Freight Books

Review by Sherry North, Author, Because You Are My Baby

Bold artwork and simple text combine to offer an outstanding introduction to trains for young children. There are only a few words on each page, making it a quick read-aloud that will hold the attention of even very young toddlers. The text describes the different types of cars in a freight train, then follows the train through tunnels, past cities, in daylight and darkness. Satisfying and highly recommended.

My 3 yr old grandson loves this book. The "story" is so simple but allows the reader many way of expanding the story through sound effects, color recognition, parts of the locomotive, parts of the track bed, speeding train sounds, it's going,... going,... gone.

Freight Train/Tren de cargaSimple words with simple images. You can hear the "click clack" of the train coming down the track, the chugging sound of the steam engine, and the sound of the horn as it approaches and then moves away. My daughter loved this book before she could even say the words.

My oldest son loved this book. It was his favorite when he was little. It builds on vocabulary; you can count the cars, name the colors, and look at different scenarios. I learned a lot about trains by reading this book to them. I am raising my children bilingual and when I found it in English and Spanish I knew I had to get it for them. It also helped me remember the words in Spanish, which I had forgotten. I must have for any child that likes trains. Donald Crews again has delighted us with a masterpiece.

My 2 year old son is obsessed with trains - he loves this book. It is very short and the pictures are well drawn. This books shows the difference between a hopper car and a box car, etc so now when we see a real train he can tell me what kind of cars they are.

Its a great book, very usefull. The product arrived in time and in proper conditions.

Everything we use everyday comes from somewhere. Getting that product from point A to point B in a timely, cost-effective way is important to everyone in the transportation industry. But the attacks against America both domestically and abroad have shown that we are as vulnerable as ever, and one way to secure our business interests is to secure our transportation networks.
That is the subject of this excellent book, written by three veterans of the industry and featuring a foreward by Tom Ridge, the first Secretary of Homeland Security. Using their years of experience, the authors develop in the book the concept of Total Security Management, and use compelling case studies to illustrate their point that a secure business is a successful business. The book breaks down the global transportation process, shows where value is added along the way, and how to maximize that value while minimizing risk, not only from terrorism but from other less malicious but equally damaging impacts. The book further demonstrates the financial benefits of investing in security, and also how to protect physical corporate assets, whether they be fixed or goods in transit. A "Book of the Month" of the American Society for Industrial Security in December 2006, this book is a must for anyone working in or around global transportation industries.

America's transportation networks are vulnerable. The nation's "wake up," on September 11th is now amplified by government and media clarion calls to protect our ports. Securing Global Transportation Networks answers with an ingenious foundation using Demming's Total Quality Management as its blueprint. Anyone in the public, private, or academic sectors who is serious about transportation will mark themselves ahead of the curve with a first edition of SGTN on their bookshelf.

The authors make a very compelling case that organizations should adopt security as a core business concern.

The book empowers its readers by showing how organizations can avoid disruptive events through planning to protect people, facilities, supply chains, and business reputation. It also outlines how to plan for recovery from those inevitable catastrophes. The book includes many real world examples.

Another benefit of the book is that those in the technology sector can gain insights into how to be part of the security solution.

This book is both well written and comprehensive. The authors have described the multiple facets so clearly that you do not need an MBA to read it.

Total Security Management is a wake up call for global executives. Today's companies are no longer in control of their own fate unless they become proactive. Securing Global Transportation Networks provides an innovative approach to supply chain security and the relationship to value creation. I strongly recommend this book to anyone with responsibility for protecting any part of the supply chain or operating in the business of trade.

They say that farewarned is forearmed, and if that's the case, then Anthony Davis' book is a fantastic weapon in the continuing goal to protect ourselves. He tackles so many things I never would have even begun to consider. It was hard for me to stop reading this book.

My wife suggested I read this book. I am glad I did. So much goes into understanding how our country is protected and needs to be protected.

The author is very knowledgeable as he was a former maritime investigator and a prior maritime intelligence officer. I trust what he says in his book.

This book helped me understand exactly what we are up against when it comes to criminals and terrorists.

I highly recommend this book to people so they can understand what is all involved in protecting our country.

"Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System Are We on a Collision Course?" by Anthony M. Davis USCG, Ret. is an interesting book on the challenges our law enforcement and other agencies have to keep the USA safe.

The book describes the agonizing steps the officers have to go through to determine if the incident in question is a crime or a terrorist act.

The book will educate you on the new laws passed due to terrorism.

