SFX Whistle Music Tracks Ahead Brought to you by Rancho de Tia Rosa, a Mexican restaurant serving the Phoenix area since 1990.

Raildreams, a designer and builder of custom model railroads since 1994.

Hi, I'm Spencer Christian.

On this episode of Tracks Ahead, we'll head to Arizona and explore a remote river canyon.

We'll meet a man who has made a living from preserving railroading history, and find that model railroading is alive and well in the center of Tokyo.

If you're heading to New England, and you're looking for a memorable experience for the entire family, we have an excellent suggestion for you.

Maine's narrow gauge railroads will fascinate the history buffs, the train fans, nature lovers, the kids, and anybody who likes to look at beautiful and interesting scenery.

Annc: From the late 1800's, until just about World War Two, in the State of Maine there was a unique system of railroads that ran on rails only two feet apart.

These railroads, called narrow gauge railroads, linked rural Maine to the rest of the northeast, and to the rest of the world.

These smaller and usually steam powered trains shipped everything from passengers and crops, to building supplies.

And, they pulled Maine from the horse drawn buggy days into modern times.

Narrow gauge was cheaper to build than the larger standard gauge railroad, and it allowed for sharper turns in the mountains and valleys, and it was an economical way to move things in and out of remote locations.

Susan: The two foot railroad gauge was very important to Maine.

It was a small scale that fit the economy of the state.

It was a very low population state, so there wasn't a large financial base here.

And these small, two foot gauge trains enabled the interior of Maine to develop.

Its agricultural business and its timber business.

So it was a real economic engine for the development of interior Maine.

It was also of course, passenger, but even more so, it lumbered out the interior of the state and provided access to markets of their agricultural products.

Robert: Obviously these little two foot gauge railroads have to transfer at their connection with the wide gauge railroad, the Maine Central.

And that's expensive.

So when highway competition became prominent in the 20's and 30's, these little two foot gauge railroads became too expensive to operate.

So the truckers took over.

And that was the end.

They were important to the communities because they would not have had a railroad otherwise.

And the railroad, the big railroad, the standard gauge railroads, had gone as far as they wanted to and they weren't interested in going any farther and reaching out into communities that didn't promise enough business.

Annc: Narrow gauge may be mostly gone, but in Maine, it is certainly not forgotten.

History comes alive at The Boothbay Railway Village in Boothbay, Maine.

It is indeed a museum, but it's a real village spread out over thirty beautiful rural acres.

There are historical buildings, and antique cars, but the star attraction is the narrow gauge railroad, especially the Henschel steam locomotives.

Bob: Here at The Boothbay Railway Village we have four Henschels.

We have two of them that are currently in service.

One was built in 1934, the other one we have on line today was built in 1913.

They are German and European.

They are delightful engines, extremely well made, and we have a great time operating them and maintaining them.

These engines travel around our track, our three quarter mile track, And probably in the course of a year put about 2,000 miles on our locomotives without actually ever leaving our property.

They operate at 150 psi and they are very serviceable and very fine engines.

We have a very unique situation here at the Boothbay Railway Village, in that we have what's called a code restoration shop.

We currently have the ability to not only build and fabricate, but to repair steam boilers for locomotives.

We also have the ability to work on reprofiling flanged wheels, working on running gear, machining bearings, and doing calculations on boilers to meet code requirements.

The Merci Car is a great story.

Back in 1949, the French gave to the United States a thank you train made up of 49 cars.

And 48 for them went to the contiguous states at that time and the 49th was shared between Washington, DC and the territory of Hawaii.

Maine's car is here at the Boothbay Railway Village and it is a great example of international cooperation.

This car was built in 1884 and the numbers 40 and 8 refer to its cargo.

It could either carry 40 men or eight horses, although not at the same time.

Annc: Not far from Boothbay, in the great City of Portland is yet another place where you can step into the time tunnel and get an appreciation for the past.

Whistle The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company & Museum offers magnificent views of Portland's working waterfront aboard antique rail cars pulled by hard-working steam and diesel locomotives.

The locomotives are as hard working as the employees.

On a typical roundtrip the fireman will have to shovel about two-hundred pounds of coal into the firebox.

This takes you on a one-half hour two mile long round trip down memory lane.

