O. Winston Link Productions

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about O. Winston Link Railway Productions

If you do not find the answer to your question below, please contact our customer service representatives at owinstonlinkrailwayproductions.com

What are the O. Winston Link sound recordings?
Can I digitally download tracks from your catalog?
What payment options do you accept?
Do you ship to P.O. Boxes?
What are your shipping rates?
Do you ship internationally? What are the rates?
How soon will I get my order? (domestic and int'l)
What is your returns and exchange policy?
Do you offer discounts for retail shops, educational organizations, or distributors?
Do you have a store? What museums carry your products?
I want to use part of a O. Winston Link Railway Productions recording in my own published project (such as a compilation CD, film, or website).

What are the O. Winston Link sound recordings?

Between 1955 - 1960, photographer O. Winston Link documented the end of an era — capturing steam trains in pictures and sound recordings. Using an 80-pound tape recorder and a custom-built portable power supply, Link recorded on the trains themselves, as they moved through the towns and countryside. In 1957, while working on his N&W project, Link release “Sounds of Steam Railroading” on vinyl. Link became well known for these recordings long before he received acclaim for photographs of the N&W.

In 2003, the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress named Mr Link’s recordings to the esteemed list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States".

The following is an excerpt from the liner notes to The Fading Giant:

Not one in a million Americans ever again will ride a scheduled mainline passenger train behind a live and breathing steam locomotive. That time is gone. Remembrance of the unique, indefinable glow in such trips fades and disappears. It was a singular thrill, that steam train riding, a sense of high adventure wrapped in warm well-being. The start from the pulsing terminal, the travelers on other trains, the open country where the whistles made no distinction between thronged highways and farmers' lanes, the solid roar of a bridges beneath, and the always unexpected smash of tunnels with darkness all around and echoes banging upon echoes. And the little train stations: A long wailing engine call and the hiss of slowing to the local agent's platform domain. The start with its first uncertain puff, then the rhythmic power growing heavier and heavier, quicker and quicker and quicker until the car wheels ticked the rail joints into new, strange lands.

Not at this time.

We accept all major credit cards, via Paypal. We also accept checks and money orders. Please make out all checks to O. Winston Link Railway Productions. All checks should be sent to:

O. Winston Link Railway Productions
46643 Winterset Court
Potomac Falls, VA 20165

Please note that purchases will be shipped upon confirmation of cleared funds.

Yes, we will ship to P.O. Boxes via first class mail. If a package requires overnight or expedited shipping, FedEx will be used.

Orders within the U.S. ship via Federal Express or 1st class mail. Rates are calculated at time of order depending on destination and weight and include shipping and handling.

International orders are shipped via United States Postal Service International or FedEx International Economy. You may choose your preferred method during checkout.

Orders usually ship within 2-3 business days. We also offer overnight delivery for an additional fee, calculated at the time of checkout.

O. Winston Link Railway Productions does not accept exchanges or returns on any of its items.

Yes. We offer a commercial discount for all CD and DVD orders over $250 for qualifying organizations. We also offer discounts for wholesale distribution - to set up a retail or distribution account, please contact us at orders@owinstonlinkrailwayproductions.com.

O. Winston Link Railway Productions is a direct mail order business; however, retailers throughout the country carry O. Winston Link Railway Productions products. The O. Winston Link Museum shop in Roanoke, VA also carries a number of our CDs.

Our products are also available on eBay and our website.

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I want to use part of a O. Winston Link Railway Productions recording in my own published project (such as a compilation CD, film, or website).

O. Winston Link Railway Productions owns and controls the rights to all the master recordings in its collection. For permission to use our sound recordings, please contact us at catherine@owinstonlinkrailwayproductions.com to request a License Use Form.