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  • NEW BOOK: Lehigh Valley Railroad by Ken Kraemer

  • Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.
Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.

Moderator: scottychaos

 #514745  by WNYP431
 
Brandy-new tribute to the west end of the Lehigh is out, and it is absolutely fabulous!

"The Lehigh Valley Railroad - A Photo Album"

Absolutely the best LV Photo book yet - no question! Great tribute, and great insight into what railroading around the nations second largest railroad community was all about. Hats off to Mr. Kraemer.

Hallelujah!!!

 #515118  by Cactus Jack
 
Where can it be bought / Who published it ?

 #515144  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
Looks good. A great year, so far, for the Valley fans. Here's a quick rundown.........

Image

This newest book is from Ken Kraemer, of Buffalo, New York. Ken spent much time documenting the LV’s operations with his camera from the mid-1950s to the railroad’s demise in April of 1976. With emphasis on the often overlooked west end of the route, this book contains over 250 of Ken’s photos in both color and black and white. It looks at the era of LV's Alco diesels known as "White Elephants" and "Yellow Jackets" in such locations as Depew, P&L Junction, Rochester Junction, and Sayre. The last few days of operation in the Buffalo area are uniquely covered, and there are follow-up sections on former LV locomotives operated under Conrail and Delaware & Hudson, and photos of traces of the Lehigh Valley that survive to the present day. With an accent on the aesthetic side of the railroad’s operations, Ken’s photos personally capture the essence of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and will take you back to one of the most interesting times in northeastern railroading. Published by RR Trax Studios of Cumberland, Maryland. It's in the bookstores and hobby shops now. can be found easily on eBay, as well. Another 'Must Have", for the valley collector......... :-D

 #515928  by TB Diamond
 
Just ordered a copy. Knew Ken "In those thrilling days of yesteryear" when the LVRR put on a fine show in western and central New York State. A neat gent and I would not want to miss this portion of his good work.

 #515960  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
I got my copy from Ken, signed and all. It's a good "picture book", as it's described, with the color and B&W being fairly balanced. No real "suprises" here, with the usual LV stuff from the last decade, or so. The book is a quality item, with good color in the pages, and the text is almost perfect. One picture really needed a caption, to explain it, but alas, it's not to be. (maybe I should write Ken, and inquire) Excellent job of capturing the last run of several trains in his neck of the woods, on "C" day, when the trains would run no more. I have to admit, the west end was a real "weedy" railroad, and the long lensed shots made you wonder how the Valley was still wheelin' them, in the last few years. Overall, Ken has done an outstanding job, bringing the west end to those of us who only knew the New York Division......... :wink:

 #515999  by JhnZ33
 
GOLDEN-ARM wrote:Excellent job of capturing the last run of several trains in his neck of the woods, on "C" day, when the trains would run no more. I have to admit, the west end was a real "weedy" railroad, and the long lensed shots made you wonder how the Valley was still wheelin' them, in the last few years.
It wasn't just the Valley that was "weedy". By then, most every line destined for the "C-day" take over was. :wink:

JP

 #516275  by DElder
 
GA:
While I agree with most of your comments regarding Ken's new book, I'll respectfully disagree with your comment that it contains "the usual LV stuff". What makes this new book most attractive to me is that it contains LOTs of photos at locations that I've never seen anywhere before. The stuff around Niagara and Tifft junctions, the Tonawanda shots, Cayuta and Burdett, etc., etc. were all new to me. (And this is from a guy what used to chase the LV around the Finger Lakes area back in the early/mid 70s).

You're absolutely correct on your comment on the track condition....some of the shots in Ken's book really make you wonder how they kept anything on the rails during the mid 70s.

I've spent a couple very enjoyable evenings this week with this book....if you're a true LV fan, get it! A big thanks to Ken Kraemer and RR Trax Studios!
Doug Elder

 #516886  by charlie6017
 
I got my copy from Niagara Hobby today and can't wait to start looking at it! :-D

 #516924  by 48toNYP
 
My copy arrived the other day and I was very pleased. I could really sense just how much I missed out on, not having been born until long after all of this went away. Growing up near Batavia, NY I can recall riding my bike on the abandoned ROW imagining what once had been.

Can anyone recommend any other good books with a Western NY bias? Would love to see pictures of the old DL&W bridges north of Alexander where it crossed the Erie(?) branch line from Attica to Batavia. More LV books would be great too! Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

 #517023  by bwparker1
 
I just ordered a copy for my 30th Birthday, which happens to be on the 31st of March, 1978, 2 years to the day that the LV ceased operation when it was absorbed by Conrail. Growing up in Rochester, NY, and spending lots of time in Buffalo, Ithaca and points in between on LV branch lines in the Finger Lakes, I can't wait to see this. I enjoyed Mike B.'s book on the Wyoming and Buffalo divisions very much.

Brooks

 #517108  by MarcMeoff
 
GOLDEN-ARM wrote:One picture really needed a caption, to explain it
Sorry about that! That was just one of those "Oh darn it" (or words to that effect) moments that creep into these things after it's too late to change anything.

The photo (on page 3) was taken from the route 224 overpass near Alpine, NY. The train is westbound. Also, the black and white photo on the opposite page was taken on the Ithaca line from the route 13 overpass near Buttermilk Falls State Park and is looking east (south).

Thank you all for your interest in the book, and all your good comments.

Ken Kraemer

 #517291  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
Excellent book, Ken. Welcome to the forum, and we are hoping you have enough to do a "Volume II" some day............. :-D Enjoyed my copy about 10 times now, and I sent you a PM. Kudos to you!!! :wink:

 #518583  by TB Diamond
 
Received my book a few days ago. The photos of Rochester Jct. on pages 49 and 50 looked very familiar. Checking my proofs I found that I was at the junction that day. Recall seeing someone photographing MR-1 and 412 while I stood up on the hill by the reservoir. The date was 28 December 1972 which was a national day of mourning for Harry S. Truman. Great work, Ken.

 #518602  by johnpbarlow
 
I think the book is terrific and the photos really capture the seldom depicted rag tag nature of the west end of LV in the '60s-'70s: locomotives in any combination, a rainbow of color schemes, track in serious need of maintenance, great upstate NY scenery, interesting consists. This is not intended to be a criticism but the only road engines not covered were the PAs. Even after LV passenger service ended in '64(?), the LV used PA's on some freights. I remember getting out-run on rte 17C by a PA-led Sayre-Binghamton turn on the paralle EL main just west of Campville. IIRC, the LV used to change out one of the 2 PAs on the Black Diamond during the Sayre station stop on a daily basis (?).

Excellent book! Would love to see more photos - Especially Sayre/Ithaca/Owego.