The Runaway Ride of Old 88 by Harry Hartwick (First Edition) (1971)

The Runaway Ride of Old 88 is a vintage steam-railroading adventure written by Harry Hartwick and illustrated by Mel Klapholz. The story centers on Old 88, a locomotive with a reputation for mishaps, accidents, and bad luck. Locomotive crews consider her a jinx, recalling wrecks, collisions, and even an incident where she backed through a roundhouse wall. Despite this history, engineer David Brennan refuses to believe in superstition and confidently takes Old 88 out at the head of a freight train on the demanding run over Saddle Mountain. As the train reaches the summit, the narrative shifts into high suspense. The brakes fail without warning, leaving Dave with a runaway locomotive barreling uncontrollably down a steep grade. The danger escalates when a passenger train is discovered heading toward Old 88 on the same single track. The story builds tension through vivid descriptions of speed, danger, and the split-second decisions Dave must make to avert catastrophe. The book captures the drama and excitement of steam railroading, emphasizing the mechanical power of locomotives, the skill of engineers, and the peril of mountain runs. Klapholz's illustrations reinforce the intensity of the tale, depicting Old 88 in motion, the surrounding rail yard, and the rugged terrain of Saddle Mountain. This first edition, published in 1971, reflects classic mid-century children's adventure storytelling when we didn't talk down to our kids, combining action, moral courage, and historical railroad atmosphere. It remains one of the better vintage train stories in illustrated juvenile fiction of the 1970s. THIS copy spent several hard decades in the custody of the Bristol CT Public Library, a location I have fond memories of helping the librarians identifying valuable books while they got ready for their annual book sales (30 years ago!). Condition is rough, but still solid, with tape that is still sticky! The last yellow page which had the library pocket is missing. Story is complete. Hard cover edition with price-clipped dustjacket. 58 pages. Dimensions: 6.5" by 8.5". Published by Little, Brown and Company, Boston, MA. 1st printing, 1971. B&W illustrations. Blue binding. Page defect(s): Some writing. Some soiling/smudges from handling. Dustjacket defect(s): Some tears. Some wrinkling/creasing. Some writing/tape/stickers 1 Pound Media Mail Rate. Combine items and SAVE! Genre(s): Railroading / Childrens Books / Library Survivors. (B132).…