Working Steam: Vintage Locomotives Today

All aboard, for an entrancing trip to the past that still lives on. Nearly 1,400 restored steam locomotives exist in North America today, and an amazing 300 or so of those are still active. More than 100 stirring color photos present a unique tribute to these living, working remnants of a golden age gone by. Once upon a time, these trains tore through the landscape with thundering frequency, leaving billowing clouds of steam as they made their way across valleys and mountains. By the 1950s their day had passed, but even so, many of these iron dinosaurs were saved, and later resurrected, rebuilt, and refurbished. Archival and new images take you on a journey on tiny little switchers, giant 4-8-4 Northerns, a huge 4-6-6-4 Challenger, and the legendary Union Pacific Railroad's huge locomotive: No. 844. Making the voyage even more enjoyable: fascinating first-hand accounts of life on the rails from modern-day firemen and engineers.