The Call of Trains

Trains and photography have always interested me. This book combines the two and is now at the tp of my reading (or viewing) list. Some books just can’t be converted to ebooks and are meant to stay on paper. This is one of them.

Jim Shaughnessy is the quintessential railroad photographer of the 50’s and 60’s although his work extends from the 40’s to the 80’s. The first thirty pages or so talks about Shaughnessy and how he worked while the remaining pages contain some great black and white photographs. The pictures are mostly from New England in the 50’s and 60’s a cover the transition from steam to diesel. They’re not just pictures of trains but include stations, tunnels, people and more.

The second photo in the book caught my attention and I spent about 10 minutes marveling at it. It’s a simple picture of a B&M passenger train in the Troy, NY station in1958. The E7 locomotive is the only part of the train visible and it’s a small part of the photo. I have to admit, from the angle and detail I figured it was a picture of a model RR. It’s going to take me a long time t get through this book.

The photographs are full size black & white pictures that cover the oversized pages. Even if you’re not a train enthusiast the book is some great photography. The book is available from Amazom.com for about $41.

Tags: Books