Perfecting the American Steam Locomotive (Railroads Past and Present)

If you've been curious about how steam locomotives developed in North America the way they did, and why they disappeared, then this is a nice book to start with. It explains why the thermodynamic efficiency of a steam locomotive can only be about 18% with superheating and a 300 psi boiler pressure. However, in actual practice, the thermal efficiency is around 6%. Compared to the 30% thermal efficiency of the internal combustion (e.g. diesel) engine, the steam locomotives have a long way to go. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, such considerations meant that steam as we knew it was doomed.However, in this day and age, the ability to burn alternative fuels besides oil may allow the steam locomotive to make a reappearance in a more modern guise.J. Parker Lamb does not get this far in his analysis, as it looks primarily backwards from the earliest of steam locomotives in North America to the last ones of the 1950s and 1960s. The reasons for their evolution are well explained and lavishly illustrated. It's a very good book from that perspective. The quantity of physics and math equations are kept to a minimum - perhaps a little too few for those with a more technical inclination. However, it should be understood that this is a book for the general public, and not mechanical engineers.Lamb concludes that steam's low thermodynamic efficiency along with the diesel's ability to be used modularly - i.e. several locomotives controlled by one engineer - gave the the diesel the overwhelming advantage. That was indeed true when the diesel took over 40-50 years ago. But if you read Porta or Wardale's work, you will realize that steam locomotive evolution is far from over. Modern techniques such as the Lempor exhaust, and the gas producer combustion system can more than double the typical steam locomotive's efficiency, and prevent a lot of the fuel from going unburned up through the stack by a very strong draft. I still hope for the return of mainline steam, but Lamb doesn't hold out that hope - my only disappointment with the book.I bought this book with the Oxford book "How steam locomotives really work", which is a more detailed technical text that is also excellent. Both are recommended highly if you care anything about the steam locomotive and want to add to your knowledge.

The advertising says that this book, written by an engineer, gives an engineering perspective of the evolution of the American steam locomotive. While there were moments in which the author provided some background (such as providing a very rudimentary explanation of steam tables), I was disappointed to find that it was more a history of the development of the steam locomotive through the various types of locomotives and what they brought to the table. But, I had been hoping for a more in-depth discussion of the engineering facets of the various theories and devices employed to pull the most work out of the steam.The beginning of the book was promising. The author gave a nice background of basic steam engine priciples and the application of steam engines to locomotion. Unfortunately, as the book progressed, it became evermore a recitation of the evolution through the various types of locomotives. To be fair, he did spend some time explaining, for example, how the development of the bigger firebox affected the ability of the locomotive to provide sustained power, but even that discussion could have provided more.I would really have liked to see more detailed discussions of such things as the thermodynamic effect of feedwater heaters, the differences between feedwater pumps vs. injectors, the differences between fire tube and water tube boilers (he did mention some differences, but I would have liked to have seen more depth), to name a few.Overall, it's a good read and nicely informative. I would recommend it to a non-engineer who has limited knowledge of steam locomotives, their basic principles and their devices. For myself, I was looking for something with more meat.

I've collected and read books about railroads in general, and steam locomotives in particular, since the late 1950s. In fact, the bargain price of $15 on this book is the same as I paid for the late David P. Morgan's "Steam's Finest Hour" when it first appeared in 1959 (about $125 in today's money i've been told). That was my first purchase of a "grown-up" railroad book with my own money; I was 12 at the time and $15 was a LOT of money. I had been "going to" buy Lamb's book for some time but took the step when I saw what a good price - $15 - the dealer had on it. The list prices of most new books are a bit of a challenge to my wallet these days. The publisher, Indiana University Press, has an excellent series of rail history books that are accessible to the general reader but several cuts above much so-called "railfan" literature. I can't say I was familiar with J. P. Lamb, jr. as a writer but have seen his published railroad photos for many, many years. I didn't find many surprises in this book, but am very pleased with the presentation: a book that is nicely laid out, well written, has great photo reproduction, is free of typographical errors, and just feels good and solid in the hands,.

This is an excellent, well-written book that clearly explains the genesis of the steam locomotive, the principles behind its workings, its technical development, and the cycles of its development in the United States from the first locomotives imported from Great Britain to the last domestic production of American builders in the late 1940s. It is well illustrated. The only reason I gave it four instead of five stars is that almost all of the photos are flat and lack sufficient contrast. They are certainly clear enough, but dull, and detract from the otherwise high quality of this book. This said, anyone desiring a good general history of the development of the steam locomotive in the United States would not go wrong in buying this book.

Das Buch ist an sich sehr gut gelungen. Hier werden für den Liebhaber amerikanischer Lokomotiven viele technische Lösungen dargestellt von denen ich bislang noch nichts wusste. Der englische Text ist leicht verständlich und liest sich flüssig. Soweit alles Bestens und ich könnte fünf Sterne vergeben. ABER die Fotos sind eine einzige Katastrophe: viel zu blass, kein Kontrast, zum Teil streifig. Sie sehen aus als wären sie aus einem Tintenstrahldrucker gekommen dessen Farbpatronen leer sind. Ja sehr schade, für diese Qualität sollte sich jeder überlegen ob er über 40,- Euro ausgeben will.