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Author: Scott D. Trostel.  Acclaimed as an extraordinary historic narrative recounting the thirteen day National Funeral Journey for Abraham Lincoln. This is the story of the nation's first national funeral, retracing the Lincoln Funeral Train from Washington, D. C. to Springfield, Illinois, 1,700 miles. Millions of mourners gathered along the margins of the railroad tracks. In raw, cold, chilly winds, and rain, in the dark of night, millions of people witnessed the Lincoln Funeral Train.

Laced with 143 photos, maps and illustrations this is a revealing story of the funeral cortege passing through endless miles of mourners, making unplanned stops for brief memorials. Citizens placed wreaths on the coffin, sung dirges, hymns, decorated memorial arches and made other public gestures of sorrow. An overwhelming manifestation of public grief showed popular appreciation for the President.

Each chapter covers one day of the journey and proceedings at each of the eleven planned memorial services conducted en route. Elaborate preparations and massive processional displays were conducted at the principal cities of Baltimore, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, New York City, Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago and burial at Springfield, Illinois. Citizens seeking a glimpse of the slain president came in throngs and filled miles of city streets. Near riots ensued at some locations in the effort to honor the remains.

The overwhelming response of a nation during the sorrowful journey stands among extraordinary observances of the death of a Statesman. These momentous events form one of the most intensely impressive chapters of American history.

This book is one of the first to cover new and unexplored history of Abraham Lincoln. It is a fascinating recounting of the 1,700 mile journey and national funeral for Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Conducted over the railroads, this text details preparations, the eleven national funerals en route, and many trackside ceremonies. The logistics included passage over 22 railroads and two street railways involving 42 locomotives, approximately 80 pieces of passenger equipment and ferry moves.

THE LINCOLN FUNERAL TRAIN    www.lincolnfuneraltrain.com
Scott D. Trostel
224 pages | 8 1/2 x 11 | photos | illustrations.
Soft Cover | ISBN 978-0-925436-21-4 | $34.95

The Lincoln Inaugural Train

The fascinating story of Abraham Lincoln's epic journey to Washington in 1861 with many new details.. Departing from Springfield, Illinois, millions of supporters of the Union gathered along the margins of the railroad tracks and pack parade routes at cities enroute. In raw, cold, chilly winds, and rain, millions of people cheered Lincoln as he passed by traveling to his final destiny.

Laced with photos, maps and illustrations this is a revealing story of the inaugural train passing through endless miles of well-wishers and the curious. Numerous stops were made, and brief speeches offered. Citizens demonstrated an overwhelming manifestation of support as cecession started in the southern states and a confideracy was formed.

Each chapter covers one day of the journey, reception and proceedings at each of the eleven planned stops enroute. Elaborate preparations and massive processional displays were conducted at the principal cities of Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, Albany, New York City, Trenton, Philadelphia and Harrisburg. A twelfth planned stop at Baltimore, was canceled during a clandestine security move to avoid an assassination attempt, the third of three while enroute. Citizens seeking a glimpse of the President-elect came in throngs and filled miles of city streets. Near riots ensued at several locations in the effort by the masses to see and hear the President-elect.

The overwhelming response of a nation during this terrible transitional time stands as a tribute to the courage of one man and the 36 million citizens during momentous events in one of the most intensely impressive chapters of American history.

THE LINCOLN INAUGURAL TRAIN
Scott D. Trostel
190 pages | 8 1/2 x 11 | photos | illustrations.
Soft Cover | ISBN 978-0-925436-67-2 | $34.95

This volume is the first of two that explores The Baldwin Locomotive Works at its massive facilities in Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Baldwin is synonymous with steam railroad locomotive construction. It was a single site manufacturing plant until the upturn of business in 1906, when expanded foundry and machining capacity became necessary. Instead of attempting to buy ground somewhere in the immediate Philadelphia neighborhood and build another multi-story building, they bought the abandoned Gunsen Iron Foundry at Eddystone, Pennsylvania, twelve miles south. The foundry and 180 acres of pasture land comprised the first modest investment in what would become a 600 acre manufacturing complex. It was a gem in a highly concentrated manufacturing center on the Delaware River.
Baldwin practiced vertical integration manufacturing long before that phrase was ever trendy. At differing times they owned all the raw materials, all the necessary manufacturing via steel mills, and fabrication plants to produce every single component for a locomotive. Eddystone itself was first expanded in significant ways at the start of WW I as a defense plant to handle military needs including munitions, rifles, bullets, shells, canons, specialty guns and canons plus non-rail vehicles such as army trucks. With the union situation at the Broad Street plant and its limitations of physical size, at the end of WWI the managers thought it more prudent to shift all production into the empty defense plant buildings at Eddystone during the 1920s.

Click on the cover image to be taken to the Lima Locomotive Works web site.

