Forthcoming Books

Southern Pacific Freight Cars:
Volume 5, Hoppers, Covered Hoppers, Tank Cars

Anthony W. Thompson

This fifth volume in the series about Southern Pacific freight cars covers three SP car types: tank cars, hopper cars, and covered hoppers. (SP classed both hoppers and covered hoppers as "H" classes.) The period treated is approximately 1865 to 1965. Early cars of the 19th century, both wood and steel tank cars as well as early hopper cars, are described prior to the Huntington Common Standards. Following chapters describe the Harriman, post-Harriman, and 1920s eras. After World War II, SP bought several orders of covered hoppers, and by 1960 was buying much larger and more diverse cars of that type. Meanwhile, hoppers were nearly all of the longitudinal dumping or ballast type. Concluding chapters cover cars of the early 1960s, including SP's first tank car purchases since 1942.

The well-known SP freight car historian Anthony W. Thompson has authored magazine articles on many SP cars, as well as researching and writing the car section of the book, Pacific Fruit Express, previously published by Signature Press. Noted rail artist John Signor created the painting shown here, depicting a Southern Pacific yard scene containing the subjects of this series of books. Publication date TBA.

Billboard Refrigerator Cars

Richard H. Hendrickson and Edward S. Kaminski

The period, prior to 1937, in which advertising was painted on the outside of railroad refrigerator cars, is known as the "billboard era," and its history is described and illustrated in some detail in this book, along with the reasons for the ending of that era. After World War II, a restrained billboard style made a modest comeback.

More than 430 photos, most never before published, show the lettering and general appearance of a wide variety of these cars, which ran on railroads throughout the country. The authors, freight car historians both, are Richard Hendrickson and Edward Kaminski. They have provided a much-needed look, in breadth, detail and depth, at the billboard era. Publication date now estimated as August 1, 2008.

Sacramento Northern

Harre W. Demoro

The Sacramento Northern was among California's most notable interurbans, connecting the state capital at Sacramento with the San Francisco Bay Area. In later years, electric freight operations also became well known. The SN survived a number of years as a subsidiary of the Western Pacific Railroad.

Harre Demoro, long known as an authority on the SN, wrote this book a few years prior to his death, but the manuscript was never published. This particular book is among Demoro's most complete and carefully researched, with a treasure trove of photo illustrations, many never before published, along with timetable, map, and advertising materials. Publication date TBA.

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