Anthony M. Davis does a wonderful job explaining why the Middle East does not get along with the Jewish people. The fact may surprise you that it is not about religion.

The book further describes all of the work we as a nation need to be doing to keep ourselves protected. There are so many areas that terrorists could threaten our citizens.

I am glad I read this book to further educate myself. We as citizens of the USA need to be aware of what is going on to keep ourselves safe. I suggest you read this fascinating and educational book. Then writing our congressmen to make the necessary changes to keep our families safe!

Brilliantly written to easily read and understand.

I have to admit that I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System, but I am so glad I read it! Anthony Davis obviously has the background to put together such an awesome piece on a topic that, to my knowledge, hasn't been full covered before.

I learned so much about the military, how terrorism can and will affect us, security, and even the ships themselves! I've learned more in this one book than I've ever learned from reading any other reference piece before.

After reading Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System, I have a new found respect for those in the field and I'm thankful that Mr. Davis has put this book together to educate the public without making the content dull or boring. I found it difficult to put this book down as I wanted to keep learning more through every turn of the page.

Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System is an honest-to-goodness factual book written by my good friend Tony Davis. I think that his writing style not only keeps you aware of what can happen and has happened, but what can be done to reduce the risk from his actual hands-on experience and background. Tony's factual accounts of what are encountered in our cargo and the security as a whole makes this a valuable book. [...]
He reiterates some great reminders, what could have been done and experiences with what he lived and worked with from 9-11 forward. I highly recommend this book for pleasure or for a reference book.

I have been extremely pleased with the content of this book and the way the information is presented. Little attention has been given to North American historians to the "plains wagon", the mode of transport for thousands and thousands of pioneers, as well as hundreds of tons of goods, across the wide, forboding western frontier of north American in from the 1820s thru the 1880s. The fact that not a single Murphy wagon is still in existance anywhere, when so many were made and it is such a famed wagon, points to the disregard the public and historians have shown for this important implement of the American west. The author does a great job, given the sparce available resources, of reconstructing both the history and the virtual views of these varied wagons. Many companies made the wagons, from different towns across the east, from Missouri to Illinois and beyond, and it was a monumental task to assemble information on such a little known subject, but the author excelled in his history, and presentation. His writing is clear and precise, and a pleasure to read. This volume will stay in my reference library for the remainder of my life, as it is priceless, and enjoyable. I am sure I will go back to it and refer to it many times in years to come.

This is an excellent, well researched work, a great companion to Dary's The Santa Fe Trail. It provides detailed drawings of the wagons, their construction and how they were used. There is even a chapter on Wind Wagon Thomas.

"Mark Gardner, who is one of the foremost trail historians of our day, an eminent researcher, and an excellent writer, has now entered the ranks of vehicle historians trying to make some sense out of transport history and the vehicles involved therein. This contribution to both historical trail documentation and the vehicle bibliography as well is superb. No serious scholar involved in either discipline can ignore this book." -- from The Carriage Journal

Among the abundance of literature on various aspects of Santa Fe Trail history, Mark Gardner's _Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade_ begins a new dialog about the development and variance of Trade-related wagon technology. The book documents advances in wagon building techniques as the Trade became more complex and sophisticated. The story of Santa Fe Trail wagon making is the story of the growth and changes in the development of wheeled vehicles designed for heavy-duty long range freighting. The Santa Fe Trade was a primary proving ground for freight wagon building and adaptability. This book grew out of a National Park Service report Gardner prepared on Santa Fe Trail wagons intended for use as a resource for the Santa Fe National Historic Trail project. This version is greatly expanded from the original. From the outset it will become obvious to readers how much painstaking work and time went into its production. During the course of his research he discovered a personal side to the story. His chapter "From Shop to Factory" allowed him to connect with the wagon building business through four generations of his own ancestors, some of whom had worked in the Missouri sawmill industry, and had probably cut lumber intended for the construction of the very freight wagons he now writes about. Gardner has a reputation in the profession for sifting through mounds of paper and microfilm, uncovering lost treasures of material. This reviewer has respectfully nicknamed him "The Mole" because of his research skills. His ability to dig and root through archive and manuscript collections and find the most obscure and previously unknown, yet meaningful bits of information has earned him a place among the great names in today's western historiography. With many books and articles to his credit, Mark Gardner is arguably one of the foremost authorities on the Santa Fe Trade. This latest effort guarantees Gardner's place as heir apparent to the title of Dean of Santa Fe Trail historians. _Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade_ is a detailed, yet coherent guide to nineteenth century freight vehicles. It is a highly beneficial research tool, as well as a pleasant recreational read.

