Education takes place by sharing materials for research and entertainment and is a never-ending endeavor. Therefore, the Mount Lowe Preservation Society, a non-profit educational foundation, is proud to offer the following books available for purchase, some from our Golden West Books division, and others directly from the author.
Mount Lowe Railway
Written by Michael Patris. Opened with great fanfare on July 4, 1893, the Mount Lowe Incline Railway was hailed as “Earth’s Grandest Mountain Ride.” Built by Civil War balloonist Thaddeus S. C. Lowe and railroad engineer David J. Macpherson in the mountains above Altadena and Pasadena in Los Angeles County, this funicular was operated for 43 years and served nearly four million passengers from around the world. Where else could one find four hotels, an observatory, the world’s largest searchlight, a dance hall, miniature golf, a zoo, horseback riding, tennis, and snowcapped peaks, all within a day’s journey from the Pacific Ocean and downtown Los Angeles? $21.99 plus shipping and sales tax. Click here to order.
Mount Lowe: Postcard History
Written by Michael Patris. Tucked away in Southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains, the Mount Lowe Railway was an internationally renowned tourist destination, serving nearly four million passengers between 1893 and 1936. Few riders of “The Railway to the Clouds” are around to relate their experiences now, but postcards and photographs remarkably reflect the history of this amazing attraction. Virtually nothing of the once-famous landmark remains on the mountain today, except a few timeworn foundations and part of the original right-of-way, which has become a hiking trail into the Angeles National Forest. $21.99 plus shipping and sales tax. Click here to order.
Mount Lowe Railway: Then and Now
Written by Michael Patris and Steve Crise. Since Mount Lowe Railway’s abandonment in 1936, millions of hikers, mountain bikers, and railfans have followed the long-deserted rail beds to glimpse the scenic grandeur of what was once the “Earth’s Grandest Mountain Ride.” Now, readers can enjoy local history and fabulous vistas without the effort of a day’s hike. Authors Michael A. Patris and Steve Crise serve on the board of the Mount Lowe Preservation Society, which provided most of the images in this book from its archives. $21.99 plus shipping and sales tax. Click here to order.
Historic Mount Lowe, A Hiker’s Guide to the Mount Lowe Railway
Written and published by Paul Rippens. Softbound and designed to fit into a back pocket as a guide while you hike! Filled with great information about where things were and what is there today and uncommon photos from the author’s personal collection. Don’t leave for your next hike without it! 100 pages and measures 4.75” by 7.75”.
Incline Railways of Los Angeles and Southern California
Written and published by Donald Duke. Hardbound with dust jacket and not only covers the Mount Lowe Incline Railway but other incline railways such as Angel’s Flight, Court Street, Mount Washington, Catalina Island, and more! 240 pages and measures 6” by 9”. Autograph of author Donald Duke available at no additional charge. $39.95 plus shipping and sales tax. Click here to order.
Mount Lowe Power, The story of how the magnificent mountain railway operated from a mechanical and electrical point of view
Written by John Harrigan. Softbound and full of interesting facts that the most technically minded will love to read. Included are several drawings of how the machinery operated done by John Harrigan himself, an electrical engineer. 113 pages and measures 5.5” by 8.5”. Out of print.
Mount Lowe, The Railway in the Clouds
Written by Charles Seims and published by Golden West Books. Hardbound with dust jacket and just loaded with great information about the history of the building, operating and destruction of Mount Lowe and the personalities behind it. This is a must for any Mount Lowe or incline railway enthusiast. 230 pages, loaded with great photographs, and measures 9” by 11”. $52.95 plus shipping and sales tax. Click here to order.
Pacific Electric Railway, Volume One, The Northern Division
Written and published by Donald Duke. This is the first book in the series covering all four districts of the Pacific Electric Railway. Included are photos from the author’s personal archives that he has collected over a lifetime of being a railroad enthusiast, many of which were shot by Duke himself. Not only is the Mount Lowe Line covered in this book, but also the Alhambra-San Gabriel-Temple City Line, Monrovia-Glendora Line, Pasadena Local Lines, Pasadena Oak Knoll Line, Pasadena Short Line, Sierra Madre Line, Sierra Vista Line, and the South Pasadena Line. 88 pages and measures 11” by 8.50”. $39.95 plus shipping and sales tax. Click here to order.
Pacific Electric Railway, Volume Two, The Eastern Division
Written and published by Donald Duke. This is the second book in the series covering all four districts of the Pacific Electric Railway. Included are photos from the author’s personal archives that he has collected over a lifetime of being a railroad enthusiast, many of which were shot by Duke himself. This book includes the Covina Line, Pomona, San Bernardino, Riverside, Freight Service, RPO Service, Box Motors as well as some of the Eastern Division Local Lines. 112 pages and measures 11” by 8.50”. $39.95 plus shipping and sales tax. Click here to order.
Pacific Electric Railway, Volume Three, The Southern Division
Written and published by Donald Duke. Softbound and fresh off the presses! This is the third book in the series covering all four districts of the Pacific Electric Railway. Included are photos from the author’s personal archives that he has collected over a lifetime of being a railroad enthusiast, many of which were shot by Duke himself. Included in this volume are the Catalina Dock Line, El Segundo, Gardena-Torrance-San Pedro, Long Beach and Long Beach Local, Newport Beach-Balboa, Redondo Beach, San Pedro, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Orange, Terminal Island (Cal Ship), Watts, Whittier-Fullerton-Yorba Linda, Freight, Box Motor and RPO. 157 pages and measures 11” by 8.50”. $39.95 plus shipping and sales tax. Click here to order.
Pacific Electric Railway, Volume Four, The Western Division
Written and published by Donald Duke. This is the final book in the series covering all four districts of the Pacific Electric Railway. Included are photos from the author’s personal archives that he has collected over a lifetime of being a railroad enthusiast, many of which were shot by Duke himself. Included in this volume are the Balloon Route, Beverly Hills-Santa Monica, Canoga Park, Coldwater Canyon, Echo Park, Edendale, Glendale-Burbank, Hill Street Tunnel, Hollywood Boulevard, Inglewood, Lagoon Line, Los Angeles-Hollywood-Venice, Port Los Angeles-Santa Monica Canyon, Redondo Beach via Playa Del Rey, San Fernando, Santa Monica Air Line, Santa Monica Boulevard Line, Sherman Car House and Shops, Subway Terminal Building, Van Nuys Venice Short Line, Vineyard Line, Western-Franklin Line and Westgate-Brentwood Line. 141 pages and measures 11” by 8.50”. $39.95 plus shipping and sales tax. Click here to order.
Pancho, The biography of Florence Lowe Barnes
Written by Barbara Hunter Schultz. Softbound and loaded with facts about the granddaughter of Mount Lowe Incline Railway builder Thaddeus S. C. Lowe. This contains several pages regarding the relationship between this world-renowned aviatrix and her famous grandfather and how her time with Thaddeus Lowe impacted her thinking for the rest of her life. Daughter of Thaddeus Lowe, Jr., she not only beat Amelia Earhart’s Air Speed record in 1930, but went on to found the Associated Motion Picture Pilot’s Association as well as open the Happy Bottom Riding Club near what was to become Edward’s Air Force Base. Get this book and read for yourself about the incredible and colorful life of one of the Lowe descendants. 230 pages and measures 5.50” by 8.50”.