An article on Wikipedia referencing the Alco PA needs a verification on the item of "honorary steam locomotive". Back in the 1960s or 70s then TRAINS editor David P. Morgan authored a piece crediting the phrase to Professor George W. Hilton, possibly in a caption of a photograph in a Lucius Beebe book.
Can anyone verify this, citing the actual location of the article in the magazine (issue, date and pages)?
You might want to check the Beebe books too, to see if the photograph and caption actually existed. If so, that would give you a primary source for the term, as opposed to DPM saying he thought the term originated with Hilton or whoever.
The quote is properly attributable to George W. Hilton. He used it in a review of John Rehor's "The Nickel Plate Story", when he observed on the paucity of diesel photos except for the NKP PA's , "which seem to have been elevated to the status of honorary steam locomotives".
Yes, that sounds right.
DPM used to write 2-page profiles at the beginning of each issue.
One of them was on the "honorary steam" claim.
I need the issue date, page and perhaps a scan of those pages.
Of course Alcos in general were sometimes referred to as "honorary steam engines" due to the fact that they were one of the few diesel types that produced smoke like a steam engine.
.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.