A new book has been published by John M. Ham of Tannersville, NY but since the narrow gauge subjects seem as identical as his other books I will offer some data to explain which books are which.
“Narrow Gauge Railroads to the Catskill High Peaks” 2009 by John Ham, is a very glossy photo album of 136 pages of digitally enhanced photos that look better than anything published earlier. But note that many of these photos have been used in his earlier books, all now out of print. There are usually two photos per page and only one map, but edited new roster data and a roster photo of each narrow gauge engine.
Previously he published “Light Iron and Short Ties through the Notch- The Stony Clove & Catskill Mountain Railroad and Her Steam Legacy”. This 280 page book was first published in 2002 but John said he was not happy with the photo reproduction and published a revised edition in 2004 which had much improved photo images. Make sure to find and buy the revised edition as all are now out of print. This had the history and maps which were left out of the 2009 photo album addition.
John also did a book on the Ulster & Delaware RR which was the standard gauge coverage in the same Catskill Mountain area. The title is not convenient at the moment.
Prior to these above books, The Howard North Books published in 1970 “Rip Van Winkle Railroad’ by William F. Helmer. This included the Canajoharie & Catskill RR (1836-1842 flat-bar rail sg line), Catskill Mountain RR, Otis Elevating Ry, and Catskill & Tannersville Ry. This is high quality 146 pages and long out of print, but reproduced in soft cover with much poorer photo reproductions, and still on the market. The HN book is expensive and rare to find, but worth the search if you are into those lines.
Later the Golden West Books in 1972 published “The Ulster & Delaware Railroad through the Catskills” by Gerald M. Best, which covered the standard gauge Kingston to Oneonta line, and the narrow gauge predecessors from Phoenicia to Hunter and Kaaterskill, which were in competition to the ng Catskill Mt. RR and Otis Elevating including C&T connection. These 210 pages were semi gloss pages with maps, profile, and many rosters of all the lines, including the competition.
The only narrow gauge line in this same area which has never been covered is the “Hudson River Ore & Iron Company RR” that carried ore from the south end of Iron Mountain down a constant grade to toasting ovens right next to the Amtrak/CSX Hudson Line at Burden Wharf in Livingston, NY directly across the river from Catskill, NY. This line used three Dickson locomotives exactly the same way the Crown Point Ore & Iron Co. did north of Troy, NY, the home of the Iron works of Mr. Burden who owned both operations. These iron lines only ran up to 1902. The roasting ovens and machine shop of this company still exist, and it mines are used by the Iron Mountain Security Storage Company.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2009 08:22PM by John E. Bull.
