases each form of equipment that operated on the MBTA system during a transformative three decades:  light rail, heavy rail, bus, trackless trolley and even commuter boat. Each mode of transit was photographed across the MBTA's service area. Summaries are given of private carriers, inter-city services, the Tremont Street Subway's centennial, and overall operational events and changes at the MBTA between 1979 and 2009. Over 85 color photographs tell the story of the coming of age of the MBTA.

This publication was authored by a native of Bedford, Massachusetts.

The Central Mass. - Expanded Second Edition
By Marker Press

Hardcover, Text and B&W Photographs, 177 pages

The Central Mass., first published by the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society in 1975, set forth the colorful history of the line from its beginnings as the Central Massachusetts Railroad until the publication date. This expanded second edition includes a reprint of the original plus 39 new pages about the subsequent fate of the branch line, its final days under B&M operation, and ongoing rebirth as a rail-trail. The supplement features 30 new illustrations and maps.

This book is a must-have for anyone who is interested in the history of the fabled B&M Central Massachusetts Branch!

A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses
By John H. Roy, Jr.

Softcover, 346 pages

The author spent the last 15 years tracking down every station and freight house still in existence in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This handbook provides a comprehensive guide to all 467 such structures that survive in 2007.

Each entry includes a photograph of the building, the date when it was built, its current use, and brief historical and architectural notes. "Railfans," modelers, architecture enthusiasts, local history buffs, and historical preservationists will find a wealth of information to help them explore New England's architectural and railroad heritage.

Trackside Around Massachusetts 1950-70 with Russ Munroe
By Jeremy F. Plant

Hardcover, Text and Color Photographs, 128 pages

The three major railroads of the Bay State -- the Boston & Maine, the Boston & Albany, and the New Haven -- are scrutinized in full color by photographer/conductor Russell Munroe. There's even some coverage of the Central Vermont and smaller railways, too.

Rail-Trails New England, First Edition
By Wilderness Press

Paperback, Photos and Maps, 219 Pages

This book covers 60 rural, suburban, and urban trails threading through 622 miles in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. This two-color book includes succinct descriptions of each trail from its start to finish. At-a-glance summary information indicates permitted uses, surface type, length, and directions to the head of each trail. Included are chapters about the Minuteman Bikeway, Reformatory Branch Trail and Narrow-Gauge Rail-Trail that originate in Bedford, Massachusetts.

Every individual chapter presents a detailed map that includes start and end points, trailheads, parking and restroom facilities, plus other amenities. This book is interesting for the railroad historian, too!