Three Little Lines Silverton Railroad; Silverton, Gladstone and Northerly; Silverton Northern

"Three Little Lines" by Josie Moore Crum is a historical portrait of the Silverton Railroad and its connecting narrow-gauge lines snaking through the rugged Colorado Rockies. Crafted in the mid-20th century, the book illustrates the tough world of building and running railroads in the late 1800s. Readers gain insight into the monumental efforts it took to construct the Silverton Railroad, which featured extremely steep slopes and hairpin turns, all under the guidance of people, like Otto Mears. The narrative details the tricky engineering problems, like building a special turntable, as well as the daily grind of moving goods and ores between bustling mining towns. Crum captures the shifting fortunes of the mining industry, the towns' dependence on the railroad, and how these railroads faded away because of money troubles and new ways of getting around. Through detailed descriptions, Crum allows us to experience a forgotten time in American railroading history.