O. Winston Link: Life Along the Line: A Photographic Portrait of America's Last Great Steam Railroad Hardcover – October 1, 2012

I've just skimmed through "Life Along the Line" and find it to be a superb book in all respects. Added: I've spent more time with this book and have ordered another one for a family member as a Christmas present. My opinion of the book is even higher than when I first wrote this review.... It's a superb volume.It's about railroading. Yet it's also an historical documentation of the passing of an era, the era of steam locomotion as it transitions quickly to diesel locomotion. It also documents the lives of many who worked for the railroad and who lived beside the railroad in small hamlets, isolated from much of the world at large.I quickly noticed the high quality matte paper. It has very little reflection to direct glare into my aging eyes. Much appreciated in this day and age of glossy books and magazines.As a photographer, I noted the incredible detail of the photos, the composition, the included backgrounds. the careful use of depth-of-field, the exquisite use of artificial lighting. This tome more than does justice to Link's skill and talent at taking photos. The reproduction is first rate. You'll find pleasure in viewing these photos more than once or twice.Link did a marvelous job of taking portraits of the people he met during the course of his years-long project. These are more than 'studio' portraits. They are portraits of the men and women in their element. Again, the photos are nearly perfect in every respect. They are not nameless faces. In nearly all photos, he has also documented their names and their locations. He shows his respect and enjoyment of all of the people he met and worked with during this project.The book includes a number of color photos taken by Link as well. Although color film was limited in many ways in those days, he again proves that he is the master of his medium.The CD is a great bonus, especially so because it matched each track with one of the plates included in the book. If you seek it out, there is a track listing near the back of the book that describes what you're hearing, track by track, and references the plate number of the photo taken where the recording was made.I was especially intrigued by the photos of Link and his equipment. He was able to use engineering training to an extreme extent in developing and customizing equipment needed for his project. I was glad that he and his assistants did indeed document themselves and their equipment.If you've viewed any of Link's works, you know that he worked largely at night so he could light a scene as he desired. As you peruse this book, take special note of the marvelous results he was able to achieve with his lighting. He is the Master of Lighting. Because he knew what he wanted and because he worked hard to achieve what he could see in his mind's eye...I urge you to look at this book, even if you're not a 'railfan' or a devotee of steam. The book is about an era that is now gone and can never be captured as it was by this genius. Just look at the book and savor the many elements that have been presented as a much greater whole. This book deserves a place in your library and deserves your time to read it again and again. I know I'll be back to read it many times.

O.winston Link is, of course, one of the icons of Maerican railroad photography. This book is a splendid collection of photographs and backstory which helps to place his work in context. For those who are not familair with Link's work, it is a useful introduction. For those who know about him, it fills in gaps in our knowledge.The quaility of the book is outstanding. It is tightly bound, most of the photos are full page and very well printed. The book is thoughfully laid out by topic. There is a small section of color pictures in addition to the black and white material. The taxt also provides a great deal of technical information on how the pictures were composed and shot. The book has a companion CD (included) which gives a taste of the sound of the N&W in the days of steam.This book deserves to be on the shelf of people interested in the history of the Norfolk and Western, industrial photography, and coal mining as it was. Heartily recommended

I have always been a rail buff and was looking forward to reading this book. I wasn’t disappointed. The photos of the trains as well as rural Appalachia in the middle to late 1950’s show an era that has disappeared. It’s sad but we are fortunate that it was documented by talented photographers like Link. The accompanying text helped To tie it all together. Very much enjoyed this book.

O. Winton Link was a master, and this book almost does him justice. But the topic is . . . either to one's taste . . . or not. If the former is true, than nothing should dissuade you from acquiring a copy, certainly not the reasonable price. It is about a moment in time in both technology and America that is at once near and far. The faces of the workers seem so very weathered to us -- no obesity here -- but with a a flinty obvious dedication to their craft and railroad that is almost quaint in post-financial crunch America, but not unrepresentative for the time. I am also struck how the railroad fostered a culture surrounding it that also seems so foreign: a steam locomotive out the living room window? Why not? And the mastery of the lighting, done with such a light touch that many times even a grizzled old photog like myself willingly suspends disbelief, is remarkable. Amazing. Get the book.

