Skip to main content

I was very surprised to receive this 367 page soft covered book from the ERA (The Electric Railroaders Association) on December 29th. I am a 10 year member. We meet on the 3rd Friday of month except for July and August in Manhattan at the Roosevelt Hotel on Madison Av. and 45th St. just two blocks from Grand Central Terminal. I just attended the last meeting on December 19th and no one mentioned that this book was coming out. It is loaded with B & W and color pictures of 4 of the Manhattan El's and also includes those lines that go into Bronx and Queens. It was put together by member Eric R. Oszustowitz. Eric is going to put on a slide show at the February meeting. Do any of you folks also belong to the ERA, If not some of you can attend this meeting as my guest. You can contact me at: edmickey@optonline.net The ERA has been in operation for over 65 years and many of the members are employed by New York City Transit and the Railroads in the area.

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Hello Ed ----

 

Well, ERA's website page link for ordering the Elevated Railways of Manhattan opened  up .  
 
I then accurately filled out all the  boxes for the order form (using IE 11 newest browser) -  and at the very bottom, clicked the choice menu options - and clicked the first one for ordering 1 Book - $58.50 total cost comes up  with shipping included.
 
When I clicked SUBMIT -- I got the same page back with "There was a problem with your submission" and 'Errors have been highlighted below"
 
At bottom of the page, the Box for QUANTITY where I clicked the first choice for 
" 1 BOOK " -- was what the highlighted error was.  STRANGE !!!  I Have attached a screen shot image copy of the order and error notice received for ordering only ONE BOOK...so you can see what I mean.
 
SO - as an EXPERIMENT ONLY, I changed the QUANTITY CHOICE to the second listed drop-down menu choice for "  2 COPIES  for $117.00 " -- and VOILA !!!  The ERROR page was replaced with a page asking for my credit card info and number for completion of order !
 
ANYONE ELSE HERE HAVING THIS PROBLEM ORDERING JUST ONE BOOK on the ERA website order page ??  
 
WHY would the order page work with "2 or more" quantity-choice-selections  of ordering the book, but not for ONE BOOK ???   OF COURSE,  E.R.A. no longer has a HEADQUARTERS, OFFICE NOR PHONE NUMBER.  What a hell of a way to run a national organization (I WAS member 2721 for many decades)
 
Perhaps you, ED, can help and look ino this with someone at ERA ?
 
Regards - Joe F
 
 

ERA ERROIR Page on Order form

Attachments

Images (1)
  • ERA ERROR Page on Order form
Last edited by Joseph Frank
Hello again Ed (new haven)
 
I was contacted by email by the E.R.A. Treasurer -- seems the order info "request" form for the book was sent to him, even tho the page for payment details info did not work.  See his email below AND CONTACT INFO TO HIM  DIRECTLY TO ORDER THE BOOK -- for those reading here who are intrerested and had problems with the E R A Website order form.
=====================================================================
SEE ERA TREASURER'S CONTACT EMAIL TO ME BELOW :
=====================================================================
Dear Mr. Frank;
 
Yesterday you made a second order of two ERA Books.
 
If this second order was in error, please let me know by return e  mail.
 
Unfortunately, the website did not transmit your payment information.   As it is not safe to send credit card numbers through e mail please send your  credit card information (including expiration date and CV code) to me, contact  info below;
 
If you actually want two additional books let me know by your letter or  telephone call utilizing the instructions below.
 
As an alternative you can call me with the information at   (917)  714 7087   but, due to security concerns, do not leave the credit card  numbers in a message.  If you call and I cannot answer I will return the  call. 
 
Michael Glikin
Treasurer, Electric Railroaders Association
135 Ocean Parkway Apt 2M
Brooklyn, New York 11218-2580
=================================================
 
Regards - Joe F

Hello Ben !

