A New EL Book From Morning Sun

For those who may not know yet, Morning Sun will be releasing a new EL book on May 1st. This one will cover the NJ commuter operations prior to the arrival of the U34CH's and Comet 1's. Being an EL fan as well as growing up on an abandoned EL commuter line I'm really looking forward to this one. Hoping there will be a pic or two of my town in the book.

If it's like all the other MSB releases it should be good. I don't think they ever put out a bad book...I don't think they're allowed to !

Joe,

I'm sure it will have many DL&W Mu photos as well .......Someone needs to come out with a book that covers just the Mu's from the day they began service in 1930 to the day they were retired in August of 1984.....Maybe I will have to work on something like this......

Steve

jmp883 wrote:For those who may not know yet, Morning Sun will be releasing a new EL book on May 1st.

If it's like all the other MSB releases it should be good. I don't think they ever put out a bad book...I don't think they're allowed to !

I've been collecting RR books for years and MSB never sucks!!!

What books and or videos cover New Jersey that I can purchase? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

There are a trio of MSB books that I recommend for NJ rail fans: Lehigh Valley In Color (Vol. 1 includes alot of NJ), Erie Lackawanna: The East End (Vol. 3 in the EL series) and Erie Lackawanna: The Final Years. Honestly, they bring 2 of my favorite fallen flags back to life. All of them really gave me a feel for operations in northern NJ- very useful for folks like me who didn't grow up there, and likely to be even better for someone who did. Good luck...

Matt, I would also recommend Cunningham's "Railroads of New Jersey" as an excellent background source and thumbnail history. It puts everything else into perspective of evolution. Then follow, of course, with the individual road's histories like Taber's three books on the DL&W, Archer's LV, and Stauffer's ERIE power (despite it being mainly about the locomotive fleet). Some of the earlier histories are not quite as good.

Thanks folks, I will check those out.

There's another book that has been out of circulation for quite a while and I'm trying to do a search on eBay for it but I don't remember the title. I believe it goes something like this:

Trains of the Iron Mines in Northwest NJ. I can't remember the author's name or even if this is the correct title.

Ken

Yes. Actually its from Tri State Chapter NRHS and Larry Lowenthal call "The Iron Roads of North Jersey" or something to that effect, which led to his "Lackawanna RR In New Jersey". Two great chapters in upper NJ history, not just rail history. I am sure the libraries have it but also check the hobby shops and the Whippany station shop. Other rail museums and NRHS Chapter web sites might give you leads, too.

Try anything by Rich Pennsi; he used to work for the Lackawanna and the E-L and now works as an FRA rules inspector (really isn't a bad guy!). He knew my granddad (first trick Boonton Line dispatcher) and still keeps in contact with several guys who worked the Hoboken (above the ferry slips) dispatcher's office.

henry6 wrote:Matt, I would also recommend Cunningham's "Railroads of New Jersey" as an excellent background source and thumbnail history. It puts everything else into perspective of evolution. Then follow, of course, with the individual road's histories like Taber's three books on the DL&W, Archer's LV, and Stauffer's ERIE power (despite it being mainly about the locomotive fleet). Some of the earlier histories are not quite as good.

I haven't heard of the Cunningham book so that will have to on my "to get" list! Which book about LV is by Archer?

Yes, Cunningham's is a must...it was a compilation of articles for the Newark Evening News back in the 50s that became a book. It was reprinted again in the 70s, I think. Both hard and soft cover and should be at the railroad museum in Whippany or any other rail museum or rail group in the state and possibley from some of the local historicals societies. Check your friendly library for complete details.

I can't remember Archer's title but everyone knows it and you'll possibley find it in the same places as above. It has been out of print for quite a while. Ebay is always a good place to try if only to see what exists!

Good Luck!

Be careful. There is another book with same title - RAILROADS OF NEW JERSEY -written by Richard Hyer and John Zee that was published in 1975.

I just got the new MSB EL Commuter book and it gets two thumbs up!!!

I haven't read it yet, just paged through it cover to cover and based just on the photography alone, it is the best EL book in the series yet. William Brennan is the author so based on his other work for MSB I have no doubt the text is just as good as the photography.

It was posted on other threads about the non-railroad details showing up in some of the later MSB books and how neat it is to see those things. This book definitely delivers on that count. Here are just a few:

Page 94-Check out the Corvette waiting at the Hamburg Tpk crossing in Riverdale.

Page 101-Just that whole scene in Passaic.

And of course, the 'centerfold'....turn the page from 101 to a 2-page spread of Passaic. What a blast from the past!

Morning Sun really outdid themselves on this one. Hats off to William Brennan and MSB.

henry6 wrote:Yes. Actually its from Tri State Chapter NRHS and Larry Lowenthal call "The Iron Roads of North Jersey" or something to that effect, which led to his "Lackawanna RR In New Jersey". Two great chapters in upper NJ history, not just rail history. I am sure the libraries have it but also check the hobby shops and the Whippany station shop. Other rail museums and NRHS Chapter web sites might give you leads, too.

Iron Mine Railroads of Northern New Jersey by Larry Lowenthal. Published in 1981. Excellent.