Steam Locomotive Operating Manuals

[NW Mailing List]

Wildwood Publications reprinted the ICS stuff
in four hardback volumes in 1979

Larry Evans


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 3:27 PM
Subject: Steam Locomotive Operating Manuals


I, for one, cannot recall seeing any railroad specific operating
manuals for steam engines, per se. What I have seen and do see at
shows and the like are ICS manuals, fireman's questions, plus various
catechisms published over the years by a number of originators.
Forney's is one name which comes to mind and another similar one was
"The Locomotive Up To Date" starting in I think the late 1890's and
being reprinted and updated by the publisher over the next 3 decades.
The most recently dated one of those I have seen is 1927. The
Locomotive Up To Date was recently reprinted and I am sure you can
find it either at a big train show like Gaithersburg, MD this coming
weekend or perhaps even on-line. The originals are potentially
fragile, hence the desire to preserve them and wear out the reprint.

These two I have named provide probably everything one would need to
know for the era about firing, operating, braking as well as breakdown
and repairs. You want to know about valve gear and valve events; they
have it. You want to know about the new airbrakes (remember the early
dates of these things), they have that. Backhead pressure .... I think
we get the picture. They have it all. I am sure there are more more
recently published ones of the same concept and perhaps one of our
other corespondents here can assist in that area. But I do not recall
seeing any specifically dedicated to one railroad for unlike today
when it's kind of one size fits all, you specified exactly what you
wanted from your lot of engines and the manufacturer of the day gave
you a specific price based upon the quantity ordered and the specs
required.

Bob Cohen

 ------------------------------

>

> Message: 3

> Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:41:11 -0400

> From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

> Subject: Re: Operator manual for steam locomotives?

> To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

> Message-ID: <46116829.38ae.40c7.8433.c874de5b73bd at aol.com>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>

> Mike:

>

> I can't answer your question directly because I don't know the answer, but 

> I do know that there were "operator's manuals" for the LC2 electrics (and 

> I'd have to assume for the LC1s as well....) because I have one in my 

> possession. Someday when I've gone to my reward ("I was put on this earth 

> to accomplish certain things, and at the rate I'm going I'll live 

> forever!") it will go to the N&WHS archives.

>

> Dave Phelps

>

> In a message dated 10/25/09 08:48:16 Eastern Daylight Time, 

> nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:

> I hope this isn't a stupid question: Over the years, I've seen dozens of 

> "operator manuals" for diesel locomotives for sale, but I've never seen 

> one for a N&W steam locomotive (or any steam locomotive, for that matter). 

> Is that because there simply wasn't one? Did you learn to become a steam 

> locomotive engineer by serving as a fireman and then eventually "switch 

> seats" when you were experienced enough?

>

> Mike Weeks

> Greenville NC

>

>

> _________________________________

> Mike Weeks, LCSW, LCAS

> M1, Brody School of Medicine 2013

> MSW, UNC at Charlotte 2003

> BS Acct, UNC at Charlotte 1989

> ________________________________________

> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org

> To change your subscription go to

> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list

> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at

> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/

> -------------- next part --------------

> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...

> URL: 

> <http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20091025/ff373170/attachment.htm>

>

> ------------------------------

>

> Message: 4

> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:31:08 -0400

> From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

> Subject: Re: Operator manual for steam locomotives?

> To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

> Message-ID: <CEA3167E9C20420592EB2C9EDAEC9F25 at Jimmy>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>

> Mike,

> International Correspondence School did have a fairly complete set of 

> manuals that described how a steam locomotive and its various appliances 

> operated. If you can find them they are a real treasure trove of 

> information. Excellent is the only word to describe them!

> Years ago I approached Jim about having my set reprinted and sold through 

> the N&WHS. Nothing ever came of it.

> The C&O had a fireman's manual that is very very good. At one time it a 

> reprint was available through the C&OHS. There are also a couple of web 

> sites that have manuals from the PRR & NYC.

> As far as I know the N&W had nothing specific to compare with any of the 

> above, however, my set of ICS books came from an N&W engineer and I would 

> venture a guess that the N&W may have went that route ( plus on the job 

> training ) as far as educating their new firemen. BTW, the ICS course 

> catalog has an illustration of a J on the cover.

>

> NYC course: http://www.railarchive.net/firing/index.html

>

> I can't find the PRR right now, but, I do have it in a pdf file.

> Jimmy Lisle

________________________________________
NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
To change your subscription go to
http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/