research...about classic train

[Anonymous]

Hello ! all member of classic train webboard

first I'll intriduce myself comefrom Thailand and study in Univ. here

 after a long hard study finally Ijust figured to do arresearch about Steam train design in 18xx (around here)

 but I can't find any web site that provide information about train design ... after a dozen try in google ...

 plz help me out...

 any website or favorite model design around 18xx would be great...

[PBenham]

A few questions are in order. First are you referring to early/experimental designs from the 1825-50 era, or the American type dominated period 1850-1890. Or, after that period when 20th century power trends were under development, along with some dead ends, like compounding (3 or 4 cylinder balanced compounds) which used steam two or three times prior to being exhausted. Superheating was under development during the 1890s, but was hamstrung by a lack of available capital, following the financial panic of 1893. Superheated steam really got going though, around 1910 in Europe*, and 1915 in North America.

* This is a tough call, since some european lines were quite conservative, like Britain's Great Western and some were way "ahead of the curve" like the Bavarian State Railways.

There are a number of books on 19th century locomotive design and practice that can be found through the library of congress site. (which may or may not be in a usable state, but is a lot more reliable than wikipedia!) libraryofcongress.org or perhaps libraryofcongress.gov will do it for you. I have found that both links work, but the .gov is a bit less user friendly(Primarily for use by congress and governmental entities), unless they have re-done it like the .org site. Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

ahh thk alot

 I'll try to search again

have a nice day

[daveklepper]

There is a huge book I think by the name: The American Railroad Passenger Car, and the author may have had a last name White, that provides all the information one would want on the development of passenger train coaches and sleepers, etc. up to the beginnings of the streamline era, but not including Amtrak.