I admit to being a bit of a train buff. I was familiar with Winston Link's work and this book did not disappoint. His more famous photographs are included, but there are prints I had not previously seen as well. It is a very comprehensive collection. The reproductions are of superb quality and the paper is thick. Anybody who knows what Mr Link attempted to do understands that he captured the last moments of steam trains without benefit of digital technology. This book shows how he used lighting techniques to ensure he got it right. Thanks to him, we can reflect on something we have lost. Not only do we not have these incredible engines, but he also caught the small general stores prior to their demise. He lets us remember a time when kids could go, unwatched and unattended, to a swimming hole in the evening. This book appeals to a broader market than those who enjoy steam engines.

I already owned "The Last Steam Railroad in America" and "Steam, Steel & Stars: America's Last Steam Railroad," and I took the chance that this book would have enough new material to be a worthwhile purchase. I have been pleasantly surprised. The author of this book does a good job chronicling O. Winston Link's journey of capturing the places, people, and machines of the N&W railroad's twilight of steam operation. While there are duplicate photographs in this book, there are many new photos I have not previously seen. A very valuable bonus is the CD with his audio recordings. I feel that this book has been a welcome addition to my collection.

This shouldn't be your first O. Winston Link book ...but if you've got the first two this complements them in many ways.It has different versions of the classic shots, explanations as to why certain locations worked better in different circumstances and it also has a CD of his train sound recordings.There's quite a lot in this book about his technical efforts in shooting and recording the trains which complements the first two books.Why only 4 then? Well purely because the first two are undoubted 5's. If the scores were % scores this would be a 97 to the other two's 100.BTW for those who don't know O. Winston Link was first and foremost an industrial photographer. This is firstly a brilliant photographic book and secondly it focuses on the end of an era in US railroading.The quality of this book (as with the other two) is outstanding. The print quality is superb and the paper quality first class. ...And yet it costs the same as two airport paperbacks printed on recycled paper?

I couldn't believe my luck when I discovered this item on Amazon UK, for a fan of American Railroading such as myself it was a perfect way to end the year. Although some of the pictures have appeared before, there is much here that is new and as the book is quite large, the size of the prints really do the superb photography justice. The bonus CD is worth having in its own right and some tracks (21 of them in all totaling 50 minutes) are genuinely impressive. O. Winston Link was one of a kind and he will never be forgotten for his groundbreaking and unique night photography and for his very atmospheric sound recordings of some of the grandest machines ever created by man. This beautiful and inexpensive Book&CD bundle is the perfect souvenir to remember him by, allowing us all to experience the special appeal of the Norfolk and Western Railway that enchanted Mr Link and countless others. You too can share in the magic by purchasing this truly magnificent book which I have no doubt you will treasure forever.

Excellent book with good essays on Link and good photos. Be aware that the book doesn't include many of the best known classic photos of Link (although many of teh classics are present in small format in the introduction text). The photos are mainly ones that haven't appeared in previous books. If you want to get the classic photos you will need one of the two original books, now out of print, but available second hand.

Anyone familiar with O.Winston Link's work won't be too surprised by this book, it's the master's usual excellent work, but you may feel a sense of deja vu as some of the photographs are the 'second shot' of many you've seen in his previous two releases (some are taken from a second camera just next to the primary one and shooting from a slightly different angle, while others are the 'dressed rehearsal' photographs taken to prove the composition).Don't let that dissuade you from purchasing this volume as there is plenty of new material, including some colour daylight shots.Even if the photographs compiled for 'Life Along The Line...' were all familiar from the previous two books, this one would still be worth getting; the section explaining how it was all done is something new to me and would make a purchase worthwhile on its own, really fascinating stuff.For anyone who has never clapped eyes on the work of O. Winston Link but has even a passing interest in steam traction, then you should do yourself a favour and add this book to your collection, even if the Norfolk and Western isn't your particular area of interest this compilation won't disappoint.The only possible criticism is the grouping of captions in some cases overleaf from the photographs they introduce, but that's really splitting hairs.Highly recommended.

The quality of the photographs are of the same standard as Linl's two previous books. The story of Link's life, how the pictures were taken and his relationship with the residents alongside the Norfolk & Western Railroad is fascinating.A large book, beautifully produced wich will be of interest to both photographers and railway enthusiasts.