This CD contains the page images and searchable text from two illustrated promotional books on early locomotives. These commemorative books were published by an equipment supplier (Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company) and a steel company (Agathon Steels) that served the railroad industry.

Pictorial History of the Locomotive. (1899)

by
William Wright,
for the Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company.

This history of steam locomotion was published for presentation to clients of the Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company. Writing just before steam locomotives began to be eclipsed by the diesel electrics, railroad historian William Wright describes and illustrates seventy of the greatest leaps forward in locomotive progress. Along with the line drawings of profile views of these 70 historic steam engines, Wright includes a handwritten summary of the history, features, and advances of each. (To aid the reader, a typed version of the text has been added here alongside each page of the original book.)

Development of the Locomotive. (1925)

by
Agathon Steels, Central Alloy Division,
Republic Steel Corporation.

A quarter-century later, Agathon Steels published a history which describes many of the same machines, and follows locomotive development through 1925 and the first electrics and diesel electrics. Capsule histories of 53 working locomotives are combined with charcoal drawings which set each one in a context of time, place, and events.

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