Synopsis
In 1999, Brian Solomon produced a definitive illustrated history of the Southern Pacific. With this updated edition, the prolific rail author and photographer has gathered more than 150 black-and-white and color photographs, along with timetables, postcards, and ads not included in the first go-around, to provide readers with a fresh look at this North American railroading icon, from the mid-nineteenth century to its 1996 merger into Union Pacific and beyond.
More than just a railroad, the Southern Pacific was an empire. From austere western roots, it grew into a far-flung railroad of some 17,000 route miles anchored in San Francisco but stretching from Portland, Oregon, to the Gulf of Mexico.
This illustrated history traces that development and rise to transportation stalwart beginning. Thanks to the collection of images assembled here, railfans are treated to a rich visual rundown of the history of SP steam and diesel power, and freight and passenger operations. In addition to images of the Southern Pacific’s flashy red and orange Daylight streamliners, Solomon features photography from the railroad’s fabled Coast Line, Shasta Route, Golden State Route, and the granddaddy of ’em all, the Overland Route.
Winding down with SP’s 1996 acquisition and a recap of how SP freight and passenger infrastructures were incorporated into former rival UP and Amtrak, respectively, Solomon shows that the “Espee” truly lives on today.