{"product_id":"spring-2026","title":"Spring 2026 Issue: Freedom Train, Hudson Highlands, Travels with Don, and more","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJust in time for the America 250 celebration, the Spring issue of \u003cem\u003eRailroad Heritage\u003c\/em\u003e will take readers back fifty years, to a time when the \u003cem\u003eAmerican Freedom Train\u003c\/em\u003e crossed the west … plus spectacular photography of New York’s Hudson River Valley, photographer Victor Hand’s lifelong friendship with railroad journalist Don Phillips, and more!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHighlights include:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFive Months of Freedom\u003c\/strong\u003e: Russ Sperry packed up his life and spent five months on the road chasing—and ultimately volunteering for—the \u003cem\u003eAmerican Freedom Train\u003c\/em\u003e in late 1975 and early 1976. He passed away last fall, but not before donating his medium-format photography of that trip to us. Join Russ on the great adventure of his lifetime, photographing and riding behind (and aboard) Southern Pacific 4-8-4 4449 and Texas \u0026amp; Pacific 2-10-4 610.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTravels with Don: \u003c\/strong\u003eLegendary photographer Victor Hand looks back on sixty-seven years of friendship and photography with Don Phillips — a well-known \u003cem\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/em\u003e journalist who specialized in transportation, a longtime \u003cem\u003eTrains\u003c\/em\u003e columnist, and Victor’s best friend. Read about their railfan adventures chasing steam-powered trains (plus diesels and electrics) across North America and overseas, all illustrated by the great images of Victor Hand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRailroads and the Art of Place: \u003c\/strong\u003eIn a stunning photo essay, Eric Williams takes us to New York’s Hudson Highlands, where the Hudson River cuts though the Appalachian Mountains. Eric has explored the Highlands of New York’s Hudson River Valley and the trains of CSX, Metro-North, and Amtrak across seasons and years, deepening his relationship to the place and his photographic coverage with each successive trip.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIllinois Central 2516: \u003c\/strong\u003eWhen CRP\u0026amp;A member Karl Sakas purchased a 1972 Howard Fogg watercolor of an IC 4-8-2, he also received an unexpected treasure of correspondence between the famed artist and the railfan\/railroader couple who commissioned the painting.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeople:\u003c\/strong\u003e CRP\u0026amp;A board member Michael Schmidt reflects how his parents encouraged his and his brothers’ early love of railroads, eventually leading Michael to pursue rail photography and art collecting … and to pass along his love of railroads and photography to his son.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlus\u003c\/strong\u003e a collections processing update and gallery, an honor roll of our 2025 donors, new exhibitions celebrating Traqueros, news, dispatches, and more. If you’re not a member,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/railphoto-art.org\/support\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ejoin today and get four issues a year.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Center for Railroad Photography \u0026 Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47783290896628,"sku":"RH2026:2","price":9.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0803\/6830\/4372\/files\/RH2026-2-cover_1f419196-44f2-4b75-8afa-e72ffcb5b84a.jpg?v=1772477837","url":"https:\/\/books-by-the-center-for-railroad-photography-art.myshopify.com\/products\/spring-2026","provider":"Center for Railroad Photography \u0026 Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}