Opinions wanted on Signature Press Books

[bsoplinger]

I found this publisher via a reference to a book on the Pacific Fruit Express and saw a number of books by Ed Kaminski on car builders, like Pullman-Standard Freight Cars, Tank Cars: American Car & Foundry, The Magor Car Corporation and American Car & Foundry Company.

Does anyone have the PFE book I mentioned or any of the Kaminski books and can comment on them? I thought the Morning Sun books were expensive at their current price of $60, these weigh at more like $70, but have many more pages and seem to contain a lot more information from their descriptions.

I'd just like to have an idea of what I'm going to spend 70 bucks on before I spend it sight unseen.

[keystonecrossings]

I have the PFE book and it is an absolutely awesome reference.

It discusses not only the PFE's fleet, history, and direct operations, but describes the produce trade itself, which applies to all railroads which moved produce in reefers.

[James Costello]

I have the re-issued PFE book and it's fantastic.

Their books are typically not as photo heavy as say a Morning Sun book,  but are a lot more heavy on factual text. On some of their Espee titles, they offer Pictorial additions to make up for it though.

Think Walthers HO catalogue thick too, so IMO, great value for money.

I only have one of their SP Freight Car books on Cabooses and I rate it highly too.

If you want to model the PFE fleet, I wouldn't attempt it without this book - even with all the articles in RMC and RMJ over the years.

[tom mann]

I have a few Signature Press Books and they are indeed awesome.

[3rdrail]

I have met Tony Thompson, Publisher of Signature Press several times at Prototype Rails meets and exchanged emails with Ed Kaminski. Ed is an industry insider, as sales manager for whatever ACF calls itself these days, and has access to an amazing amount of historical data. Both are real freight car scholars and buffs.

Tony runs a first class operation and you can be sure what he prints is factually correct, having been checked against relevant historical documents.

[CVSNE]

Tony's books are hands-down, some of best reference material currently in print. They are painstakingly researched and well edited to present a clear, coherent story.  PFE is Tony's masterpiece, primarily due to his own interest, but his SP freight car books are outstanding as well.

Marty

[up1950s]

I have the PFE as well . Other than being worth it , at 3 pounds , it keeps the house from floating into space .

[Chulvis]

The Pacific Fruit Express book is probably one of the best railroad books ever published, IMHO. Worth the price to read and worth double the price as a means of reference. I love that book. Easily my personal favorite in my collection.

I also own copies of Pullman-Standard Freight Cars and Tank Cars: American Car & Foundry. Both are excellent. 

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[Bob Bufkin]

Actually they are ACF Industries -
http://www.acfindustries.com/

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[Bob Bufkin]

O.K. understand.  Did anyone take over the Pullman Standard line of freight car manufacturing?

[sirenwerks]

Very nice of ARI to post basic drawings in a PDF format. Nice modeling reference, for us modern modelers.

[Robbman]

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[Nato]

   I have the original PFE book ,yes probably one of the all time best rail buff and modeler books written on a specific subject. I have ordered quite a few books from Signature have found their service to be fast,efficent, and friendly. I will probably be ordering soon their fairly recient book on the history of the diesel locomotive on the Santa Fe . Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah .