The Caldecott Medal Winner, Sibert Honor Book, and New York Times bestseller Locomotive is a rich and detailed sensory exploration of America’s early railroads, from the creator of the “stunning” (Booklist) Moonshot. It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America’s brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with descriptive details of the journey: the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to ocean. Come sit inside the caboose, feel the heat of the engine, watch the landscape race by. Come ride the rails, come cross the young country!
This book examines how modern steam locomotive works, including all its major sub-systems and appliances. Illustrations show how each part of the locomotive fits into the overall functioning, some background on each aspect of each function, and examples of various locomotives from a wide variety of railroads all over the U.S. The book is written for the layman to understand, providing a really easy to comprehend, yet technically competent and complete volume that will be valuable for anyone interested in the steam era.
French-born and self-trained civil engineer Octave Chanute designed America's two largest stockyards, created innovative and influential structures such as the Kansas City Bridge over the previously "unbridgeable" Missouri River, and was a passionate aviation pioneer whose collaborative approach to aeronautical engineering problems encouraged other experimenters, including the Wright brothers. Drawing on rich archival material and exclusive family sources, Locomotive to Aeromotive is the first detailed examination of Chanute's life and his immeasurable contributions to engineering and transportation, from the ground transportation revolution of the mid-nineteenth century to the early days of aviation. Aviation researcher and historian Simine Short brings to light in colorful detail many previously overlooked facets of Chanute's professional and personal life. In the late nineteenth century, few considered engineering as a profession on par with law or medicine, but Chanute devoted much time and energy to the newly established professional societies that were created to set standards and serve the needs of civil engineers. Though best known for his aviation work, he became a key figure in the opening of the American continent by laying railroad tracks and building bridges, experiences that later gave him the engineering knowledge to build the first stable aircraft structure. Chanute also introduced a procedure to treat wooden railroad ties with an antiseptic that increased the wood’s lifespan in the tracks. Establishing the first commercial plants, he convinced railroad men that it was commercially feasible to make money by spending money on treating ties to conserve natural resources. He next introduced the date nail to help track the age and longevity of railroad ties. A versatile engineer, Chanute was known as a kind and generous colleague during his career. Using correspondence and other materials not previously available to scholars and biographers, Short covers Chanute's formative years in antebellum America as well as his experiences traveling from New Orleans to New York, his apprenticeship on the Hudson River Railroad, and his early engineering successes. His multiple contributions to railway expansion, bridge building, and wood preservation established his reputation as one of the nation's most successful and distinguished civil engineers. Instead of retiring, he utilized his experiences and knowledge as a bridge builder in the development of motorless flight. Through the reflections of other engineers, scientists, and pioneers in various fields who knew him, Short characterizes Chanute as a man who believed in fostering and supporting people who were willing to learn. This well-researched biography cements Chanute's place as a preeminent engineer and mentor in the history of transportation in the United States and the development of the airplane.
The freight train’s pulling from the yard. The locomotive’s working hard. “Safe trip!” calls the station master. Chugga chugga, the train rolls faster. Susanna Leonard Hill's rhythmic text and Ana Martin Larranaga's simple but enticing art will take young readers on an adventurous freight train trip! Kids can lift the10 flaps throughout the book to make their reading experience more fun! This interactive book that's shaped like a freight train is perfect for young children who are going on a train for the first--or the one-hundredth--time!
A night train, a freight train, a high-speed train. Racing across the country, from coast to coast. All aboard!Climb aboard a red-striped Commuter Train in the East. Switch to a blue Passenger Train rolling through midwestern farmland. Then hop on a Freight Train, soar over mountains on an Overnight Train, and finish on a High-Speed Train as it races to the West Coast.Trains are moving. Fast and loud, colorful and powerful. Experience their sights, sounds, smells--and the engineers and conductors who make them go--as they roll across the country.
Anyone who has watched in anticipation as a powerful steam engine rolled into a station, belching iconic billows of black smoke, or heard the memorable blue note sound of a steam engine whistle will revel in Charles McShane’s amazingly detailed exploration of the inner workings of the classic steam engine. This historical record from 1909 will delight fans of classic American steam locomotives and those who have an unwavering love for classic American history. You’ll be able to look over hundreds of detailed illustrations, from mechanical side valves and engines to locomotives like the Baldwin and the Richmond. Not only will you see the beauty of these historical machines, but McShane also explains every aspect of how these incredible behemoths of the railways operated. With detailed examinations of the engineering of the classic steam engine, you will be able not only to understand and admire the outer workings of these locomotives, but also to learn what a side valve, steam injector, and pressure gauge are, and how they work. This classic will be loved by all and fit perfectly as the centerpiece of any train aficionado’s library.
Learn about prototype engine servicing areas and their functions, and how to model them on any layout. Includes tips and techniques for modeling trackage, structures, and other terminal details appropriate for the steam or diesel era.
"This new oversize, full color book is the 'Diesel Spotter's Guide' on steroids. ... After you get Locomotives, you'll WANT to go out and see what's new!" --Railfan and Railroad "This is a field guide that is also elegant, so my advice is this: Buy two copies, and toss one in your car, and put the other one on your coffee table." --Trains Locomotives is the definitive photographic reference for the North American rail fan. It covers all mainline locomotive models built for North American railroads from the mid-1970s onward. This revised and expanded edition includes data on all the new locomotive models built from 2007 to January 2015, including the latest electrics from Siemens and Tier 4 locomotives from General Electrics. Containing 32 new pages, and over 300 photographs of more than 120 models, this remarkable large-format reference covers every locomotive manufacturer. Greg McDonnell provides concise yet comprehensive information on each model, along with easy-to-read tables of production totals, build dates and mechanical specifications.
With the increasing demands for safer freight trains operating with higher speed and higher loads, it is necessary to implement methods for controlling longer, heavier trains. This requires a full understanding of the factors that affect their dynamic performance. Simulation techniques allow proposed innovations to be optimised before introducing them into the operational railway environment. Coverage is given to the various types of locomotives used with heavy haul freight trains, along with the various possible configurations of those trains. This book serves as an introductory text for college students, and as a reference for engineers practicing in heavy haul rail network design,
“An extraordinary delight for a reader of any age.” —The New York Times Book Review Brian Floca explores Apollo 11’s famed moon landing with this newly expanded edition of Moonshot! Simply told, grandly shown, and now with eight additional pages of brand-new art and more in-depth information about the historic moon landing, here is the flight of Apollo 11. Here for a new generation of readers and explorers are the steady astronauts clicking themselves into gloves and helmets, strapping themselves into sideways seats. Here are their great machines in all their detail and monumentality, the ROAR of rockets, and the silence of the Moon. Here is a story of adventure and discovery—a story of leaving and returning during the summer of 1969, and a story of home, seen whole, from far away.
