The Railway History ArchiveRailway books and papers published before 1931
Sign in 0
Engineering

Locomotives and engineering

Treatises on the locomotive engine and the building of railways, makers’ catalogues, air brake instruction books, the car builders’ cyclopedia, locomotive dictionaries and track work.

423books
108,457pages
3countries
1823 to 1926published
About these books

How the engines and the lines were built

Before there was a settled way to build a railway, engineers printed their ideas and argued for them. Henry Robinson Palmer’s Description of a Railway on a New Principle came out in London in 1823 and proposed a single raised rail carried on pillars, with a carriage whose two receptacles for goods hang one on each side of it. Within a generation the questions had changed to curves, gradients, bridges and the strength of iron, and George Leonard Vose’s Handbook of Railroad Construction of 1857 gives the American engineer the rules and tables to work them out.

The locomotive builders sold from catalogues. Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia printed an illustrated catalogue in 1871 with a photograph of each class of engine and a page of figures opposite. Class 15 C, a road engine for passenger or freight service, had cylinders of 10 inches by a 20 inch stroke and drivers 54 inches across, weighed about 38,000 pounds in working order, and was rated to haul 550 gross tons on a level and 65 on what the table calls a 100 ft. grade.

Some were written for the men who drove and mended the engines, among them the Westinghouse Air Brake Company’s instruction book of 1901 and a book of 1870 on the slide valve and link motion. Beside them are the treatises on the steam engine, and Baldwin’s catalogue of electric locomotives from 1896.

The Class 15 C road engine, photographed broadside on against a brick wall, with the number 12 on the middle dome and railroad initials painted on the cab
The Class 15 C road engine, photographed broadside on against a brick wall, with the number 12 on the middle dome and railroad initials painted on the cab. Baldwin locomotive works, 1871, PDF page 57
Switching engine No. 54, with a tall funnel stack and a box headlamp, on the cobbles beside a brick building lettered Baldwin Locomotive Works
Switching engine No. 54, with a tall funnel stack and a box headlamp, on the cobbles beside a brick building lettered Baldwin Locomotive Works. Baldwin locomotive works, 1871, PDF page 99
Part of a folding plate signed H. R. Palmer, del.: the raised rail crosses the valley floor on a line of posts, with a row of loads on it at the right
Part of a folding plate signed H. R. Palmer, del.: the raised rail crosses the valley floor on a line of posts, with a row of loads on it at the right. Description of a railway on a new principle, 1823, PDF page 77
The catalogue opens on an engraved bird’s-eye view of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, smoke rising from the shop chimneys and carts and horses in the streets between the blocks
The catalogue opens on an engraved bird’s-eye view of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, smoke rising from the shop chimneys and carts and horses in the streets between the blocks. Baldwin locomotive works, 1871, PDF page 7
Browse

