Mountain Railroading Photography Books

This book list features mainly railroads in the mountains; including both the eastern and western ranges. Mountain railroading has unique challenges of steep grades, rocky terrain, and deep snow to contend with. These challenging landscapes are usually interlaced with beautiful scenery, tall trestles, and deep canyons.

How to Use

This Mountain Railroading book list is subject to change as more books are added. All the titles on this list I have personally viewed or I own. Below each title is a list of information about the book. This information comes from my copies, as other versions may exist. Photographs: This describes if the book contains a variety of color and/or black and white images. Main Image Style: This describes the images in the book being more traditional in nature or dramatic or artistic. Content: This will let the reader know what they should expect regarding how much text is in the book. Text means there are pages of writing and captions indicate that text is limited. Recommended: A 1/10 scale of my personal rating of the book. This is based off the overall quality and value the book has to me. Many factors come into play including photos, print quality, size, layout, content, page count, and how well it covers it’s subject.

The Electric Way Across the Mountains – Stories of the Milwaukee Road Electrification

“Through the rugged Western mountains of Montana, Idaho and Washington, the Milwaukee Road electrification powered heavy-duty railroading in a challenging environment. Richard Steinheimer’s classic interpretive photographs and stories have no peer as an account of what the men and machines of this operation were like. This famous book now is back in print in a second edition. “For nearly 60 years, the orange and black locomotives of the Milwaukee Road’s western electrified lines wheeled tonnage freights and deluxe passenger trains up and over the tortuous grades of the Bitterroot and Cascade mountain ranges. From its inception, this pioneer mainline railroad electrification project proved to the world that heavy service utilization of long-distance electric railway technology was one possible vision of railroading’s bright future. “Richard Steinheimer is the Dean of railroad photographers in the American West. Born in 1929, he began photography as part of his boyhood interest in trains in Glendale, California, starting out with a 127 Baby Brownie Special in the mid-1940s. He soon was taking distinctive photographs which were recognized across the United States and beyond as among the finest being created by any railroad photographer. “In his career, he has become well known throughout the photographic and railfan worlds. Read Customer Reviews

Echoes Down the Canyon – A Western Pacific Journal: 1968-1986

Crisp and absorbing black and white photos make this a standout pictorial history of the Western Pacific. Combining journalistic insight with the passion of a true railfan, the author documents WP’s last 20 years of independence and its subsequent exciting transformation into Union Pacific’s Feather River Division. With decorative end papers showing WP system map. Read Customer Reviews

Rio Grande – Ruler of the Rockies

Fascinating survey of the modern Denver & Rio Grande Western at its height as a lean, effective independent railroad doing business in the deserts of Utah and mountains of Colorado. The book is especially interesting since it was written just before Rio Grande purchased the Southern Pacific and disappeared. Includes chapters on the Moffat Tunnel main line, the joint line with Santa Fe, the Tennessee Pass main line, Soldier Summit, the routes through the desert and the canyons, the Ski Train and the Rio Grande Zephyr. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. With maps. 168 pages with index. Read Customer Reviews

Rio Grande Secret Places – Volume One: The Tunnel District

Some of the most magnificent main line railroading anywhere can be found in the western Colorado – eastern Utah desert country. A detailed and photographic history of the route is presented for the first time in R.C. Farewell’s Rio Grande Secret Places, Volume II, which portrays both the desert and its Ruby Canyon in spectacular fashion. Pictorial emphasis is on Rio Grande, Southern Pacific and Union Pacific operation in recent years, but a few rare D&RGW steam views are included. Three-dimensional maps highlight key areas. There is coverage of many miles of alignment that were graded but never used and of obscure desert tidbits such as the Ballard & Thompson Railroad. Read Customer Reviews

Rio Grande Secret Places – Volume Two: Ruby Canyon and the Desert

Railroading West – A Contemporary Glimpse

This volume is presented as a modern view of western railroads during the 1970’s. Read Customer Reviews

Appalachian Conquest

A complete treatise on how topography affected the major Pocahontas region railroads crossing of the Appalachian Mountain range. The C&O, N&W, Virginian and Clinchfield all had different approaches to crossing the rugged Appalachians. Great for modelers, any fan of the Pocahontas roads, and anyone interested in the Appalachian region. Read Customer Reviews

About the Author
Travis Dewitz is a professional photographer located out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He has been published in many books and magazines including many in the railroad industry. He does a lot of photography work and environmental portraitures for many companies and heavy industries in and around Wisconsin. He has grown up with trains and railroads are one of his passions that he pursues. His railroad photography can be seen on his website The Railroad Collection.

Mountain Railroading Photography Books