Union Pacific's Sherman Hill in the Diesel Era by A.J. Wolff

Mention the name Sherman Hill to railroad enthusiasts and images of Union Pacific's mammoth steam locomotives, colorful Armour yellow streamliners, and lonely wind-swept landscapes come to mind. For the railroad, "the Hill" has been an operating challenge since the 1860s.

Although today's crossing of Sherman Hill bears little resemblance to the pioneering effort as a result of rebuilding efforts over the years, the common denominator among steam, diesel, and turbine locomotives is that the topography has demanded that the newest and largest power be used to lift tonnage over the summit. Sherman Hill was one of the last stands for mainline steam in North America, with the legendary 4-8-8-4 Big Boys operating there in the summer of 1959. That need for the utmost in motive power was as true in 1918 with the arrival of compound 2-8-8-0s as it is today with General Electric and Electro-Motive Division (of General Motors) 6,000-horsepower alternating-current-technology units.

This photographic journey not only highlights the diesel and turbine power that operated over Sherman Hill since 1960, but also showcases the desolate beauty of this area. The dust jacket features a specially commissioned painting by renowned railroad artist Mike Danneman.

Hardcover, 224 pages, color and black & white