Interurban Press
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1943 |
| Founder | Ira L. Swett |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Fate | Acquired by Pentrex; brand name discontinued |
| Headquarters | Glendale, California , United States |
Key people | G. Mac Sebree (owner after 1975), Jim Walker (vice president) |
| Products | Books, magazines, videos, calendars related to streetcars, rail transit, and railroads |
Number of employees | 10 (1992) |
Interurban Press operated as a modest, privately held American publisher from 1943 to 1993, concentrating on literature related to streetcars, rail transit, and railroads throughout North America. Following 1976, its headquarters were established in Glendale, California. During the 1980s, the company broadened its offerings to incorporate magazines, videos, and calendars. At its height, Interurban Press employed a team of ten and achieved annual revenues near $2 million.
Origins
Initially called Interurbans, the enterprise originated from a mimeographed newsletter created by founder Ira L. Swett in 1943. This publication, titled the Interurbans News Letter, catered to enthusiasts of electric railways, particularly those interested in streetcars and electric interurban lines. Swett launched the newsletter while serving as a U.S. Army Private First Class at Fort MacArthur, with the intention of delivering transit news to railfans stationed overseas during World War II. Contributions came from volunteer correspondents who reported on regional electric transit developments.
Swett also produced a series of books known as Interurbans "Specials," each focusing on particular streetcar systems or subjects. The inaugural title, released in 1944, was The “Big Subs”, which detailed suburban interurban cars running between San Francisco and San Mateo from 1907 through 1923. After ceasing the newsletter in 1948, Swett shifted his focus toward writing and editing books—authoring about fifty volumes himself—and publishing works by other writers. While predominantly centered on electric railways, Interurban Press began issuing books about trolley buses starting with Seattle Trolley Coaches in 1971.
Reorganization and growth
Following Ira Swett's passing in 1975, ownership passed to his associate and fellow enthusiast G. Mac Sebree, a former journalist with a passion for electric railways. Sebree restructured the firm into Interurban Press and appointed railfan Jim Walker as vice president. The company initially operated from Sebree's residence in Hollywood before relocating to leased office space in Glendale, California.
Under Sebree’s guidance, Interurban Press increased its annual hardcover book production from two titles to six or more and acquired two monthly magazines: Pacific News (which was retitled Pacific RailNews in 1984) in 1983 and Passenger Train Journal in 1987. Although maintaining an emphasis on electric urban transit, the publisher expanded its scope to include steam locomotives and freight rail subjects.
In 1981, Interurban obtained distribution rights for Trans-Anglo Books’ railroad and Western American titles. Additionally, the company extended its product range to feature railfan-oriented videos under the label "Interurban Films" as well as calendars. Before VHS became widely popular, some films were distributed on 8 mm formats.
By 1983, approximately one-quarter of revenue derived from general bookstore sales, mail order accounted for around 15%, while hobby shops, railway museum gift stores, and international markets contributed the remaining 60%. Typical print runs hovered near 3,000 copies per book; however, bestsellers like Dinner in the Diner surpassed sales of 30,000 copies. By 1992, the two monthly magazines each maintained circulations close to 10,000 subscribers; meanwhile, the quarterly Private Varnish attracted roughly 3,000 readers. The company employed ten individuals split between Glendale and a production office located in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
During 1992–93, Interurban released a softcover edition titled North American Light Rail Annual and User's Guide, which surveyed light rail systems throughout North America; this publication sold about 10,000 copies annually before concluding with its third edition in 1994.
Sebree retired in 1993 and subsequently sold Interurban Press to Pentrex on August 6. Following this acquisition, Pentrex ceased publishing under the Interurban Press brand name.
See also
External links
- Partial catalog of Interurban Press titles at Books by ISBN.com
- Incomplete publisher listing for Interurban Press on ISBNdb.com
- The First 100 Specials issued by Interurbans, Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California
- Articles with short description
- Defunct publishing companies of the United States
- Rail transport publishing companies
- Rail transport magazines published in the United States
- Small press publishing companies
- Publishing companies established in 1943
- Companies based in Glendale, California
- Book publishing companies based in California
- 1943 establishments in California
- 1993 mergers and acquisitions
- American companies established in 1943
- American companies disestablished in 1993
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment