Books about railways usually fall into one of two categories. Some are so full of technical and historical information that they are very dull to the layman, whereas others go to the opposite extreme, describing the journey but giving no information on the train or the history of the railway. I hope that SINGLE TRACK OBSESSION will break the mould. It was during my student days that I started riding on trains simply for the fun of it. Since then I have travelled all over the world, using trains wherever possible. In recent years I have started e-mailing friends with accounts of my travels, and this has led several of them to say "Rob, you ought to write a book!" Well, here it is! This book describes 40 of my favourite railway journeys. They range in length from two miles to many hundreds, and include steam, diesel and electric trains. Often the main point of interest was the scenery; sometimes it was the quaintness of the rolling stock, and sometimes the companionship of my fellow travellers. Some were once-in-a-lifetime trips and others regular commuter runs. You will find the world's oldest railway here, as well as the steepest adhesion-only line and the first to have an automatic train control system. But there are also the unsung byways of the iron road: the decrepit Paraguayan system, the little French branch-line where the crew gave me a cab ride, and the Spanish journey when I discovered another meaning for the word 'chocolate'.

The social, political, military and cultural history of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is broadly encapsulated in the names given to British steam locomotives. To understand the origins, significance and meanings of those names is to understand much about the fabric and development of life in Britain during that period: the names fit together like some huge, interlocking jigsaw puzzle and, in one way or another, make reference to virtually everything that was important and of significance to those generations for whom steam traction was a commonly accepted part of life and living.

As a boy, in the fifties, I spent countless hours – as did so many others of my generation – "copping" named locomotives, particularly on the ECML, without ever really knowing, or even wondering, why the likes of Persimmon or Meg Merrilies or Sir Ronald Matthews were so named.

A named locomotive was not merely one of several with shared characteristics but, through its name, acquired a unique identity outwith the class to which it belonged; some even acquired "celebrity" status.

So, for the tens of thousands of schoolboys in the fifties and beyond whose passion was train spotting, "namers" were everything and the subject of much excited and animated conversation following a visit to a faraway railway 'Mecca' such as Doncaster or Tamworth. Yet, whereas virtually all schoolboys would have known where to see Sir Herbert Walker, Sir Keith Park or Sir Daniel Gooch and the classes of locomotive to which they belonged, few would have known much, if anything, about the history, origins or achievements of the name behind the treasured 'cop' carefully underlined in their compendium of British Locomotives.

It may be difficult for subsequent generations to understand the obsessional nature of the train spotting hobby and its continuing fascination for a substantial and significant number of the boys who were "hooked" on it. Perhaps not surprisingly, with the passing of the steam era interest in the nature of this obsession has increased rather than diminished, with a seemingly insatiable demand for photographic essays and other books on the subject. I hope that those who continue to be ensnared by the hobby will, through this book, share my fascination in discovering and exploring the origins and meanings of some of the names which were the focus of their youthful attention and "gave life" and added interest to the pursuit of collecting engine numbers.

Travel on a freighter is not the same as a regular cruise line - It's Better!!! The food is great, the crew is friendly, and relaxation is the order of the day.

Bureaucrat to Tramp gives you the information you need to decide if freighter cruising is for you.

Get advice on what to pack to include suggestions on items to make the trip more enjoyable.

Learn some of the lingo and challenges of the sea, as we take on pilots in foreign ports, maneuver to our berth to load and unload containers, and explore the local areas.

Explore the ship and life at sea, as we sail the seas on our way to various ports of call.

Curious about what the food is like? Peruse the daily menus.

But most important of all - start to relax as the bureaucrat makes the transition to a more laid back and happier tramp.

The first of three volumes that illustrate a tour of Spanish railways and tramways in summer 1963, just before the traditional rail scene - which resembled that of North America around 1920 - was swept away by modernization. Volume One focuses on Catalonia, including broad-gauge steam activity, the narrow-gauge "toy trains" of Gerona, the remarkable rural tramway of Mataró, and Barcelona with its huge city network and American-style interurbans. The text gives background on Spanish railway history and the specific enterprises covered.

Postcards stand for travel destinations and sites, while Trains refers to the experience of traveling via train. Postcards and Trains- Travel USA by Train is a complete travel guide and travel reference, with comprehensive destinations, accommodations, and transportation information. This book focuses mainly on destinations a traveler will experience while following the path of US train travel routes. Unlike other train travel books, which mostly focus on the train itself, the focal points of this book are the destinations and the unique opportunities of train travel.

Postcards and Trains details more than 500 destinations (cities, towns, national parks and natural wonders) and covers all 48 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, the book includes 4 main parts: Facts about the US, Facts about US Train Travel, Tips for Travelers, and the Train Travel Destinations. The latter part includes destination backgrounds, local transportation, places to see, what to expect, list of accommodations, etc. In addition there are illustrations, US and State Maps, US Train Route Maps, a rich photo collection of destination highlights, and a list of useful websites and telephone numbers. In the "Useful Information and Tips" section, among many other tips, there is information on Railroad Parks and Museum in the US and list of US train sales representative worldwide.