All 423 books, published 1823 to 1926

423 books 1 to 48
Title page of Remarks, propositions and calculations, relative to a rail-road and locomotive engines to be used upon the sameBaltimore and Ohio Railroad CompanyRemarks, propositions and calculations, relative to a rail-road and locomotive engines to be used upon the same1827 · 70 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Experiments on rail roads, in EnglandBaltimore and Ohio Railroad CompanyExperiments on rail roads, in England1829 · 34 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Rambles in the path of the steam-horseBaltimore and Ohio Railroad CompanyRambles in the path of the steam-horse1855 · 456 pagesComplete PDF$14.99Title page of Second series of experiments with the fairlie engines, on the festiniog, Brecon and Merthyr and Burry Port and Gwendreath Valley Railways, on June 16th, 17th, 18th, and 20th, 1870Brecon and Merthyr and Burry Port and Gwendreath Valley RailwaySecond series of experiments with the fairlie engines, on the festiniog, Brecon and Merthyr and Burry Port and Gwendreath Valley Railways, on June 16th, 17th, 18th, and 20th, 18701870 · 32 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of A general railroad system for New JerseyCamden and Amboy Railroad and Transportation CompanyA general railroad system for New Jersey1860 · 39 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Wheels which Carry Their Own Railroad, Or, Escape ObstaclesCarry Their Own RailroadWheels which Carry Their Own Railroad, Or, Escape Obstacles1835 · 50 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of The railway bridge over the StChamplain and St. Lawrence Railroad CompanyThe railway bridge over the St1852 · 1 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of General description of the Britannia and Conway tubular bridges on the Chester & Holyhead RailwayChester & Holyhead RailwayGeneral description of the Britannia and Conway tubular bridges on the Chester & Holyhead Railway1849 · 41 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Remarks on the Comparative Merits of Cast Metal and Malleable Iron Railways and an Account of the Stockton and Darlington RailwayComparative Merits of Cast Metal and Malleable Iron RailwayRemarks on the Comparative Merits of Cast Metal and Malleable Iron Railways and an Account of the Stockton and Darlington Railway1838 · 130 pagesComplete PDF$9.99Title page of A Practical Treatise on the Construction and Formation of RailwaysConstruction and Formation of RailwayA Practical Treatise on the Construction and Formation of Railways1839 · 233 pagesComplete PDF$9.99Title page of A Practical Treatise on the Construction and Formation of RailwaysConstruction and Formation of RailwayA Practical Treatise on the Construction and Formation of Railways1839 · 234 pagesComplete PDF$9.99Title page of A Practical Treatise on the Construction and Formation of RailwaysConstruction and Formation of RailwayA Practical Treatise on the Construction and Formation of Railways1839 · 232 pagesComplete PDF$9.99Title page of A Practical Treatise on the Construction and Formation of Railways, Containing the Most ApprovedConstruction and Formation of RailwayA Practical Treatise on the Construction and Formation of Railways, Containing the Most Approved1848 · 238 pagesComplete PDF$9.99Title page of Railway PropertyConstruction and Management of RailwayRailway Property1866 · 380 pagesComplete PDF$14.99Title page of On the Construction of Horse Railways for Branch Lines and for Street TrafficConstruction of Horse RailwayOn the Construction of Horse Railways for Branch Lines and for Street Traffic1860 · 101 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Tables for Determining the Cubical Content of Earthwork, in the Construction of Railways andConstruction of RailwayTables for Determining the Cubical Content of Earthwork, in the Construction of Railways and1847 · 92 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Observations on the Construction of Railway Carriages, Together with a Paper on Railways andConstruction of RailwayObservations on the Construction of Railway Carriages, Together with a Paper on Railways and1868 · 42 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of DCumberland Valley RailroadD1859 · 58 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Locomotive Engines on the Dublin and Kingstown RailwayDublin and Kingstown RailwayLocomotive Engines on the Dublin and Kingstown Railway1834 · 4 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Facts and OpinionsEconomical Construction and Working of RailwayFacts and Opinions1870 · 262 pagesComplete PDF$14.99Title page of Inland transitGrand Southern and Northern RailroadInland transit1834 · 186 pagesComplete PDF$9.99Title page of The Broad Gauge the Banc of the Great Western Railway CompanyGreat Western Railway (Britain)The Broad Gauge the Banc of the Great Western Railway Company1846 · 62 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway of CanadaGreat Western Railway1855 · 39 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of The great railway catastrophe of the 12th March, 1857, on the Desjardin Canal Bridge, on the line of the Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway of CanadaThe great railway catastrophe of the 12th March, 1857, on the Desjardin Canal