1922 Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practice

The 1922 Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practice, published by Simmons-Boardman, is the most recent locomotive [en]cyclopedia to be in the public domain. At 1141 pages of main text, plus indexes, front matter, and other content, it is a substantial book.

The cyclopedia is essentially a combined catalog for all the major builders of railroad locomotives and associated equipment in North America, who provided the information. It contains a dictionary of terms and photographs and scale drawings of several hundred locomotive types exemplifying those that North American builders were producing in the early 1920s.

The book resulted from a resolution at the 38th annual convention of the Railway Master Mechanics' Association in 1905 that

whereas it is deemed desirable to change the arrangement of data in the book formerly known as the Locomotive Dictionary, be it resolved that ... the editorial and manufacturers' data be grouped in sections as follows: definitions; locomotives as complete units; ;cmv details; tenders; electric locomotives' materials; industrial and foreign locomotives; shop equipment and operation; rules; miscellaneous.

The book is available in hard copy and via Google Play Books.

Picture gallery

Illustrations from the 1922 Locomotive Cyclopedia:

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  4-8-2 locomotive
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  Franklin Booster
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  GE Steeplecab