Customer Reviews

Superpower: The Making of a Steam Locomotive

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is amazing on so many levels. It teaches you how trains are designed and built, how math is applicable in the real world, how people get along, how some people are better suited to different, but equally important jobs, engineering, give and take (compromise). But it doesn't quite teach you, it intigrates these lessons in the oral history it is presenting. Superpower could be about anything and you would still learn SO much about life. I recommend this book to anyone, any age. It will change the life of a boy though, guaranteed. It will inspire him to study more at the very least.

David Weitzman has a love of technology and history. This can be demonstrated by observing the names of books he authored, including titles ranging from "Traces of the Past: A Field Guide to Industrial Archaeology" to "Underfoot: An Everyday Guide to Exploring the American Past." This fortuitous blend of history and technology is the underlying theme of this book.

For those of you who may be expecting a typical 'picture book' about a steam locomotive, this book will definitely come as a surprise. Although well illustrated, there are no photographs. This omission is more than compensated for by the line drawings that are precise and informative. The text is educational and interesting; the text and the line drawings compement each other very nicely. The combination is such that the reader is virtually transported by osmosis back to the year 1925 and to the dark and dingy backshops of the Lima Locomotive Works of Lima, Ohio, in order to not only personally witness but to actually physically participate in the birth of this magnificent machine, the first 'Super Power' steam locomotive ever.

Another pleasant surprise in this work is the interaction of man and machine, the creator and the fruit of his labor. Too many books about the locomotive ignore the human role; here the combination of man and machine is a symbiotic relationship.

This book is both easy to read and educational, and it is designed to appeal to anyone in age from beginning high-schooler to adult. Anyone possessing an interest in the mechanical world should obtain a copy of this book.

This book is brilliant in scope, content, and presentation. The horizontal layout and binding are magnificent. The line drawings are, in a word, exquisite. They serve not only to illustrate the arcane processes involved in creating a steam locomotive, but the personalities of the Creators themselves. The text and drawings tie in closely, and paint a picture from a boy's viewpoint of history in the making. It would be difficult to overstate the impact of this book. It redefines the concept of classic. If you love the iron road, if you love steam and steel, then you must have this book. Through the eyes of a boy you will feel the awe and wonder of the creation of one of mankind's greatest constructions: the Superpower Locomotive

I discovered this book at a friend's house several years ago. It was quick bedtime reading. Upon returning home, I got my own copy, and have since given away other examples as Christmas gifts.

Although suitable for children, it appeals to all ages, to anyone with the least interest in how things work and how the great engineered artifacts of yesterday -- such as the mightiest steam locomotives -- were built. Today, when we look at an old steam locomotive, we are looking at an entire lost world; the basic principles of steam power are well known, but except for a few enthusiasts who keep old locomotives running, the details of steam-propelled vehicles have almost disappeared from human memory. As with the Saturn V moon rockets, the skills and facilities to make such magnificent machines, indeed the blueprints themselves, are gone. Reading this book, and looking at the drawings of a locomotive frame being cast, or machined in a huge planer, it's sobering to realize that it is very likely we no longer have the foundries or the machine shops in this country that can handle such massive projects, even if we wanted to.

But enough of pinin' for the past; it's gone for a reason, and history and technology have moved on. Still, there are basic lessons to be learned from this book, about work, and problem solving, and making things as a team that none of us could achieve alone.

Beware: books like this are infectious. It was books like this, and frequent visits to all manner of museums with my father, that eventually turned me into an engineer.

This book describes how gigantic steel and iron parts were fabricated and assembled into giant steam locomotives years ago. It is a fascinating read for any one with any mechanical aptitude or interest. The illustrations -- meticulously drawn and rendered by the author -- are spellbinding. You can't help but say "Wow!" when you see some of them. The only negative I saw was the overly warm and folksy background story as told in an autobiographical style by the author.

I'm rekindling my fascination with steam locomotives again. I had read this book about 10 years ago and came across it again on my bookshelf. I'm re-reading it with the same joy/fascination I did the 1st time ! (and I'm no kid at 42 years old - would be nice to have a son to share it with!!) I'm glad I haven't lost that child-like wonder at these huge machines of yesteryear. I feel like I'm the young apprentice in the book, ravenously learning the complexicities of designing and building one of the magnificent monsters !

Can't recommend it highly enough for steam loco-fans of all ages !!

My 10 year old son and I read this book together and loved it. We are both train and locomotives fans but despite what we knew we both learned more. This book is expecially good for kids since it is told through the eyes of an 18 year old boy, but is equally interesting for adults.

David Weitzman is an unusual author/artist. He tries to put historical technology into context by describing and creating a storyline that carries the tech narrative along. While not a unique approach (Eric Sloane was using this same approach over 50 years ago), Weitzman succeeds in this effort. The details of drafting, forging, machining, erecting, plumbing a large steam locomotive in the 1920s are easy to understand, and perhaps more importantly for the lay reader, comprehensible. There is an appreciation for the labor and the skills involved--all of which have virtually disappeared from the landscape. Where the book could be improved, in my opinion, is in the actually story itself. Weitzman is a good researcher, a great illustrator, a so-so storyteller. Nevertheless, this is a book well-worth reading.

I have hundreds of railroad books. Mostly they contain photos of steam locomotives in their smokey glory.
This book has not one photograph. (Well, except for the author!)
Instead, David Weitzman's beautiful line drawings perfectly illustrate the task at hand; BUILDING a steam locomotive.
If you ever waned to know how was done, this is the book for you. It also works for any age of person. The young one will find the story compelling and the older one will find themselves saying "So that's how! "
Out of those hundreds of books I own, this is one of the special ones.

I'm an owner of the first edition second printing of the book. I'm a steam engineer by trade and a fan of good books. This is one of the best.