This book contains almost entirely predecessor material. Therefore, I have
posted this review as a service to those who may be interested in it's
pre-merger value.
Micheal Farley
Fargo, ND
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Burlington Northern In Color Volume 1: The Urge to Merge
by Jim Boyd
Morning Sun Publications
$59.95
Release Date: July 1, 2007
This book is the first of a three volume set covering the Burlington
Northern. The title is a little deceiving in that there is only one photo of
a Cascade Green locomotive in the book, and it is on the last page in the
preview for Volume 2. That photo features the CB&Q GP40 in the experimental
"Hockey Stick" scheme. Other than this last-page preview and the
introduction, there is little if any mention of the Burlington Northern in
and of itself.
The book is divided into four chapters, one for each of the predecessor
railroads. Each chapter offers a very brief history of the railroad,
followed by a photographic chronology of the road's motive power. The photos
start with the final days of steam and ending with the final diesel
purchases by the railroad, and showcasing the unique tendencies of each
railroad. The exception to this is the CB&Q, who's SD45's and U23C's are not
covered. I believe this is because they were delivered in the "Hockey Stick"
version of Cascade Green, though they were CB&Q locomotives. Each chapter
also contains a map of the railroad and an All-Time Diesel Roster. The
photography is outstanding, the bulk being Jim Boyd's personal work. Some,
but not many, of the photos have already been published in other works.
Morning Sun's color reproduction is also of a very high quality.
Unfortunately, this book also contains some contradictions, and factual &
spelling errors.
1. The book states in the Northern Pacific section (page 40) that James J.
Hill died in 1920, while in the Great Northern section (page 69) the year
given is 1916. Four other sources in my personal collection confirm that
1916 is the correct date.
2. The introduction (page 4) states that 1968 is the year of the first
merger proposal, while the Northern Pacific section acknowledges the 1904
Northern Securities, which was the first real attempt at merger by Mr. Hill
himself. The Northern Securities was formed in 1901, and struck down in
1904. Merger applications also occurred in 1927, 1961, and 1967.
3. In the Northern Pacific section (pages 38 & 46), the book refers to the
NP towns of Bismarck and Mandan South Dakota. They are in North Dakota, and
several maps printed in the book verify this. Bismarck is also spelled
incorrectly.
4. In the Great Northern section (page 83) there is a page dedicated to the
first production SD45, Hustle Muscle. A common mistake is made here stating
that the locomotive was donated by the BN to the Lake Superior Museum of
Transportation in Duluth, MN. It was donated in 1988 to the Great Northern
Railway Historical Society, who still owns the locomotive. It resided at
LSMT for several years, but now is housed at Minnesota Transportation
Museum's Jackson Street Roundhouse facility in St. Paul, MN.
Overall I am happy with this book, but the errors disappoint me especially
for the price. There are enough people interested and plenty of information
available to prevent such mishaps in a book that will be considered a
historical reference.
Those are my two-cents. You can buy a lot for that price, eh?
Micheal Farley
Fargo, ND
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