Railroading Resources

If you are a train buff, for real or model railroading,
a recently added collection of over 60 books may be right up your track.

The Bernard S. Logan Collection, housed at the Bealeton Branch Library focuses on the history of steam, diesel and electric locomotives, with a special interest in the B&O, C&O, N&W and the Southern Railway lines. Most of these are older books from the 60's and 70's.

Wonderful photographs including interiors of passenger cars, dining cars, night trains, the whole gamut of train travel is covered.

Additionally, the Bealeton Branch also receives these magazine titles:
Model Railroader
Piedmont Local (also available at Warrenton)

These resources are part of a growing collection of train materials at the branch in relation to the restoration of the Bealeton Depot.
Depot renovations are being funded in large part by corporate donations and a Transportation Enhancement Act of the Twenty-First Century (TEA-21) grant.
The 820-square-foot depot will eventually serve as a program room for the library and as a community meeting space.

Toy Train Layout ideas

In conjunction with the Piedmont Model Railroaders exhibit coming up
here are some resources to inspire your own efforts:

Tracks ahead. Great model train layouts Visit some of the most amazing model train layouts across America on this DVD from the producers of the award-winning public television series Tracks Ahead. Filmed in high-definition, this program visits famous model train sites around the country: New Jersey's Northlandz, Florida's Cypress Gardens model railroad, the Decoster Garden layout of Connecticut, the Lash layout, Washington DC, The Baldwin layout, Georgia, the Robinson layout, Pennsylvania, the Watson layout, Wisconsin, the Zane layout and the Strong layout, Maryland.

Great toy train layouts of America Over five-hours full of great train action. See sleek Lionel diesels, powerful steamers puffing smoke, switchers with backup lights, passenger trains with their lights shining brightly, log and coal loaders, illuminated stations, powerful magnetic cranes, hills and rivers, cities and towns filled with little folk--all the enchantment and thrills that toy train layouts have provided five generations of kids, dads, and granddads. 14 layouts from around the country--from Ward Kimball's multi-gauge layout, to Chuck Brasher's Standard Gauge, Stan Roy's 32-train O gauge, Paul Nelson's outstanding S-gauge, and many more--all capturing the history romance, and fun of toy trains. Includes interviews with the layout builders, tips on building, and more toy trains in action than you'll find anywhere. This series, originally released in 1987, was the first to show classic toy trains in action, and contributed significantly to the dramatic growth of this hobby in the nineties.

A Century of Lionel Trains This DVD, narrated by Tom Snyder, covers the history of the famous train line.

How to build realistic model railroad scenery Covers backdrops, foregrounds, water, rocks, and changing seasons.

Playing with trains : the unexpected world of model railroading A former Grand Prize racer and Emmy Award-winning sportswriter examines the human love affair with model railroading, detailing his own panoramic layout, a model based on the historic Colorado Midland, and describing how his hobby has led to unexpected friendships, its impact on personal and family relationships, and the lost world of the steam engine.

Model Railroader Magazine Available at Bealeton Branch library, along with many other specialized model railroading titles.