Author: Scott D. Trostel. Here is an extraordinary window into what smokestack America was all about.  The author takes you on a tour of a heavy manufacturing plant that built steam railroad locomotives in the year of 1924. He uses maps, large photos and illustrations to help one to understand the lost art of commercial railroad locomotive manufacturing at Lima Locomotive Works.

BUILDING A LIMA LOCOMOTIVE
Scott D. Trostel
88 pages | 8 1/2 x 11 | 52 photos | 18 illustrations.
Soft Cover | ISBN 978-0-925436-05-4 | $22.95      

 

Author: Scott D. Trostel. This is a comprehensive history of a key Ohio railroad spanning 130 years. This book is a lesson in the complexities of the railroad corporation from the earliest days up through 1982. Expertly written and highly acclaimed..  This is a must-have book for every historian and any student of railroad history.

THE DETROIT, TOLEDO AND IRONTON RAILROAD
Scott D. Trostel
312 pages | 8 1/2 x 11 | 348 photos | 22 illustrations.
Hard Cover | ISBN 978-0-925436-02-3 | $59.95      

Henry Ford: When I Ran the Railroads

A Chronicle of Henry Ford's Operation of The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad (1920-1929)

Author: Scott D. Trostel. A unique history of Henry Ford's railroad enterprises from 1920 to 1929. See how the automotive giant thrust the bankrupt Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad into the forefront of technology and innovation.  He integrated it into an important part of the automotive assembly line, changed work rules, threw out tradition and produced a highly efficient transportation system.  This is the only non-automotive book devoted to the legacy of Henry Ford.

Bradford The Railroad Town

Revised Edition

Author: Scott D. Trostel. This book is the first to explore in-depth, the history of a railroad town - Bradford, Ohio.  From the founding of the railroad, to the establishment of a small railroad construction camp to a major rail center and the abandonment of the railroad, here is a story well worth reading. A revision of Trostel's first book, this book established a standard for local history books and brought a new focus to the railroad industry and the Pennsylvania Railroad.

BRADFORD THE RAILROAD TOWN
Scott D. Trostel
154 pages | 8 1/2 x 11 | 150 photos | 14 illustrations.
Soft Cover | ISBN 978-0-925436-00-9 | $34.95

As the 20th century opened, so did the rapid rise of interest in the systems of mass transit along the northern Miami Valley. It was a sign of progress right along side the invention and use of electric generation. It was in 1888 that the progressive industrialists at Piqua first conceived the idea of an electric street railway, which was virtually unheard of. The idea was pressed forward and from it came the Piqua Electric Railway, who began operation along the streets of the City of Piqua in 1890.

Then in 1892 the same group devised the idea to connect the Cities of Piqua and Troy via a second company, the Miami Valley Railway. It too was successful, opening in 1893.

By 1901 proposals were announced almost weekly for the formation of an interurban railway to run through Miami County. It was a group of Dayton businessmen who finally brought reality to the list of proposed electric railways when they began constructing The Dayton & Troy Electric Railway, to connect the City of Dayton with the City of Troy along the Great Miami River Corridor. At Troy it connected with the Miami Valley Railway, this assuring electric railway transportation from Piqua all the way to Dayton.

The enterprise of the D & T Electric Railway leased the Miami Valley Railway in 1902 thus providing seamless service via a single operator and thus began 30 years of continuous passenger operations and an even stronger freight and package delivery business, the like of which have never been repeated.

This is the story of a small electric railway line that was at least 100 years ahead of its time.

As the 20th century opened, so did the rapid rise of interest in the systems of mass transit. It was a sign of progress right along side the invention and use of electric generation. The Western Ohio Railway was part of a grand plan to connect Cleveland, Toledo and Cincinnati by a line of interurban railways. It was virtually unheard of, but two visionaries from Cleveland embarked upon the project.

The Western Ohio Railway was to connect the Dayton and Troy Electric Railway at Piqua and with the Toledo, Urban and Interurban Railway at Findlay via the important industrial town of Lima.

By 1901 proposals were put forth for the detailed route of the railway. It meant the end of rural isolation and the introduction of electric into the smaller rural villages along with the rural dweller. It was a group of determined businessmen who finally brought reality to the proposed electric railway when they began constructing the Western Ohio Railway, to connect the City of Piqua with the City of Findlay. At Wapakoneta a branch went west to the Grand Lake, and another went south to Minster. At Findlay they connected with the Toledo, Urban and Interurban Railway, making a continuous line to Toledo. Via a trackage rights arrangement, they also operated into Fostoria and Fremont via a subsidiary line, the Fostoria and Fremont Railway, this assuring electric railway transportation from Piqua all the way to Sandusky and Cleveland over the Lake Shore Electric Railway.

The enterprise formed a consortium known as the Lima Route with other lines to assure passengers smooth connections between several towns in Indiana and across Ohio. Thus began 30 years of continuous passenger operations and an even stronger freight and package delivery business, the likes of which have never been repeated.

This is the story of an important electric railway line that was at least 100 years ahead of its time.

Click on the cover image to be taken to the Lima Locomotive Works web site.