New Book! Trackside with VIA: Research and Recollections

I'm proud to announce the launch of Trackside with VIA: Research and Recollections, my fourth book on VIA Rail. The idea for this book was planted last fall, and it's sprouted this spring. Professionally printed by Allan Graphics here in Kingston, with graphic design by Bryan Babcock, I'm especially proud of this fourth volume. It's perhaps the most 'personal' of the four. If a picture tells a thousand words, two Youtube videos should be worth quite a few more: What's In This Book? and Behind the Scenes.

With 20 more pages than my second book published in 2012, including a 10-page colour section, there has been no price increase. And postage within Canada is still included in the price of $35! As with all my other books, I aim to keep the price reasonable, encouraging sharing of the information it contains. Getting it out there for posterity!

The best place to check out all the details? I encourage you to check out my New VIA Rail Book blog, which is at top right of Trackside Treasure's sidebar. There you'll find information on the book and its creation, but more importantly my email address for Interac e-transfer through a Canadian financial institution, alternaively a printable order form if you'd care to order with a cheque or money order by snail mail in the US or Canada.

I usually ship within two business days when an order is received. Each book is shipped in a padded mailer with cardboard stiffener, and can be signed if desired. I'll be here at Kingston station platform at 6 pm for a one-hour launch for local railfans:

So how is this book different and why? Why does it deserve a place on your bookshelf? I think you'll find within its covers a nice mix of text, data and photos. Maybe you can find some of this information elsewhere.  But it won't be all in one place for your perusal. And frankly, some of this information is not available elsewhere. Not only is there research, data and photos of mine, but also of my contributor team: Tim Hayman, Don McQueen, Mark Perry and Mark Sampson brought their expertise in modelling, locomotives and VIA operations in Northern Manitoba and VIA's Canadian, respectively.

Let's face it - there are very few books on VIA Rail out there. I've listed the only ones in existence in my first book, and I've added two published since then in this book. Now there is one more!

Trip accounts from throughout VIA's history, and consists from 1981 to 2016 comprise the 'personal' parts of the book. Not knowing my Dad had saved consists that I'd lost track of (no pun intended), I've included them, plus accounts of VIA trips made by my parents, as well as photos of VIA operations taken by my Dad and my brother in the 1980's. All in one convenient package! Bryan was kind enough to deliver the first print run to my house, which we eagerly opened and posed for our graphic designer/book creator photo! Now that's service!

Just the facts:

• Trackside with VIA: Research & Recollections
• $35 delivered anywhere in Canada
• 126 pages
• 106 B&W photos
• 78 colour photos
• colour covers
• 10-page colour section
• all the details here!

***As always, thank you for your interest in my books and I trust you'll enjoy them 

as much as I enjoyed creating them.*** 

- Eric

Running extra...

Interestingly, on this date in 1955, Canadian Pacific launched its Canadian and Canadian National launched the Super Continental. On the same date in 1977, VIA Rail issued its first joint timetable! And now, forty years later, this book launch!

Coming full circle - my Dad's influence, photography and trip accounts figure prominently in this book. He was trackside on April 24, 1955 with camera in hand as the first Canadian streaked west through Dorval at 1320 hours on a grubby, greasy weather day that disappointed press photographers but not an intrepid CPR man like my Dad! Thanks to book contributor Mark Sampson for reminding me of this launch date!

A rough calculation provides an answer for 'how long did this take you?' Working during coffee breaks at work through the fall, winter and spring I reckon about a full month of 8-hour days. But I wasn't really counting!