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model railroading book

So I went to my favorite train store near me this past weekend and looked in his pile of books on the floor.  I finally found the book I've been looking for since I was a kid back in 1979/1980.   I used to check this book out often along with a couple of friends when we were in our early teens.  Copyright on the version I found was 1964 and 1978.  

I loved the book and haven't seen it since 1980 or so when I was in jr high school (grades 7-8-9).  

I've been casually looking for it for a long time.  Finally got it this past weekend and was looking forward to perusing it over the weekend.

Oh man, brings back memories of me wishing for stuff that i could never afford back then.   And I love looking at the pictures of the cool brass Japanese stuff that I could never afford was awesome.   And the trackwork and how to hand lay ties an

There was a whole section that fascinated me.   There was one of the earliest attempts at DCC control talked about in the book  GE (yes, that GE) had released a system called ASTRAC which was an early command control system that used wireless receivers to allow up to 5 independent engines run on the same track.   Fascinating how far we have come! 

Just had to share my little story of how cool it was to find this book that I haven't seen in 40 years and get to look through it again!

 

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I have a copy of that book around here somewhere, but not in my currently overcrowded bookcases. Bought it in Honolulu back in the mid- to late-70s from a "50%-off sale" table at a store in the Ala Moana shopping center. One of the first model railroading books I bought as an adult (just getting back into the hobby), although I still have several model railroading books I purchased as a young teen, or even before becoming a teen, back in the late 50s.

JDFonz posted:

Too funny, me and my best friend must have checked that book out in high school about 30 times each as well. High school grad class of ‘77!

I discovered the book during the mid-60's at my local library when I was in grade school.  It was a good excuse to go to the library to do my *ahem* "homework" rather than do it at home. 

A relative gave me a copy for Christmas some years later.  I still have it but haven't looked at it in decades.

The section that fascinated me most was the early cast iron and pull toy trains.

Rusty

I also had that book, back in the early '70s. If I remember correctly, it was almost all HO scale.

Not to "rain on anyone's parade" here, but even then I thought it was too "general" in scope to be of much interest; similar to the Louis Hertz books. Just my opinion, of course. 

BTW, the forward (as you can see) was written by David Rose; he composed that (in)famous hit song from the early '60s, "The Stripper". I think Noxema used it in one of their shaving cream TV ads; "Take it off: take it all off"... 

Mark in Oregon

Ah, "Mile Post" books of our lives! A favorite subject of mine!

Even though I had just started my HO journey (after Christmas 1962), as a youngster THIS is the book that tripped my trigger:

BantamBook1

After receiving my Lindberg Lines HO set for Christmas '62, one day shortly thereafter I was walking through Macy's with my mother, and there on one of those wire, rotating paperback stands, was this book. I snatched it up, purchased it, and once home, devoured it.

I almost had that book memorized as a lad! I even tried my hand at making structures using hard board as described in the book. (Not too successfully, I might add!) For years and years I had my original copy... but somewhere during one of our (wife and I) moves in the 70s, it was never seen again.

Many years later, I found the above copy by happenstance at a train meet back before the internet days. Picked it up for a buck. It was SO great to be reunited with a version of the Bantam Book I owned back when. Many, many of the pictures therein triggered certain memories. One such trigger pic was this one:

Bantam_basementLG

My imagination ran wild with that one! I just couldn't believe how wonderful it must be to have an entire basement devoted to model railroading! 

To this day, I will periodically pull out my little Bantam Book of "Model Railroading" and enjoy the memories it activates.

"Mile Post" books are great!

Andre

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Last edited by laming

Good stuff. I love nostalgic threads like this. This was my go-to book in grade school, Harry Zarchy's Book of Model Railroading. Fifty years on I read in the paper where the school was closing and went back to visit one last time. I even got to see one of the nuns who had taught me, she was still there and still tough as nails. She invited me to look around for a memento so I took the old Westclox clock off the wall of my old classroom and then headed to the library to find this book. Still there !  Those check-out dates from 1966-1972 were probably all mine.

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bobotech

Sutton's book is a good book and a good read.  It is easily found now.  There are dozens copies of the Sutton's ''The Complete Book of Model Railroading" on eBay 10-21-2022 one for less than $5 free shipping.

I agree with Andre and others that "Model Railroading" by the Lionel staff is a great book, both editions, and was the most useful when I started my post war 027 layout in 1977.  It has lots of 1950s style, do it yourself ways to build an inexpensive layout.  There is only one copy of "Model Railroading" by the Lionel staff on the eBay.  The fifth edition is easier to find.  I had an earlier edition in the 1950s that had real blue prints in it, but it is long gone.  I found one in poor shape at a train show a few years ago.  If one is a post war model train buff, any edition of  "Modeling Railroading" is worth hunting for.

Charlie

Last edited by Choo Choo Charlie

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