Main entry:

MacGregor, Bruce A.

Title & Author:

The birth of California narrow gauge : a regional study of the technology of Thomas and Martin Carter / Bruce MacGregor ; research contributions by Susanne Todd ; illustrated by Curtis Ferrington.

Publication:

Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press, 2003.

Description:

x, 673 pages : illustrations ; 32 cm

Notes:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 613-660) and index.
Introduction -- Landfall -- The "railroadist" -- Saucelito: the Kimball skirmish -- Monterey: the field factory -- Saucelito scale-up -- Santa Cruz supply chain -- Fowler Pope's diary: 1876 -- The great railroad game in the marsh -- The lost factory -- Reengineering: The South Pacific Coast -- Newark: the basis of business -- Fire and rain -- Afterword: Mollie Redmond -- Appendix A: rosters -- Appendix B: South Pacific Coast caboose -- Appendix C: Southern Pacific narrow gauge drawings.

Summary:

"This study, describes the conception, construction, and early operation of the first narrow gauge railroads in northern California. It is illustrated by some 600 photographs and drawings, almost three-quarters of which have never before been published." "The topic is approached through an unusual lens: the history of the relatively small but extraordinarily inventive contracting and engineering firm of the brothers Thomas and Martin Carter. The Carters were able to reduce the cost and complexity of light railroad construction to the point where local narrow gauge lines could compete with the state's notorious railroad monopolies."--BOOK JACKET.

Resources:
Contributor biographical information
Publisher description

ISBN:

0804735506
9780804735506

Subject:

Narrow gauge railroads California History.
Chemins de fer à voie étroite Californie Histoire.
Narrow gauge railroads.
California.

Form/genre:

History.

Holdings:

Location: Library main 229835
Call No.: TF24.C3 M34 2003
Status: Available