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Burlington fans have been spoiled the past few years with landmark books on heavyweight passenger cars (the continuing Glick legacy), the mammoth "Waycar" book by Daniel & Douda and now this latest 'break the mold' book: "Quincy Branch" by Bud Linroth. Historically (no pun intended), RR books of all stripes have either been purely prose (the industry's standard set by our own Richard Overton with his four Burlington works as well as the two sets of documentary books by W.W. Baldwin) or pictorials expanded with data re: done so well by Bernie Corbin & Al Holck. Bud's "Peavine" is a very good book in terms of covering one finite area but this book is his ultimate. With over 450 pp including over a 1000 photos and maps, it covers the Galesburg to Qunicy line AND its related lines in depth - depth we have not seen before. The flyleaf comments by Phil Weibler says it best with his description of the line AND the Burlington itself as a 'paradox'. Bud in his comments sees it as a history of the Burlington's service in the area AND stories of the villages and towns along the way. Other similar books will cover a line depot by depot but Bud adds pics of lineside industries (see box cars being loaded with Model T's, mussel shells, furniture, horses and grain!) & VERY uniquely puts a station platmap and/or track diagram for the area in the left or bottom margin for ready reference. NEAT! (take note modelers) To give the reader a real sense of the area Bud takes a page (again no pun intended) from "Granger Country" and gives you a taste for the towns, the people and the countryside. The foundation of it all begins with a Baldwin-like 15 pp treatise on the "Northern Cross" and follows with a chapter on the arrangements with the Wabash, the old Quincy, Omaha & St. Louis and even coverage of the interchange witrh TP&W, AT&SF and M&StL along with shortlines & interurbans. Of course passenger service from mixed's thru Zephyrs to Amtrak is covered as well. As with the Waycar book, Randy Danniel has worked his magic providing the very best "paper" and photo-work to make the collected 1890 duo-tones and 1960's Kodachromes 'jump equally well off the page". We see numerous 2 page full bleeds of yards, depots and overhead views that provide the reader with a 'you are there' feeling. Closeups of stream derricks & shovels, MOW equipment, coal chutes and sand towers abound. There are human interest stories, coal & clay mines and a final chapter brings us from 1970 to 2015 with the Keokuk Jct RR, BNSF and 2 Chinese steam engines on flat cars. In between we see Royal American Shows being switched, floods, a boxcab & the Purington Brick yard crane along with 2 Q/Wabash joint depots and a Q steam piledriver building a depot! Like some of you this is NOT a part of the Burlington Route I focus on BUT I am so happy to add it to my library as it provides so much info and context to the Burlington story. Of course Bud's months and months of work are augmented by a 2 page bibliography of sources and over 70 contributors ranging from all the 'name' CB&Q photographers to local Historical Societys and former employees, many being his old co-workers. There is a reason that "Quincy" is 1/3 of the initials in CB&Q - buy the book and learn why! You will NOT be disappointed. On a purely personal note, I am aware of two more major projects 'out there' that will also enrich the lives of railfans in general and Burlington followers in particular but a lot hinges on the sales of this book. Let's face it - we follow a 'fallen flag' that's nearly a half century back in the mists of time. IF we want to get the last first-hand memories and heretofore unseen photos to be placed in our hands, we need to show authors like Glick, Daniel, Linroth & others there is indeed a "market". They will NEVER get even minimum wage for the hours they put into their books. If you have not ordered this book, its time to give yourself a Christmas gift. Thanks Bud and friends for a massive labor of love....you brought back another piece of the Burlington for us to savor! Gerald Edgar
__._,_.___ Posted by: gvlc6@hotmail.com __,_._,___ |