For those of us in the hobby who are trying to be modellers of railways (as opposed to someone to builds a model railway), it’s important to understand how real railroaders do their work. I’m one of those – my last several layouts have all been prototype-based – and therefore I value the opportunity to learn from railroaders about their jobs. One excellent way to do this is through their memoirs.
My hobby is richer thanks to the books by professional railroaders in my library – books such as Vanishing Markers by Ralph Fisher, I Remember… by Herbert Stitt, The Brasspounder by D G Sanders, and Trains Don’t Fly by J F Frana – but I am always eager to learn more.
So it’s a real treat for me whenever someone like John Mellow writes a book. OS Don is John’s contribution to preserving and sharing the knowledge about how railways used to be – and, in my opinion, it’s one of the best in my collection.
John is a friend of mine and I eagerly awaited his book. It was worth the wait: OS Don exceeded my expectations. Thank you, John, for writing this and sharing your stories.
If you would like to know more about OS Don, my review of the book appears in the September, 2021 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman magazine.
The Model Railway Show 