Arcadia Publishing brings little-known subjects to life, showcasing and sharing photographs that would never otherwise be seen. Three recent books—two recently reprinted—show just how effectively they fulfill their mission.

First to appear in their Images of America series was Trolleys Under the Hub, by Frank Cheney and Anthony M. Sammarco. It begins with an Introduction describing Boston’s traffic woes before the subways, and the creation of the first lines. Included are a variety of street scenes, stations, and tunnel photos providing details for urban modelers and creating a backdrop for the different trolleys used.

Next to appear was Frank Cheney’s Boston’s Red Lines: Briding the Charles from Alewife to Braintree. Focusing on the Harvard Square to Dorchester route, there are numerous station scenes and construction details.

Boston’s Blue Line, from Arcadia’s Images of Rail series, focuses on the line which began at the East Boston ferry terminal, and continued north. Originally the route of the narrow-gauge Boston, Revere Beach, & Lynn electrified commuter line, this line was connected to downtown Boston by the first cross-harbor tunnel.

Each volume is intriguging; in some ways, partly because the story hasn’t been told before, the Blue Line book is the most intriguing.