Railroad Shop Practice Methods & Tools

From 1917 through 1919 Frank Stanley, contributing editor of American Machinist Magazine, toured railroad repair facilities throughout North America including those run by Southern Pacific, New York Central, Pennsylvania, Santa Fe, Northern Pacific, Chicago & Northwestern, Canadian Pacific and others.

In 1921 the collected articles along with additional material from Stanley and a number of authors was collected into this incredible book. You get details into the dismantling, repair and reassembling of engines. You get scores of unusual photographs and a large number of dimensioned drawings for the homemade tools developed by various shops to keep the railroad running.

"Everyone" knows that old steam locomotives used tires that wore out and had to be replaced. Imagine it's your job to replace the tires on 77" drivers. What size should they be so they will shrink fit properly? Then what should you know about turning them in a wheel lathe? And what does a tread forming tool look like? Geez... you'll even find dimensioned drawings for a gage that will measure wear of the flange and tread. How do you get the old tire off? And on, and on... (I remember my grandfather telling me about replacing tires. He had seen it done many times. This is what he knew.)

This is apparently a very scarce book. And for good reason. Any loco nut lucky to have a copy is not going to part with it. It's essential not only to those who restore old locomotives, but is exceptionally valuable to live steamers and other modelers, as well as all railroad buffs. This is an exceptional window into a technology that is no more.

After you read this, you'll appreciate how hard those old time machinists had to work to earn a living. (I'm glad it was them and not me.)

Great book. One of the good ones. For those who appreciate railroading. A book to have. Get one! 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 softcover 331 pages

No. 23870 $19.95