 

the E R A Treasurer Mike Gliken provided me his phone number on his email to me - and I called him and we spoke for about 1/2 hour on the phone Saturday early afternoon and I ordered the book directly thru him - as he is handling all the "public" sales to non-era-member people.  He later told me that ERA Webmaster Sandy Campbell had, thanks to us finding the glitch,  found the cause of the "code" problem on the site and had it corrected, repaired, some time on Saturday,  so the site is now working, as you related.

 

Regards - Joe F

Last edited by Joseph Frank

Hello ED

 

I just now (Sunday 3:10 PM) spoke on the phone directly to the ERA Treasurer Glikin, and he stated that your posted (just above)  $40.00 price  for the book is absolutely INCORRECT --

 

-- that it is and has been $49.00 + 9.50 Shipping/Handling via FED EX delivery in a Fex Ex book 'mailer box"....total $ 58.50 if delivered thru Fed Ex.  Since the website has been "repaired" per the order "quantity number" glitch,  new orders are successfully and very steadily coming in via that said website. 

 

He also confirmed that at this time, there are NO plans for dealer discounts of any kind for any book retail-re-sellers. There is only a relatively small amount of the books for "public" sale remaining after the thousands that were produced were already mailed directly to ERA Members, who have already received their copies.  He stated there is a very slight chance this policy may change sometime in the future, but he suggests for a guarantee of getting one of the limited remaining book copies,  they should order the book now from the E.R.A. website, in the event of, and before, the small remainder of available copies may be sold out.

 

Regards - Joe F

Last edited by Joseph Frank

I stand corrected. The price is $49.00. I should have had my reading glasses on. The price is listed on the back cover. If Ron R. offers to buy a large number because other than ERA members how will the ERA let others know about this book. Ron has partnered with other publishers via his website and magazines ads to advertise their books. Members such as myself and other ERA members can pass the word on but this is not enough. What about the rest of the county and the world. Ron has sold books on Subways systems of counties in Europe and Asia, books that might not be known outside of those counties.

 

Hello again Ed

 

I had assumed it was a typo by you -- but it needed to be correctly quickly. 

 

Word of this book has rapidly spread thru many internet forums and venues already, including my own NYCTMG Forum board. At least 10 of my members in 1 day quickly ordered this book thru its announcement on the NYCTMG website.  Also I was told that orders are coming in steadily to the ERA website from all over.  Mike G gave me the actual small number figure of remaining books for sale... its a small fraction remaining of the total many thousands printed copies already sent out to ERA members.  ERA wants and needs the entire cover price per book to fully recoup its printing costs as fully as possible....those costs I was informed were already fully prepaid by ERA before the mass-printing was completed.

 

Based on the above -  it should not take long for the remaining small amount of books to sell out over the next few months or so, without ERA resorting to 20% to 25% markdowns to "secondary resellers" for their book-resales to the public.

 

Some of these books already purchased "may", heh, eventually show up in ebay or other places in the distant future for higher "collectible" re-sales amounts, just like vintage model trains and ie: MTH NY Subway sets commonly do after 6 months or longer after production is "sold out".

 

My suggestion... anyone - if really interested, do order the book NOW from ERA direct, or ERA's  Webpage for ordering the book...and don't delay. 

 

regards - Joe F

Hello Ben F and All

 

I also just got mine also today (Thursday) via FED EX.  A thick book and treasure trove of photos - and as far as the 3rd Ave EL line and Polo Shuttle lines (covered within) -- a new source of refreshed and rekindled 1950's memories of mine when I was riding and experiencing those lines and rolling stock.

 

Regards - Joe F

Hello Guys

 

Anyone here who recently ordered their Manhattan Elevated Railways book,  get their delivered to them already ??  

 

If so, are you enjoying it and its great photos ?  For those very  few of us who DO model the earlier era EL system of NYC - and their wooden (IRT and BMT) rolling stock, that book explains the uniqueness, wonder, and mystique - and grandness of those old 4 Manhattan EL's, especially the last surviving one (my  home  line) on 3rd Avenue, Manhattan & Bronx.  I am enjoying my book very much !

