The Modoc: Southern Pacific's Backdoor to OregonSouthern Railway Diesel Locomotives and Trains 1950-1982
"The fascinating story of mountain railroading on Southern Pacific’s Modoc line which ran from Klamath Falls, Oregon to Fernley, Nevada, crossing four major summits, with a 140 mile helper district. This line was the last mountain holdout for the beloved SP cab-forward Mallets as well as the more conventional AC9 engines. As late as 1956 one could still go to this remote corner of California and see three of these behemoths struggling in tandem to wrestle a heavy, tonnage train up Sage Hen hill."
Mopac power: Missouri Pacific Lines locomotives and trains, 1905-1955
"At the height of steam operations, over 1100 well-maintained and efficiently operated steam locomotives in 16 different wheel arrangements were used on Missouri Pacific's over 7000 miles of rail."
The Mountain Goat
".. the history and the character of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railroad's Tracy City branch, better known as "The Mountain Goat." . . . .The history of the line's shaky beginning and endurance as a coal-hauling branch line is peppered with the authors' and other railroaders' anecdotes that span the line's existence-from its 1858 birth, through the Civil War, Reconstruction, and two world wars, to its 1985 demise." ~ Amazon.com
Mount Mitchell - Its Railroad and Toll Road
"Short line mountain railroads are often miracles of construction. Built primarily for shipping logs, the Mount Mitchell Railroad was no exception. Within a span of 21 miles, the road climbed 3,500 feet, but utilized only three trestles and nine switchbacks, while maintaining a grade of five and a half percent. In this richly illustrated work the author brings to life a time when Mount Mitchell was dressed in virgin timber. Access to the mountain, located in Western North Carolina, was slow and difficult; but after completion of the railroad, a timbering industry was born. The railroad also provided tourists with scenic trips along its rugged contours." ~ Overmountain Press