A Field Guide to Trains of North America

by Gerald L. Foster and Gerald Foster

This book describes and illustrates all the rolling stock commonly used by any American railroad, including the 150 different types of locomotive. The renowned Peterson Identification System pinpoints the key field marks that distinguish one railroad car from another. The guide also lists the 840 different American railroads.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395701120
• ISBN13: 9780395701126
• Release Date: April 1996
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.9" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

A Small Wonder

Having recently become serious about model railroading in the diesel era, this book is exactly what I needed. Going to toy train shows and seeing row upon row of locomotives for sale can be rather daunting, but this little book is the perfect companion for just such a trip. It's concise, well illustrated and easily fits in my pocket. Perhaps one of the best purchases I've made in this hobby.

Field Guide to Trains - - The "Roger Tory Peterson" for HO Modelers

Any bird watcher who is also an HO layout builder will appreciate a good field guide for trains rather than birds. I was attracted by the title of the book and found the online views to confirm my hope that the book would be useful. It is a good reference for trains, included some older diesel units which are not too common. The book is a good reference but is not a total review of ALL rolling stock ever produced. After receiving the book I am satisfied with the purchase

Great Techniques for Identifying Motive Power

The wonderful thing about this book is the author's use of drawings to identify the train engines. By using this technique, you skip distracting details and logos, and concentrate on the specifics that are important in making the ID. There is just enough history and background to make this an indispensible tool for the railfan.

Exelent

This book is exactly what I had been looking for. In a small volume, it give more than enough information on virtually all diesel locomotives still in service so that even the most novice rail fan can correctly identify these locomotives. If you love trains, I would highly recomend this book.

Excellent book for identifying diesel locomotives.

Being a lover of trains, I have often wished there were a small, concise recognition guide for the various locomotives one sees through out North America. A Field Guide to Trains is Mr. Foster's attempt to fill that very niche. Even though the book's title implies that is devoted to helping one recognize various types of boxcars, passenger cars and locomotives; it really is devoted mostly to aiding one in the recognition of diesels. Rather than using photographs or color illustrations, the author makes exclusive use of nicely detailed skethes in his effort to help identify the various kinds of engines one might see pulling a frieght train through town. Well placed arrows in these illustrations point out the details that distinguish one locomotive from another. Concise, well written text accompanies each illustration giving such details as the horsepower, date of manufacture, and the number built. The only serious criticism I have of this work is the author's complete disregard for the large amount of rebuilt GP7's, GP9's and SD24's as done by Illinois Central's Paducah, Kentucky shops, as well as the numerous rebuilds of these types done by Burlington Northern and other large railroads. However Mr. Foster does include at least one drawing of Santa Fe's rebuilt CF7's, as well as a drawing of the extremely rare EMD RS1325 switcher as used by the Chicago & Illinois Midland. I highly recommend this book for those who are looking for a simple and effective way of identifying the various locomotives used by today's railroads