 

regards - Joe F

Last edited by Joseph Frank

Hello Ben !

 

Well, when buyers read that book,  they then can see and comprehend the huge SCOPE and sheer EXPANSE of the four Manhattan EL's, and all of that interesting interlocking, branches, Hump Express stations and rising express tracks. Those up and down tracks remind me of the IRT Flushing Line center track rising up and eventually coming back down as it passes over the 111th  Street Station -- just like 9th Ave EL center track fly-over the 6th Ave EL W.53rd St junction to 9th Ave.

 

Can you imagine ALL that structure, track and construction - bought & paid for and fully reliable and functional - being scrapped for partial replacements by in some cases, busses only !  Imaging how much it would cost to replace all 4 EL lines completely, in todays dollars and as SLOW as things get done today (ie: the infamous and very short new Second Avenue (heh) subway )

 

Regards - Joe F

Hello Ed

 

I don't know what is wrong with your friends that you have to get their books for them at the ERA meeting ?  Why don't they go to the meeting themselves.  OR, if they are not living in the NYC region, and can't get to the ERA Meeting,  why didn't you provide them with the information I originally posted here nearly 2 WEEKS AGO for OGR forum readers so, like many of us viewing here did, they themselves can CONTACT Mr. GLIKEN directly by US MAIL,  EMAIL or PHONE -  to place their orders !! And receive it quickly like we did, via FED EX shipped package !  They could have had their books in hand nearly 2 week ago by now !

 

The ORDER DIRECT CONTACT INFO  AGAIN is listed below:  Give it to your friends !

=========================================================

 
To ORDER A COPY of the new book, purchasers can CALL Mr. GLIKEN via PHONE with their order information,  but, due to security concerns, do not leave the credit card  numbers in a message.  If you call and Mr. GLICKEN cannot answer he will return the  call.   Or contact via US Mail or EMAIL.  Payments can be made by check or money order also sent via US Mail:
 
US MAIL CONTACT: 
 
Michael Glikin
Treasurer, Electric Railroaders Association
135 Ocean Parkway Apt 2M
Brooklyn, New York 11218-2580
 
PHONE NUMBER: (917)  714 7087 
 
EMAIL CONTACT:  Trnsper@aol.com
=========================================================
 
Regards - Joe F

 

Last edited by Joseph Frank

I received my copy yesterday. Thus far, I have just leafed through the book but it appears to be truly superb. The opportunity to acquire a book of this quality does not come along often so I would strongly suggest to anyone who is even just thinking of getting a copy to make the move and order it NOW. I am confident when I say you will not see this book having to be sold on a marked down basis.

 

Bob 

I am glad that I brought this book to the attention of these who are not ERA members who would not have known about this interesting book. If you want to purchase another copy or two you can contact Ron's Books @ 914 967 7541 and also go to the ERA web site as well, as long as they both have copies to sell since there are not many left. A similar book on The Els of Brooklyn will follow sometime in the future.

And - as Ed neglected to also include above - PURCHASE that book directly BY PHONE or EMAIL contact to the publisher, ERA, via its Treasurer - who handles the sales - from whom most of us here ordered already via -

 

SOLD THRU:   Michael Glicken - TREASURER - Electric Railroad Assn.

 

HOME PHONE: (917) 714-7087   ......  and/or via HIS EMAIL:  Trnsper@aol.com

Last edited by Joseph Frank
Originally Posted by CNJ 3676:

I received my copy yesterday. Thus far, I have just leafed through the book but it appears to be truly superb. The opportunity to acquire a book of this quality does not come along often so I would strongly suggest to anyone who is even just thinking of getting a copy to make the move and order it NOW. I am confident when I say you will not see this book having to be sold on a marked down basis.

 

Bob 

I ordered this and the new CERA  book on Chicago PCC cars.   Seems that both will be superb. 

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×