Publisher's Synopsis
Rio Grande Steam Finale is a spectacular collection of photography showcasing the Denver & Rio Grande Western's narrow-gauge railroads in Colorado and NewMexico, which during the 1950s and 1960s became the last great steam locomotiveshow in North America. Railroad photographers from all over the country came to document, portray, and interpret these lines in their final decades.
Drawing from its rich collections of photography by talents such as John Gruber, Richard Steinheimer, Victor Hand, Jim Shaughnessy, and others, the Center for Railroad Photography & Art has gathered the best of their work in this deluxe, hardcover volume. The half-century-old trains are pictured in thrilling action, climbing steep mountain grades, crossing high trestles, winding beside rivers, and traveling vast flatlands. Thundering steam locomotives billow plumes of smoke, some doubled together at the head end and some assisted by rear helpers ahead of timeworn cabooses; they're seen from trackside, from hilltops, from pacing cars, and from inside the cab. Exquisite scenes at day, night, and twilight capture the railroad people, engine houses, rolling stock, lineside structures, and magnificent scenery that shaped the Rio Grande's legendary narrow-gauge system. Riveting essays by noted authors Don Hofsommer and Karl Zimmermann, both of whom experienced the narrow-gauge lines first-hand in the 1960s, provide context and personal insights. The story concludes with a stunning chapter of contemporary photography of the lines that have survived to become today's Durango & Silverton NarrowGauge Railroad and the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. The 10x10 book totals 216 pages and includes a map and nearly 200 outstanding photographs in both black-and-white and color.
