Ikaros Guide Books for 2011-2012

[bill937ca]

Some books from Ikaros that will be of interest. I`ve ordered three which really blows my budget.

 

Freight train Handbook - Areas around Tokyo

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10163288

 

Japan Tram Car Catalog 2011-2012

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10163287

 

JR Limited Express Train Yearbook 2012

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10163286

 

JR Locomotive Guide 2011-2012

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10159498

 

JR Train 2011-2012

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10153902

 

Private Railway Express Almanac 2011-2012

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10146867

[bikkuri bahn]

The Freight Train Handbook is a good one, though I wish they would publish a volume for areas outside of Kanto.  Ikaros seems to be pushing the all-types handbook/catalog format lately.  I have mixed feelings about this, perhaps they see a niche after Neko quit printing their paper rolling stock catalog, but these books rarely have any new or original information, and are out of date by the next year. I really liked Ikaros' old series on individual main lines and their services, and to a lesser extent their monographs of specific rolling stock, which are more substantive than mere catalogs of rolling stock.  Then again, Ikaros is mainly an aviation publisher, so you can't expect them to devote too many resources to railway titles.  Their quarterly J-Train is one of my favorites, though.

[bill937ca]

I value these particular books as keep sakes.  I suspect we are on the end of a golden age with the retirement of the early Shinkansens and the fiscal casualties of the earthquake and tsunami.  This is also the first time any of my model trains have been retired.