Customer Reviews

American Locomotives: An Engineering History, 1830-1880

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"American Locomotives" is a definitive reference on "the charms and power of the steam locomotive." John White Jr. has revised and expanded his 1968 classic by including a dozen new comprehensive case histories of representative locomotives. The new engines include the 1843 La Junta (a Cuban "pigmy" of a locomotive that survived "tropical storms, revolutions, insurrections, and a Communist takeover") and the 1876 Marmora (nicknamed "Clocks" because "the engines ran as smoothly and as steadily as a fine mantle clock"). The book has three other main sections. The first section focuses on design concepts, the makers of the locomotives, and the variety of materials used in the building of the engines; the second section centers around the development of engine components; and the third section contains representative engines from the first endition. White has also included 45 new illustrations; and for the most part, they are clear and detailed. In short, this is a handsome and commendable reprint. Kudos to White and The Johns Hopkins University Press.

This work is a comprehensive review of the early development of the steam locomotive in the United States. It thoroughly explores the nuts and bolts of every aspect of steam locomotives, and describes how each was developed. It satisfies even the most insatiable love of trains. If you love trains, model a steam railroad, or ever wanted to work in a railroad roundhouse in 1860, this book is for you. It will give you many hours of enjoyable reading, and be useful for many years as an in-depth reference for early steam locomotives.

This will be short: If you are a serious student of 19th Century locomotive engineering, U.S. or worldwide, you need this book. While the subject is probably inexhaustable - and I certainly wish the author was young enough to write two or three similar books on other nations' engines or later developments! - this volume is without peer for early American development of the Iron Horse.