Henry B. Crawford, Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

Perhaps the trade in wagons on the Santa Fe Trail is best summarized in one breathtaking quote from a newspaper in 1841:

"Six horse wagons are constructed in Pittsburg, loaded with assorted goods from New York and Philadelphia, transported to Independence in Missouri, and there driven across the country to Mexico . . ."

The great wagons of trade were the means by which the Far West was opened. Mark L. Gardner's "Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade," tells who built these wagons, how they were built and the changes in design as the years passed. Perhaps what comes through most clearly is that the great freight wagons were complex pieces of technology, best constructed by a factory system, not unlike how automobiles are assembled today. By means of these wagons, the South West was brought into contact with the United States, and, eventually, absorbed into the Union. An important and vital chapter of American history well told and well documented.

The final chapter deals with the adventure of the Wind Wagon. In these days of high gas prices it is charming to consider that an attempt was made to avoid high mule prices. A sailed wagon was actually patented (the patent drawings are in the book) and launched. Sometimes the stuff of legend is the truth.

Frank Reynolds has produced a comprehensive interpretation of the global language of international trade in a format that is easily understandable by Americans involved in international commerce. First published in 1936 by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Incoterms 2000 are the latest revised set of 13 international commercial terms recognized as the standard trade terms of international business.

Used by importers/exporters, they define the roles, responsibilities and obligations of buyers/sellers in transactions involving the international movements of goods and help to eliminate misunderstandings as to the term of trade by which a particular transaction is being conducted. They help define the point at which the responsibilities, risks and obligations of the seller end and begin for the buyer and the required documents that must be generated for official and commercial purposes.

As some of the Incoterms, when defined, may be in conflict with similar terms of sale (such as EX Works, FOB) as used for domestic business and found in the official United States legal code - the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), the author thoroughly explains the difference and highlights the adjustments needed when considering similar Incoterms for international transactions.

The book clearly describes the meaning of each Incoterm, explains the buyer-seller responsibilities under each term and illustrates what a typical pro-forma invoice would reflect on a proposed export transaction. With each Incoterm described, it also offers an American perspective on best practices and recommendations from the author's numerous years of trade experience and his enviable position as the US delegate on the ICC drafting committee that revised the terms that resulted in Incoterms 2000.

Of particular interest especially to inexperienced American exporters, the author offers some very important caveats covering such areas as port customs, insurance considerations, potential confusions in regards to the difference between shipment and delivery terms, the use of appropriate terms that best fit particular transactions, compliance with US Export Control and Incoterm limitations. Although published in 1999, this edition is still up-to-date as the subject matter it addresses is still current as of the date of this review in 2007. Readers may, however, be mindful that the reference made in the publication to the Uniform Customs and Practices for Documentary Credit (UCP500) - the rules that govern letters of credit transactions - will be replaced by a revised set of rules (UCP600) on July 1, 2007.

Since the new UCP600 rules no longer provide for 'revocable' credits, it will no longer be necessary to stipulate in the payment term section of the pro-forma invoice that the letter of credit should be 'irrevocable' as reflected in those relevant sections in Incoterms for Americans. A minor editorial detail of omitting the currency in which costs are reflected in pro-forma invoices on pages 103, 104 and 110 should be French Francs, US Dollars and US Dollars respectively. The author would agree that such seemingly insignificant details of omission would create a discrepancy, delaying payment, in an invoice presented to a nominated bank for a letter of credit transaction.

As one with over 25 years of foreign trade experience, I would highly recommend this well written volume as a desk reference guide for any American foreign trader who desires a working knowledge, understanding and application of Incoterms 2000.

After I first read Mr. Reynold's predecessor book on Incoterms I felt I finally understood this technical topic. The new book, fully revised for Incoterms 2000, follows the same format. Each chapter is devoted to one of the 13 Incoterms so it can be easily digested. Each chapter contains an easy to read scenario of how the Incoterm may be used in a real international trade transaction and how it affects all other phases of the transaction including the ability or inability to collect payment.

The most valuable feature is the ending section of each chapter, entitled "American Perspective." It discusses how Americans should or should not use this particular term, or at least be aware of any caution flags.

Incoterms for Americans is a valuable commentary on an important topic.

I found this book to be full of information. Instead of giving a vague and general outline of the Incoterms (for example, just listing EXW as buyer pays all shipping), Reynolds go full bore into the subject with what if's scenarios, detailed look at each one and tells you how each contract is implemented and the limits of each term. He even put copies of pro formas for some of the incoterms!

