geeks vs. bookworms

[Beatthe9ers]

Yampa, my email is in my profile.  It should be available to you if you are signed in as a member of the discussion board.  If it isn't, let me know.

Parker

[Yampa Bob]

Parker
It isn't in your profile, email is set to "hidden".  You can see it but no one else can. You have to go to "Account Related Settings" and uncheck the hide email box.
Bob

[Beatthe9ers]

Good lord.  It's all set now.  I think.

[Yampa Bob]

Parker
Gotcha, you can set it back to hidden if you want. I'll send a note later so you will have my addy.

Thanks
Bob

[ebtnut]

Someday, we may be able to access the Library of Congress collection on-line.  But until we do, having your own library is a joy.  I have 2 1/2 6-foot bookcases of railroad-theme books.  Many have been out of print for decades.  If and when universal access is acieved, I suspect that very specialized areas (like trains) are not going to be that high on the priority list.  Maybe some of the Gen-Zers will be able to access such material, but certainly in the shorter run having all that information at my fingertips is priceless.  Do errors occur sometimes in print?  Of course--just look at any newspaper's corrections box.  And stories sometimes become "facts" as time removes the event from the witnesses.  The story of the "race" between the Tom Thumb and the horse on the B&O back in the 1830's?  Almost certainly an "urban legend" created by Edward Hungerford when he wrote the "official" history of the B&O for the Fair of the Iron Horse in 1927.  And sometimes we "know" what we really don't know.  There is a debate raging right now on the On3 board over exactly what color the Tiffany reefers on the Denver, South Park and Pacific were painted.  Until recently, most beleived that these cars (and the cabooses) were painted an off-white.  Now comes possible evidence that they were painted "Tiffany Moss Green".  It's gone back and forth now for several days.  The problem of course is that unless or until someone finds specific documentation (such as a shop order with paint colors specified), we aren't going to know the real truth. 

[Yampa Bob]

I spent some time perusing the "Historic Rail" site, and found about 20 books I would love to have.  Only problem, most are in the $50 range.  The same ones, if you can find them in a book store, usually go for $75 or more. 

They are the large hard bound pictorial versions you see on coffee tables. At my age, the more pictures the better.

Bob

[pdlethbridge]

I like pictures too, especially ones you can color

[Woody Elmore]

Bob - a $50 book is a bargain. I was sent a sample math textbook aligned to the new NY state HS math curriculum. The student copy is $72 and the teacher's edition, with all the answers, lesson outlines, etc is over $100. The publishers love it when the states change curriculum.

Suppose a district has 200 kids enrolled in the course. We'll allow for three teachers - do the math - the student books would cost $14400 plus 300 for teachers editions. That's just math. Social Studies books cost more because, to be politically correct, they have lots of color pictures and little information. Plus - did you ever see what some students do to books?

I missed buying "Two Feet Between the Rails." I saw Volume One for $35 at a train show years ago. When I went back to buy it, it was sold. Now that book, if you can find it, is in the $100 range.

I too love train books and at last count I had 35. I think twice about buying them now.

[Yampa Bob]

I've narrowed it down to 2 that I will probably buy at some point.  I'm focusing on Rio Grande 1880-1920. 

Bob

[pdlethbridge]

will it have pictures to color?