This railroad was built by volunteers in the mid- 1990's, on right of way now owned by the State of Maine.

Susan: The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad is an indoor outdoor museum that interprets the history, Maine's industrial history primarily through the operation of this very rare two foot narrow gauge.

Our guest engineering program invites as many as four people a day to come and learn the firing up, driving, and engineering specifics of our steam engines.

Annc: In the world of railroading, narrow gauge is a diminutive workhorse, once capable of pulling small towns from one era into the next.

Still capable of creating lasting memories for those in search of a unique experience.

The Maine "two foot" enthusiasts continue to expand tourist lines in the pine tree state.

Model railroading is an international hobby.

And some of the best engines and cars come from Japan.

Let's look in on one of the best known Japanese model railroad companies.

Annc: Tracks Ahead would like to whisk you away to a faraway land.

So have your passports ready.

We're off to Japan.

It's nighttime when we arrive in Tokyo.

And that's the right time to take in the full splendor of the famed Ginza district.

Here we can see clearly the Japanese love of technology.

But fortunately for train lovers, in the land of the Rising Sun, the populace loves all kinds of technology, both new and old.

So, we're in search of somemodel railroading.

Japanese style.

Our quest brings us to The Kato Hobby Center, home of one of the world's leading manufacturers of precision model trains.

Started just after World War Two, Yuji Kato is the company founder.

Yuji: I loved train models since I was small.

I loved train itself too.

I used to go to Train Museum all the time, then eventually I started to draw up plans of train models.

In 1949, there was a competition of train models, and I presented, and I have got a prize.

I determined that I will make a living on this.

Hiroshi: The showroom started in 1974.

The purpose is to show our model trains, and to promote model railroads.

Japanese people, they use trains a lot.

Unlike the United States, in Japan, there are so many trains; commuter trains, Shinkansen trains.

Japan is one of the automobile countries, though there are still many people who use trains every day.

Annc: The Japanese love of real trains has translated into a love for scale model trains as well.

The Kato brand is highly respected around the world.

We wondered just what the Kato Corporation has done to earn that lofty reputation.

Hiroshi: I think it is because of our smooth running and dependability.

For example, this is the coal car in N scale.

It is easy to remove this coal load.

This is the beams inside in one mold.

This is the advantage of our structures.

Kato's unique track design is easy to put together, and take apart.

It is designed for temporary layouts so people can enjoy it very easily.

They can change the layout design very easily as well.

Annc: At The Kato Hobby center, enthusiasts can see and purchase any of the many pieces the company manufactures.

The center is the place where many Japanese fathers get to introduce their children to model railroading, and share a passion that they themselves may have had as children.

Some things in life are universal.

And one of them is certainly the thrill a youngster feels when receiving his or her first model train set.

One of the amenities the Kato Hobby Center offers is the facility for customers to try out their new purchases via one of the center's two large layouts; layouts that accommodate both "N" and "HO" gauge trains.

This provides the new hobbyist an opportunity for immediate gratification, and the parents the chance to share in the delight of their children's first model train experience.

The larger of the two layouts is known as the Giolama layout.

It's a complex and detailed layout complete with scaled scenery, landscaping, buildings, and DCC digital control technology.

The layout is available to hobbyists for 15 minutes at a time - for free to try out new purchases - or, for a fee, to run trains from an individual's personal collection.

The 15 minute limitation is mandated by the huge demand by model train enthusiasts to run their trains on the layout.

The demand is created by the simple fact that most Japanese do not have the space in their living quarters to support a large layout like this one.

The Kato Hobby Center also makes space available to the "ANA" - the American N Scale Association - to assemble their layout and run their trains several times a year.

The club consists of enthusiasts who enjoy the large layouts, but again, lack the personal space to house one.

Each club member is responsible for building a section of the group's layout, complete with buildings and detailed landscaping.

These men take great pride in their artistry.

Each then brings their piece of the puzzle to the group gatherings where the modules are assembled.

Creating this large layout allows the members to feel the joy and pride of accomplishment.

The ANA group in Tokyo gathers to assemble and run their layout about once a quarter.

The club currently consists of about 20 members who are always looking to create innovative additions to spice up the layout and add interest to their running sessions.

This coal car unloading mechanism was designed and built from scratch by one of the club's members.