Considering the fact that this book is more than half the price of the ICC book and tailored to Americans, I highly recommend it!

No sane person reads about INCO terms for fun, and if your work requires that you understand the details of international quotes & shipping then this is a required reference work. The author, who sat on the international drafting committee, is perhaps as knowledgable on this subject as any American. He also teaches an excellent seminar on the subject.

You know that old saying, "don't mix business with pleasure," well I don't think Sloane Jameson has ever heard that saying before. From the moment he laid eyes on Abby Tarleton's face he knew this woman was going to make his job very difficult. He needed to be focused on catching the criminal he was staking out not fantasizing about Abby while he used his hi-tech devices to listen to her while taking a shower.

"Sloane Jameson was a married man," Abby chastised herself many times over. How could she have feelings toward a man that belongs to someone else? He was the most handsome man she had ever seen, but she had felt sparks fly when he barely touched her shoulder. Abby had not been with a man since her ex-husband Joe, who is incarcerated for drug dealing; and who is also getting out early for good behavior.

Abby has no idea how much her life is going to be affected by Sloane Jameson as well as her ex-husband Joe. Sloane is trying to tie Abby to the drug chain all the while trying not to fall in love with her. Can he keep his promise to the force to bring the criminal in or will he do everything in his power to prove her innocence?

Ms. Quinn has an impeccable skill for writing stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I recommend you go out and pick this book up and read for yourself what a masterful writer Ms. Quinn truly is. I award her 4 hearts for her book Love Under Suspicion.

Love Under Suspicion by Sondra Quinn is a wonderful romantic suspense novel. The heroine, freight pilot Abby Tarleton, is a delight as the ex-wife of a drug dealer who has no idea that the police suspect her of being involved in the drug trade. Detective Sloane Jameson is the investigator posing as a married man living next door to Abby and who is spying on her to obtain evidence of her involvement in the drug trade. However, even as he continuously finds more and more evidence linking Abby to the drug scene, his instincts are telling him that she cannot possibly involve. Before he knows it, he's fallen in love with her and then has to confront the knowledge that the woman he loves is a dangerous criminal. Some might fault it for the lack of trust between the two main characters, but that is precisely the point of the novel--Abby and Sloane have every reason not to trust each other but they love each other anyway, proving that love conquers all.

Love under Suspicion by Sondra Quinn is a taut thriller about freight pilot Abby Tarleton and narcotics investigator Sloane Jameson. Sloane is assigned to spy on Abby because authorities believe she is involved with her ex-husband's drug ring. Abby is completely oblivious to the intrigue going on around her, which only adds to the fun and suspense of the novel. She and Sloane are very attracted to each other but he has to hold himself back because he thinks she's a criminal and she has to hold herself back because she thinks he's married. Quinn sets up lots of twists and turns in the plot until a truly harrowing finish. This is a great romantic read!

In Love Under Suspicion, Sondra Quinn puts an unusual twist on the common theme of a stakeout where the two people involved in the stake out fall in love with each other. In this book, one of the people conducting the stake out, Sloane Jameson, falls in love with the object of the stake out, Abby Tarleton.

Because Abby's ex-husband was a notorious drug dealer, the police believe that Abby is also involved in drug dealing; especially since she is an airfreight pilot, which they see as a perfect cover for transporting narcotics. Sloane and his partner, Connie, set up a stake out in the other half of the duplex that Abby owns. However, even as the evidence increasingly mounts against Abby, Sloane finds himself more and more attracted to her. She, in turn is attracted to him, but because he and Connie are posing as a married couple, she refuses to let herself get involved with him.

It's a great book and in Abby's ex-husband, Joe, Quinn has created a truly despicable villain. I liked Quinn's other book, Love's Challenge just a little bit better, but I really liked this one too.

Very informative, Great pictures and very easy to follow and written and presented by one of the top authors on North American Railways.

I am an O-Scale model railroader and was quite excited that this book on the subject of Intermodal Railroading was coming out! I just received it today and was not disappointed!

Let me tell you it is an excellent resource with loads of photos and historical information with some never been published before. The ideas generated from this book would keep any model railroader whose interests on this subject intrigued for a long time! This book would be an excellent companion to Jeff Wilson's book "Modeling Intermodal Railroads" published by Kalambach Books. Good job by Brian Solomon.