Bridge, on the line of the Great Western Railway1857 · 53 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Depopulation of the British Empire unnecessaryHalifax & Quebec RailwayDepopulation of the British Empire unnecessary1850 · 30 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Improved bridge from starvation to plentyHalifax & Quebec RailwayImproved bridge from starvation to plenty1850 · 26 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of On the Valuation of the Mechanical Effect of Gradients on a Line of Railroad. [AbstractLine of RailroadOn the Valuation of the Mechanical Effect of Gradients on a Line of Railroad. [Abstract1830 · 3 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of On the Valuation of the Mechanical Effect of Gradients on a Line of RailroadLine of RailroadOn the Valuation of the Mechanical Effect of Gradients on a Line of Railroad1830 · 2 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of On the Valuation of the Mechanical Effect of Gradients on a Line of RailroadLine of RailroadOn the Valuation of the Mechanical Effect of Gradients on a Line of Railroad1830 · 2 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of A Practical Treatise on Locomotive Engines Upon RailwaysLocomotive Engines Upon RailwayA Practical Treatise on Locomotive Engines Upon Railways1836 · 290 pagesComplete PDF$14.99Title page of A Practical Treatise on Locomotive Engines Upon RailwaysLocomotive Engines Upon RailwayA Practical Treatise on Locomotive Engines Upon Railways1836 · 385 pagesComplete PDF$14.99Title page of A Practical Treatise on Locomotive Engines Upon RailwaysLocomotive Engines Upon RailwayA Practical Treatise on Locomotive Engines Upon Railways1836 · 288 pagesComplete PDF$14.99Title page of A Practical Treatise on Locomotive Engines Upon RailwaysLocomotive Engines Upon RailwayA Practical Treatise on Locomotive Engines Upon Railways1840 · 374 pagesComplete PDF$14.99Title page of Experiments on the transverse strength and other properties of malleable ironLondon and Birmingham Railway CompanyExperiments on the transverse strength and other properties of malleable iron1835 · 110 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Methods of Location, Or, Modes of Describing and Adjusting Railway CurvesMethods of Location, Or, Modes of Describing and Adjusting RailwayMethods of Location, Or, Modes of Describing and Adjusting Railway Curves1854 · 100 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of A summary of transactions relative to the proposed formation of a new and wide streetMidland Great Western RailwayA summary of transactions relative to the proposed formation of a new and wide street1853 · 57 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Narrow Gauge Speedier Than Broad Gauge Railways, as Well as CheaperNarrow Gauge Speedier Than Broad Gauge RailwayNarrow Gauge Speedier Than Broad Gauge Railways, as Well as Cheaper1846 · 12 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of The Steam Engine Explained and IllustratedNavigation and RailwayThe Steam Engine Explained and Illustrated1840 · 576 pagesComplete PDF$19.99Title page of The Steam Engine Its Invention and Progressive Improvement, an Investigation of Its Principles, and Its Application to Navigation, Manifactures, and Railways by Thomas Tredgold vol. 1Navigation, Manifactures, and RailwayThe Steam Engine Its Invention and Progressive Improvement, an Investigation of Its Principles, and Its Application to Navigation, Manifactures, and Railways by Thomas Tredgold vol. 11838 · 786 pagesComplete PDF$19.99Title page of New Brunswick and Canada Railway and Land CompanyNew Brunswick and Canada Railway and Land CompanyNew Brunswick and Canada Railway and Land Company1860 · 16 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Nova-Scotia RailwayNova Scotia Railway CompanyNova-Scotia Railway1854 · 3 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Railway EngineeringOriginal and Most Approved Methods of Laying Out RailwayRailway Engineering1848 · 76 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Appendix to Railway practiceParis and Versailles RailwayAppendix to Railway practice1839 · 408 pagesComplete PDF$14.99Title page of Engineering Field Notes on Parish and Railway Surveying and LevellingParish and RailwayEngineering Field Notes on Parish and Railway Surveying and Levelling1847 · 408 pagesComplete PDF$14.99Title page of On the Construction of the Permanent Way of RailwaysPermanent Way of RailwayOn the Construction of the Permanent Way of Railways1850 · 29 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Road Progress, Or, Amalgamation of Railways and Highways for Agricultural Improvement, and SteamRoad Progress, Or, Amalgamation of RailwayRoad Progress, Or, Amalgamation of Railways and Highways for Agricultural Improvement, and Steam1850 · 88 pagesComplete PDF$7.99Title page of Rudimentary and Practical Instructions on the Science of Railway Construction for the Use ofScience of RailwayRudimentary and Practical Instructions on the Science of Railway Construction for the Use of1866 · 242 pagesComplete PDF$9.99Title page of Elementary and Practical Instructions on the Science of Railway ConstructionScience of RailwayElementary and Practical Instructions on the Science of Railway Construction1869 · 308 pagesComplete PDF$14.99