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Press Release: First Revision & Addenda Now Available!

June 5, 2015 Santa Cruz, CA BOOKS ARE FLYING OFF SHELVES! Since the release of Santa Cruz Trains: Railroads of the Santa Cruz Mountains in early March 2015, interest in the topic of Santa Cruz railroading has exploded! People have contacted me from all over the Bay Area, sending me information and interested in selling my book. Clearly the decision to release the book in print format was a good move and I thank everybody who encouraged… Read More »Press Release: First Revision & Addenda Now Available!

Santa Cruz Trains cover

Press Release: Santa Cruz Trains Book Now Available!

History Buffs Eager for New Santa Cruz Trains Book March 12, 2015 Santa Cruz, CA The wait is over for Santa Cruz history fans: local historian Derek R. Whaley’s Santa Cruz Trains: Railroads of the Santa Cruz Mountains has just been published as a soft-bound book through CreateSpace. The extensive 330-page book commemorates the 75th anniversary of the last train over the Santa Cruz Mountains and spans almost the entirety of Santa Cruz and Los… Read More »Press Release: Santa Cruz Trains Book Now Available!

Santa Cruz Trains is coming to your doorstep in March!

On this day 75 years ago, the last train ran over the Santa Cruz Mountains. Celebrate the railroad’s history with Santa Cruz Trains: Railroads of the Santa Cruz Mountains, a 352-page book of articles and photographs surveying the history of the communities that interacted daily with the railroads. The period spanned by this survey includes virtually the entirety of Santa Cruz and Los Gatos history, from the 1850s to the present. Each article discusses a… Read More »Santa Cruz Trains is coming to your doorstep in March!

The Problems with Names

If there’s one thing I have discovered in my research, it is that many locations went by many different names. They are not consistent, sometimes not even within their own time period. Perhaps the most problematic name is “Wright’s Station”. This small village began life as “Wright’s Station” but quickly became simply “Wright’s”. Then, naturally, people got lazy and the apostrophe was removed, turning it into “Wrights”. Finally, around 1890, the s was dropped entirely,… Read More »The Problems with Names

Publication & Distribution

Okay, a lot of people have been asking me of late regarding my publication plans and this is where I tell everyone the not-so-great news: I’m going digital for the first edition. This was not how I originally intended to distribute Santa Cruz Trains, but after a lot of thought and a look at my current financial situation, it’s what makes the most sense. There is an additional reason, though. When I first set out… Read More »Publication & Distribution