The desire to have a variety of prototypical railroading operations to play with during the running sessions, drives the group's creativity.

But, in the end, running long trains is what this group is all about.

And for most Japanese aficionados, this is possible only through teamwork and community.

Association members say this cooperative effort gives them an opportunity to experience the kind of model railroading Americans take for granted.

We have seen how important the Kato name is to Japanese train buffs.

And just like so many Japanese trademarks that have become synonymous with quality around the world, The Kato trademark reflects quality as well.

But it also respects and serves the cultural affinity the Japanese people have with railroading, and their love for trains both small and large.

Kato models continue to expand their line, with new American and European offerings.

Photographs and slides are extremely vulnerable to the ravages of time and poor storage conditions.

And railroad photography is no exception.

In a moment.

we'll meet one man who is trying to preserve this part of our railroad heritage.

First, let's head to central Arizona, where we can escape the desert heat by getting into a remote river canyon.

And the only way to get there is by rail.

Annc: They call it Arizona's other grand canyon, the Verde Canyon, a high desert landscape of towering red cliffs and rugged mountains.

And running through it is a scenic excursion train taking travelers back in time, to a place where miners once prospered.

The Verde Canyon Railroad begins its journey in Clarkdale, Arizona, located 90 miles north of Phoenix and 25 miles southwest of Sedona.

Since 1990, this tourist train has been making daily trips year-round along the Verde River, a protected area teeming with wildlife.

Teresa: Verde Canyon is a very rare riparian area, we're grandfathered between two national forests and we run along the Verde River during the trip.

At times you're actually 1800 feet down in the Red Rocks of Sedona during the train trip.

Annc: The train carries 400 passengers who board at the Clarkdale station for the 4 hour round trip excursion.

As the journey begins, remnants of the area's mining industry come into view.

High on the cliffs behind Clarkdale sits the old mining town of Jerome, the site of Arizona's richest copper mine.

Teresa: Back in the late 1800's, Senator William Clark of Wyoming purchased the United Verde Mining Company and he needed a way to get the ore down to Clarkdale to smelt it and out into the world so he built the Verde Canyon railroad in 1911.

It took one year for 250 men and 250 mules to construct the railroad.

Annc: Building the railroad also required tunneling through 680 feet of solid limestone.

Teresa: The tunnel itself was constructed in 1911.

There were a group of Swedes who traveled around the world and all they did was blast through solid rock and they blasted through that 680 foot tunnel and it's only timber-reinforced the last 10 feet of the tunnel, Annc: Once completed, the Verde Canyon railroad was in service for the next 40 years, carrying a variety of cargo and passengers.

Teresa: Well it's very interesting, when people back in the early 1900s rode the railroad there were people on it, there were supplies, there was the copper ore of course, and then there were a lot of wildlife.

So you could ride the train for a nickel but you might be sitting next to a chicken.

Annc: Today the Verde Canyon Railroad is a comfortable ride with three levels of service.

Each train has two coaches with standard Pullman seating, eight first class cars with living room comfort, and the caboose, a private luxury car.

In addition, everyone on the train has access to open-air viewing cars.

Teresa: We have two kinds of cars on our train we have the Budd stainless steels and we have the Pullman cars.

Now the Budd stainless steels were built in the 40s and 50s and they actually ran on the El Capitan line which ran cross country from Chicago to California.

Annc: Pulling the train is a vintage FP7 diesel locomotive, built in 1953 by General Motors for the Alaska Railroad.

Teresa: Our FP7s are historic in their own right because I believe there are only 12 left in North America and we have two of them.

Annc: Along the train route, a variety of animals can be seen along the river, but the stars of this nature show are two bald eagles named Black and Decker who live in the canyon.

Teresa: Black and Decker are our resident eagles and they have given us two babies every year for the past nine years and then we have a naming contest for the babies so people can give them names every year and Black and Decker are usually seen on every train ride.

Annc: As the train leaves the canyon, it crosses a steel bridge, and soon the excursion comes to its midpoint at Perkinsville, where the engines disengage and move to opposite ends of the train for the return trip to Clarkdale.

Teresa: Verde Canyon railroad only travels 21 miles with passengers and we stop in Perkinsville, but the line itself goes up another 20 miles to Drake where the freight line runs and it connects with the Burlington Northern line.

