Field Guide to Trains: Locomotives and Rolling Stock
Young Adult Non-Fiction Field Guide Educational Transportation Railway History Technology Reference Hobbies & Model Railroading
Brian Solomon’s Field Guide to Trains: Locomotives and Rolling Stock is the modern rail fan’s pocket bible—208 heavily-illustrated pages that put 150 years of motive power and car types at your fingertips. From 4-4-0 Americans to Tier-4 GEVOs, and from wooden boxcars to articulated auto-racks, every entry pairs crisp color photography with concise data on builders, years built, horsepower, and spotting features so you can identify whatever is clacking past the crossing in seconds. The book’s trim size and durable laminated cover make it field-bag friendly, while the logical A-to-Z organization means no frustrating page-flipping when you’re trackside.
What sets this 2016 second-edition apart is Solomon’s curator’s eye: instead of endless rosters, he gives you the landmark designs that actually survived into preservation or are still earning revenue today. Detailed captions explain why a GP38-2 hood has that distinctive “hump,” how to tell a covered hopper from a grain door boxcar, and which heritage logos remain on leasers’ flanks. Roughly 400 photos—most taken in bright sun against scenic backdrops—double as both reference shots and frame-worthy railroad art, making the guide equally at home on the coffee table or the dashboard of a chase vehicle.
For collectors, modelers, or anyone hunting a high-quality used copy, this paperback is in above-average condition: light cover scuffing and minor edge indents consistent with careful carry-along use, no dog-eared pages, binding still tight. A neat gift inscription on the inside front cover is the only interior marking; every data table and photo remains pristine. Demand for railroadiana keeps outpacing supply, so grabbing a clean, fully-illustrated copy of this popular field guide now means you’ll have the definitive quick-reference on North American trains before the next rail-tour season arrives.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
Buy Now