American Rail delight in a Glasgow loft!

rjhowie

Active member
A long number of years ago a friend in the travel industry here in Glasgow gave me a copy of the annual "Association of American Railroads.". Must have been a gigantic process producing that each year. It is almost 3 inches thick (wouldn't happen now!) and lists every railway company there from tiny wee outfits of a handful of miles to the big boys and legions of what you over there would call fallen flags. Timetables, maps, lists of Executives, etc. It in addition includes Canada, Mexico and the island of Cuba. I haven't counted all but there were literally hundreds of companies and is a fascinating recount as the passenger system was declining. Not something you could put in a pocket probably like today!

Although British (from north of the Border), I have always been a train man and equally although not being American, I was quite happy when I was given it all those years ago even though the thing was well dated on receiving it. Are such things of interest these days? It has been in my loft for years and when clearing the place for installation there it was amongst many of my redundant books! A but dusty, slightly worn look but perfectly readable and all those famous names now gone. Thought it would be interesting to see how those of you across the pond think of this heavy tome of your rail history?
 
Oh well.

I did muse that with so many in America who sigh at the passing of so many famous names there might have been more of a practical interest in this tremendous handbook from 1960. On the other hand such a thought may have been less important than I assumed and maybe just an emotional passing stance from over there. Maybe I should have made it even more clearer that I would have been quite prepared to dispatch it across the water as it means more there than here where rail is something valued and more subscribed. I had in fact considered offering it to perhaps a rail fan from that country who valued the history and this very practical example. Alternatively I would be just as happy now to someone here in Gt Britain or Ireland (post would be cheaper for a Scot!) who might find it a good bit of practical history of what is lost? As at the start, oh well!
 
Hello rjhowie,
If you have not been able to find someone I would be more than happy to take the book of your hands. I would, of course, pay the postal and packing costs and give you a donation for the book. I love books of this sort because by understanding how things were you get a better understanding as to why things are as they are now. It is also interesting to see how railways that started to solve a set of transportation problems in the UK came to be adapted for transcontinental use and a whole new set of problems that needed to be solved. Please PM me if you wish.
Regards
 
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