Annc: On the trip back, passengers get a second chance to take in the view.

Attendants in each car are skilled at spotting the wildlife, especially Fermin Estrada whose family lived in this canyon for two generations.

Their homestead is now part of the national forest.

Fermin: Growing up I spent the best part of my life out there, had a couple horses there; a lot of memories, and I tell people about it and sorta give them a little education on what is out there.

Teresa: Riding the Verde Canyon Railroad gives people such an opportunity to see this wilderness area you can't otherwise see it.

You get to spend time with your family and friends visit and enjoy the open air and the Arizona sky which is amazing.

Annc: Years ago, miners and prospectors came to this place in search of hidden treasures.

Today, thanks to the Verde Canyon Railroad, the treasures are in plain view, in every season, just beyond the tracks.

Music Annc: Bob Yanosey started publishing railroad books in 1986 as a way to pursue his love of railroad photography and to preserve the work of other photographers.

Morning Sun Books, which is based out of Bob's home, began with a series of "In Color" books, such as Lehigh Valley in Color.

Soon, they expanded to the "Trackside" series.

Since he spent many years of his youth photographing New Jersey trains, Bob recently published his own title, "Trackside Around New Jersey, 1968-1983. "

They've recently added the "Facilities in Color" series to their roster.

These are books that feature the buildings that railroads depend upon.

Bob: What we try to do is to try to find people with vintage slide collections.

Collections from post world war two and to take these slides and to put them into what we call permanent press, between hard covers.

And put them into book form which is available to everybody.

Annc: In the early years, the odds of Morning Sun's success were low.

Other railroad photography book publishers had gone out of business.

But Bob's timing was good.

He had just left his job at NJ Transit after 15 years.

And it was the dawn of the desktop publishing age.

With the support of his wife Michele, Bob threw himself into his new career.

With a young family to support, it had to be a success.

Bob wrote his first book called "Penn Central Power" A friend suggested that he include a color portion.

Bob: The color portion was so successful that I decided to go that way and to do books that were all color.

Most often, I have an author who'll be in the process of gathering slides together from rail photographers, different sources, and we'll try to build whatever theme he has to his book, whether the book is arranged geographically, chronologically, historically.

Some method that he wants it presented in, then gather sufficient slides, usually about 250 of these pictures and with other ephemera, and writes his story around it.

He arranges the slides in a logical order and presents it to us and we'll take it from there as far as design.

These pictures are then arranged into the theme that we have.

We do it both digitally and in black and white form.

And then the black and white proof is then presented to the author, who has a chance to comment, correct and to change anything before we actually get into the printing of the book.

Annc: Morning Sun's printer takes each slide, dismounts it and drum scans every one, which is they key stage to high quality reproduction.

The book is prepped first in black and white before it's finally ready to be shipped to Morning Sun's printers in Korea.

Bob says he tries to make the color realistic because most model railroaders want to see the trains as they really were.

Over the years, Morning Sun has published at a rate of two per month or 3000 pages per year.

Bob's proud to point out that his books have always come out on time.

Bob: As a rail fan in the 1960s and 70s, I had always actively purchased railroad books.

And I had, like most railroad fans, seen advertisements in the various magazines offering a book which was supposed to come out on let's just say, June 1st.

And June 1st would come and go and the book wouldn't show up for weeks, months, even years later.

When I was going to get into the rail book publishing business, I was determined not to do this to my customers again.

And every single one of our books, more than 300 of them now, have been produced exactly on time.

Annc: The books are distributed through hobby stores or discount book sellers who advertise them in train magazines.

Morning Sun also sells directly via the internet.

Bob: Preservation is extremely important, and it's the type of thing, if no one preserves this material now, when it's available, it's a good question of what will become of it.

Especially as I said, when you're working with color film, which by its nature, we don't know how long the original films can last.

And if we can get these materials preserved and available for everyone to see.

It's so important.

Because once it's in print, it's there, it's done.

Bob's books are available in a variety of stores around the world.

Well, that's it for this episode.

Please join us next time for more, Tracks Ahead.

Music Tracks Ahead Brought to you by Rancho de Tia Rosa, a Mexican restaurant serving the Phoenix area since 1990.

Walthers, manufacturer and supplier of model railroading products; serving the hobby since 1932.

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