The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Railroad Locomotives

This lavishly illustrated tome covers all types of locomotive from many countries around the world. Understandably, steam locomotives dominate and rightly so, although diesel and electric locomotives are given their due space.The first section, over 160 pages long, covers the main history of the locomotive, covering broad and narrow gauge, industrial and war locomotives, rack railways, compound and flexible wheelbase locomotives, as well as discussing aspects of various components, such as cabs, chimneys, wheels and brakes. Streamlining, tanks and tenders are all explained. There is even a small chapter on failed ideas. We can laugh at these now, but some ideas that succeeded were probably once laughed at. Diesel and electric locomotives are also discussed, including monorails and multiple unit trains.Following this section, other sections are devoted to particular types of locomotive. The section on steam tender locomotives is even longer than the first section - almost 180 pages - but it is these locomotives that have always aroused the greatest interest, so that is as it should be. Other sections, covering tank, articulated, electric, diesel and gas turbine locomotives, are much shorter. They are followed by a section titled self-propelled trains, but that is a rather grand title for what I've always known as multiple-unit trains. At the back of the encyclopedia are various tables and an index. The table on wheel notation names is particularly useful for anybody unfamiliar with all the names. You don't take long studying steam locomotives to learn that a Pacific has a 4-6-2 arrangement, but some of the other names are less well known.This is a fascinating book for anybody interested in locomotive history.