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Discussion relating to the PRR, up to 1968. Visit the PRR Technical & Historical Society for more information.
 #897322  by BM6569
 
I'm looking at a few of the Triumph books to add to my library, specifically volumes 2, 3 and 5 to start. These would be the first PRR books in my RR library. I haven't been able to find any reviews on the series. Sounds like these books go into great details of the lines with pictures and track diagrams. Overall, are they a good read? Very informational? Also, volume 3 is titled Philly Terminal. Does that one go into detail about all of the PRR's operations in the Philadelphia area?

Thanks, Warren
 #897553  by 2nd trick op
 
The "Triumph" series could be characterized as "hit-and-miss". It has a lot of information for a person not immediately familiar with its subject matter, but it doesn't cover everything, and is relatively short on text .... in no way "a good read" in that sense. In addition, the late Mr. Roberts was sometimes given to the telling of "tall tales" .... there is an apocryphal yarn about firemen getting caught in the stoker feeds of T-1 duplex 4-4-4-4's, for example. in over fifty years of railfanning, I've never encountered any substantiation of that story.

To summarize .... they're several notches above the interest of a neophyte, but the publications of the historical societies devoted to specific roads would provide material that's both more factual and better-organized.
 #897560  by ExCon90
 
They do have some good photos, however, and some track and signal diagrams which would be hard to come by otherwise. Triumph V, for example, has track and signal diagrams (as well as photos) for Jersey City, Manhattan Transfer, and Newark (the earlier one and the 1936 one).
 #897593  by BM6569
 
Thanks. I was thinking those books might not have much text after seeing the number of pages and pictures.

I know the basic history of the PRR so I'm looking for something that covers the operations of their mainlines and branches in detail. NY to PHI, PHI to HBG and PHI in general. Any other books that would suffice?

Warren
 #897725  by 2nd trick op
 
You might also try the "Dementia" wiki, hosted by Derrick Brashear and accessible via a link from the PRRT&HS website; this site includes a cache of Employees' Timetables which cover most of the PRR at some time or another during the latter years of steam operaion (in most cases).

Or take out a membership in the group, which includes a subscription to the Keystone, its quarterly journal; this publication has touched on a huge amount of information at one time or another, and there is a lively market in back issues.
Last edited by 2nd trick op on Sat Feb 05, 2011 6:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #897747  by BaltOhio
 
Perhaps slightly off topic here, but it might be noted that (as far as I know), the publisher of this series, Barnard, Roberts & Co., is now out of business. It was essentially a one-man operation and the one man, Charley Roberts, died last year. Last time I spoke to her, his ex-wife had to clear out the leased warefouse by Dec. 31 and didn't know what to do with all the book inventory. If anyone knows what became of everything (which also included numerous B&O books), I'd like to know.