This books is an excellent pictorial and written history of the growth of intermodalism by US railroads. The book contains numerous photos with great captions to really show what the writer is discussing in the book. The book gives excellent history of obscurities such as NYC's Flexi-van service, Roadrailers, and the like. The book is thorough and easy to read. I suggest this book for any rail enthusient, especially those who follow modern topics of TOFC, COFC, Double Stacks, and the like.

I recommend Tiger Tales to those with a passion for aviation. The effort to collect all the short stories and anecdotes from previous employees shows how dedicated all the personell, including the author, were to their jobs and company. This book will tranport you to another time, with drive, curiosity, bravery, and passion, that, unfortuneately, is now gone. I could not put it done 'til it was done.

I recently mentioned to a Hawaiian Airlines Captain that I was a retired Tiger pilot. He smiled and said "what a wonderful club you guys had", I agree. Vern's book gives everyone a peek into that club and its exclusive membership. It's gone now but what memories we have.

I recently mentioned to a Hawaiian Airlines Captain that I was a retired Tiger pilot. He smiled and said "what a wonderful club you guys had", I agree. Vern's book gives everyone a peek into that club and its exclusive membership. It's gone now but what memories we have.

The information in this book is very interesting! When I read this book, I was very interested to learn about the history of transportation developments, the reasons why transportation has developed the way it has over the centuries and years, the reasons why transportation has to change from the way it is now, and what the changes that need to be made are. I like books that talk about solutions to problems and better alternatives to the status quo.

It is also interesting to learn how the transportation scene in China compares with (and contrasts from) that in the U.S. As this book's authors say, China is the most populated of the world's less developed nations, and the U.S. is the most populated of the world's highly developed nations.

This book is very readable and on target, also fully footnoted. Informed by Peak Oil in addition to global warming, the academic authors prescribe a tonic of electric rail to head off our coming woes.

This means high speed rail between cities to replace many road trips and most short haul air travel, plus urban rail systems to get around in metropolitan areas. But it also includes electric trolley buses and electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, including trucks. Reason: electric vehicles are not only efficient, but the electricity may come from a variety of renewable sources.

However they seem to have gone overboard in regard to "grid connected vehicles" when they prescribe Personal Rapid Transit. The problem here is that PRT is mostly just a concept, backed by highly questionable simulations and cost estimates. Experts who look at the fundamentals see costs that vastly outweigh the benefits, except in very limited circumstances, such as at Heathrow. And with big declines in air travel projected, even the airport application of PRT needs to be questioned.

But Gilbert and Perl are right on target when they say that the first order of business, whether in the US or China, is to stop digging ourselves deeper in the the fossil fuel hole. An example now gaining currency in the US would be "no new general purpose freeway lanes". Another is to stop all airport expansions.

Given the vast waste and luxury in US society, the US could certainly afford the $1 trillion cost that they project for the high speed train network. But finding the political will is another matter, as the costs of food and fuel skyrocket and credit bubbles burst and wars drain resources, leaving economic decline in their wake.

Nevertheless, we need more academics joining activists to tell the world that is is what needs to be done.

I declare an interest. On the back cover I am quoted: "Gilbert and Perle challenge the wishful thinking that underpins transport planning all around the world in a way that is impossible to ignore. This book should be on the desk of every transport minister's chief policy adviser." I have changed my mind. The book should be on the bedside table of every president and prime minister. It should be the last thing they read at night and the first thing in the morning. The implications of peak oil, explored in convincing detail in this book, should be their first priority. The book focuses on the challenges that the looming energy gap will pose for transport. But transport connects everything to everything else. If they are right all our lives are about to change dramatically. Read it and decide for yourself.

Paul Zimmer's review in the fall 2002 issue of The Georgia Review is a good introduction to this collection: "Sondra Upham's title, Freight, is the lodestone of this carefully constructed work. There are poems of resilience and happiness, but the main theme returns continually throughout the text. . . . "Rape. . . . The freight of his chest / fixes me to the rough, wood floor. . ." The poems are more than therapeutic writing; they are artful and bravely considered. . . . There are good poems on other subjects, mostly common and domestic, and she renders these with a trim freshness . . . . This is a brave, human, and heartening performance."

The miracle of these poems is how much more they address than just the misfortune of rape. That experience reappears intermittently throughout the book, often in glimpses, but the details and scenes in the foreground are the comical, mysterious, and redemptive moments of everyday life - testaments to healing. The poems are clear and spare, deft in surfaces that evoke depths. I read straight through this book with pleasure and by the end was ready to begin again just to taste more fully its understatements and juxtapositions. As a writer I found it a book I can learn from as well as enjoy.