Customer Reviews

Southern Pacific Daylight Steam Locomotives (TrainTech)

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The Daylights were arguably the most attractive steam locomotives ever built in the United States. First the mechanics of the engine, its balance, the look of brute power makes it look great. Now combine this with the red-orange-red paint scheme and the silver painted front end and you've got one beautiful engine.

Besides that, the engines were efficient.

The 'Daylights' were part of Lima's 'Super Power' design philosophy. This was the absolute state of the art when they were first built. New steels in the boiler allowed them to run at higher pressure, better bearings lowered resistance, everything that could be done was done, and minor improvements down through the years improved them even more.

This book is the definitive book in the subject. It talks at least a little about every engine built. It has a chapter on the engines that were damaged. It shows the engines from the time when they were king of the hill until the unfortunate time when they were being cut up for scrap metal.

Kenneth G. Johnsen is an expert on the 'Daylight' steam powered locomotives having studied them for many years and having personally restored a 1913-built Northern Pacific caboose. In "Southern Pacific Daylight Steam Locomotive" (part of the impressive Specialty Press 'TrainTech' series), Johnsen provides a profusely illustrated and articulate text offering full technical details and specifications on the engine, running gear, boiler, frame, and cab; complete historical data; first-person accounts from Daylight engineers, Daylight locomotive variations, and design, development, and operations of the Daylight steam powered locomotives. "Southern Pacific Daylight Steam Locomotive" is a welcome and informative addition to academic library Railroad History reference collections and of particular recommendation for railroad buff supplemental reading lists.

The SP Daylight is my son's favorite engine so we have alot of books about them. This a great book to read as well as oogle the photos. Although it is small, it's packed with facts and trivia. If you buy only one SP Daylight book, this is the one.

Imformative and many pictures. Would have liked a bit more detail on 4-6-2 Pacific locomotives, too.