The business end of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway was at Newport News, Virginia where the company and later its successors Chessie and CSX dumped the coal hauled by its trains across the state. There's much more to the story than just this in this intriguing 128-page book, however.

More than 300 color images of CPR rolling stock in revenue freight and passenger service as well as maintenance of way.

Takes a look at this venerable iron ore hauling railroad located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Images from the 1950s until present cover LS&I's history, steam and diesel era locomotives plus rolling stock with a bonus look at tourist operation Marquette & Huron Mountain.

A detailed analysis of the Southern's diesel purchasing of both freight and passenger cab units as well as its switcher fleet. Many rare images!

After some background in Penn Central electric freight operations, this book looks at Conrail electric and diesel freights in the electrified territory. The author, a former PC-CR employee gives a detailed explanation of the rationale behind the scenes.

Take a detailed look at electrified operations around the City of Brotherly Love. Includes Philadelphia's streetcars, the Broad Street Subway Line, the Market-Frankford Elevated Line, Red Arrow, Norristown High Speed Line, LVT, the Lindenwold Line, PRR and Reading.

n the 1980s and '90s, the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern RR and Iowa, Chicago & Eastern RR struggled to maintain railroad operations on unwanted lines of the CNW and Milwaukee Road across the Midwest plains. Staffed by hodge-podge rosters, their efforts are chronicled together with vintage shots of the predecessor roads. 128 Pages

The remainder of "The Big Little Railroad" roster including double-enders, Train Masters and SD35s is followed by a look at the post-bankruptcy acquisitions from B&O, the State and secondhand sources. A detailed look at the post-Conrail disposition of the fleet completes the story of CNJ diesel power. 128 Pages

Conrail's Western Region was initially comprised of three former NYC divisions (Cleveland, Toledo and Chicago) and one PRR (Fort Wayne). Follow the early efforts to maintain operation while rehabilitation was taking place and watch in the 1980s as Conrail operations began to really take off. 128 Pages

Former EL operator and dispatcher Art Erdman describes the day-to-day workings on this colorful fan favorite. His behind the scene explanations compliment the more than 250 color photographs, all taken on the road's east end.

Headquartered at Sault Ste. Marie, this colorful all-EMD railroad extended directly north from the Great Lakes into the wilderness of Ontario. Although most famous for its passenger trains through the beautiful Agawa Canyon, the road was also a heavy duty freight hauler carrying lumber, mining and steel products.

128 Pages

128 Pages

Located almost midway on the former NYC main line between New York City and Chicago, Rochester has always been a hotspot of high-speed freight train action. The authors show this aspect well during the PC and CR era along with the other roads that serviced the area: LV, EL, B&O, G&W and smaller operations. 128 Pages

Always a fan favorite because of its reach into some of the Northeast's most scenic areas and its David role in the David-and-Goliath world of railroading, the Western Maryland was staffed by an eclectic assemblage of diesel locomotives, all meticulously maintained until the road was gradually assimilated into the Chessie System in the late 1970s. 128 Pages

Color coverage of private freight car ownership continues through reporting marks GROX to NYMX. Covered hoppers, open hoppers, insulated boxcars, and flatcars dominate but there are oddities like hog cars, log cars, and container gondolas, too. Many interesting loads hold the reader's interest also in the more than 300 photos of this book.

In 1987 Conrail had shed its image of the government vehicle created to maintain service on seven bankrupt railroads and had become an industry leader. That year it would return to the private sector in the largest public offering in history and continue to make strides during the early 1990s all illustrated in this look at its key central routes.