Not too long ago, I got what I thought was a pretty sweet deal on an old Lucius Beebe book. It's called " HIGHBALL: A Pageant of Trains." This particular one was printed in 1945 by BONANZA/Crown Publisher's Inc. out of NY, NY. It cost me a whole $4.50 in 2000. The back of the dust cover has advertisements for four other Bonanza books at the time. Overall, the jacket is in so-so condition, but I'd consider the book, itself, to be in good condition. I think of how many self-appointed professional rail photographers tell us what they think, but this seemed to be a pioneer prototype for today's books on trains.
Actually, your Bonanza edition is a reprint (form the late 50's, early 60's, as I remember). The original 1945 edition was published by D. Appleton-Century Company of New York and London. Photo reproduction compared to the original is not great; grainy, excessive contrast, loss of detail. I have both, and the difference is striking.
Back before WWII, and into the early postwar period, the Lucius Beebe/Charles M. Clegg books were pretty much the gold standard of railroad-oriented books- featuring Beebe's flowery prose, and Clegg's photography.
My father had all of them (they are mine now), and I grew up reading and re-reading them in the fifties.