If you are an enthusiast of obscure railroads, this book has a lot to recommend it. Prototypes for Modelers: Volume 1, San Diego & Arizona Railway chronicles the development and construction of said railway from its origin in San Diego to its terminus at El Centro, California, where a traveler could connect with the Southern Pacific and travel to points east. The book covers the line’s typically convoluted history; its construction, where nearly insurmountable obstacles, such as the San Ysidro Mountains, are overcome (at one point there were 17 tunnels built in just 11 miles of track); its route through southern California and northern Mexico; its rolling stock and locomotives; and its structures. The volume finishes up with a brief look at the line today, which is still in sporadic use under a different name and owner.

The book provides some good reading, if you like railroad history. It also contains lots of interesting photos, particularly of the construction of the more difficult parts of the line. This railroad made much use of unusual “side hill trestles,” where the side of the track next to the hill was supported by the ground, while the outside was supported by trestle work. There are pictures of some truly spectacular trestles under construction. This was a popular and well documented railroad.

For the modeler, there is lots of inspiration contained within these pages. Not only do the photos contain a trove of ideas, but the line’s interesting history could inspire some creative thinking as well, as the railroad hauled both passengers and freight through some challenging countryside.

The book is well produced on good paper. The photos, especially the many black-and-white ones, are nicely rendered, although some of the color pictures are not as well produced. In all, though, this is a comprehensive volume on a railroad that is little known outside of southern California.

M.H.

Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette magazine, September/October 2006

This book describes the standard gauge San Diego & Arizona Railway. It presents photos, and information on the history, rolling stock, and locomotives of the SD&A. It also describes the rugged terrain this railway ran through. The book is divided into four parts covering history, train operations, structures and industries, and flora and terrain. The text is illustrated with some 125 sharp, well-printed color and black and white photos – many full page. There are also reproductions of tickets, timetables and travel brochures from the SD&A.

The author is a garden railroader as well as a railroad enthusiast, and seems to have assembled all the prototype information you would need to build a model of the SD&A – a line once known as the “Impossible Railroad” because of the terrain it went through. I am looking forward to more books in this series.

Bob Brown

Timber Times magazine, Issue# 39 – November 2006

The San Diego & Arizona Railway was built between 1907 and 1919 in order to provide transportation of agricultural products from California’s Imperial Valley west over the Ysidro Mountains to the port of San Diego. This little-known line earned its nickname, “The Impossible Railroad,” due to the tremendous difficulties encountered in its construction through this desolate and arid region, expecially the amazing stretch through magnificent Carriso Gorge. This part of the line required 17 trestles in 11 miles!

Construction was further delayed and disturbed by relentless floods, slides, and tunnel collapses. And, since the line passed through Mexico from Tijuana to Tecate, the builders faced difficulties caused by the Mexican Revolution of 1911.

The author’s intention is to provide a useful reference for model railroaders in constructing a layout. The book presents photos and descriptions of the railroad’s history, rolling stock and locomotives, structures, and operating terrain. Maps, charts, tables, lists, artifacts, and over 125 crisp photos give the reader plenty of information useful in planning a model railroad depicting the line.

It’s not often that we review “non-logging” books, but I’ve made an exception with this volume for one simple reason: the photos of the construction equipment used to build the railroad are just terrific, including steam shovels, pile drivers and a rail-mounted steam derrick, all worthy modeling subjects.

PHS

Finescale Railroader Magazine, “The Final Magazine”—December 2006

Link Pen Publishing…debuts its first book…by Charles M. O’Herin. The 135 page softbound book includes more than 125 photographs, several in full color, along with maps, rosters, timetables, and charts.

Aficionados on the west coats know the SD&A traveled through some of the most rugged territory in America. The standard gauge shortline ran south from San Diego into Mexico and required seemingly impossible cuts, fills, tunnels, and trestles to pass through the treacherous eleven mile long Carriso Gorge.

The author chronicles the line’s history, motive power, rolling stock, and structures. He devotes about half the book to history, the rest to material a modeler would want. The photo quality and overall content range from good to excellent – an auspicious beginning for the new publisher.

Uncle Russ