The Preservationist's Library

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:03 pm

All,

The recent discussion on the various versions of the Locomotive Cyclopedia and the Car Builders' Cyclopedia got me thinking. What books should be in the Railway Preservationist's Library, and why?

The books shouldn't just be specific to railroads, like books on machine shop practice, etc. However, in addition to the various Cyclopedias, what books do you think should be in every preservationist's library?

Randy Hees · **Posted:** Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:18 pm

A couple to get started....

Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Preservation

Association of Railroad Museums Recommended practices

Beyond...

Based on the projects you are doing...

Car Builder's Dictionaries and Locomotive Cyclopedias (year appropriate) To guide you in identifying parts by proper name while documenting the restoration

Appropriate industry technical publications (these will be different for a trolley museum running PCCs than for a narrow gauge museum preserving 19th century wooden cars (me))

Histories of the railroads and car builders represented by your collections.

The books may not be in your library, but you need to know who has them close enough to allow them to be referenced...

Randy

Dave · **Posted:** Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:26 pm

Depending on your level of technical involvement, you may find MACHINERY'S HANDBOOK indispensable.......as well as any of the many ICS books dealing with more specific subjects. Standards and Practices books from any builder or railroad are very valuable. I seem to get by very well without ever cracking open my steam tables and thermodynamics stuff, unless I'm trying to follow some of the most esoteric topics on SteamTech. Kardes' RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE is full of extremely practical stuff.

ALL of these not only provide you with technical knowledge, but also historic perspective on the way it was done back when they were written.

With a base in that old school practice, you can more easily translate modern techniques from other industries into ways we can do things today - plasma and water jet cutting for example. This is less preservation, but problem solving.

I'm convinced that the least understood and most difficult challenges aren't mechanical and technical, but fiscal and market related - perhaps because I;m much more familiar with the hardware stuff than the software, but I sense many of us share that characteristic. Development, grantsmanship, strategic partnerships - this kind of thing is far more vauable than anything mechanical for us as an industry right now.

dave

robertmacdowell · **Posted:** Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:30 pm

A book scanner and Acrobat. Because you can't use it if you can't find it.
Every book out there on your specialty.
Every shop manual on equipment you own or have a passion in.
A variety of both period and modern how-to's.
The full newsletter collection from your organization and those allied to your specialty.
The entire run of Locomotive & Railway Preservation magazine.
Friends at the local archive of your specialty.

In the above areas I am entirely talking about the information in the books, not their value as a "collectible". Don't waste equity owning a "mint" copy of a book that you're then afraid to actually use. Unless you are into that too, then have at.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Feb 23, 2013 9:20 pm

All I will say for now is:
In broad theory, you have three separate divisions at the very least:

The Business/Administrative: This includes the aforementioned museum practices books, books on administration, local laws as applicable, and even to the extent of food service regulations if you have a kitchenette or dinner train. Also books on running a non-profit, fundraising, PR, etc.

The Technical/Shop: All the technical books, shop manuals, ICS books, etc.

The Historical: Histories of the line, the railroad, its connections, local history relevant to the line, etc. Histories of the locos, car builders, etc. as appropriate. (Think broadly. I've been snapping up histories of certain neighborhoods and suburbs of Baltimore for the Balto. Streetcar Museum, because some of these areas owe their development to streetcars, and some of these cover streetcars in a way that rail historians don't or won't.)

Now, the big question: Does the public get access to any of this? Can you loan a shop book to the farm museum or another rail museum if they need it? Can a local resident or student read that rare book on Shays or the local station architect? Or make copies as needed?

Loco112 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:05 am

Also indispensable are the original builders (manufacturers detailed drawings/blueprints) of your; locomotives, appliances and appurtenances.

Despite popular belief, these are not published in the Locomotive and Car Cyclopedias, or anywhere else, you have to find them and purchase your own sets.

You should also make it your business to know what (detailed drawings) are available in the various public collections and what is in private collections. Purchase copies of what you can when you get the opportunity, as you never know when it will stop being available.

Brent S. Bette · **Joined:** Wed May 12, 2010 1:24 pm **Posts:** 82

Great topic, David. I was just thinking about this the other day. While I earnestly agree with all the posts so far, I believe there are a few cornerstones which you need to be versed in to be taken seriously in the American railway preservation "society." Many of these were discussed in the "book reivew" forum from a few years back.

Nothing Like It in the World
A basic working knowledge of the building of the Transcontinental Railroad is integral for understanding the formation of Pullman as well as the expansion of rail travel in America. I would argue this book is by no means definitive (there are far better books) but is a good way to get your "feet wet" so to speak.

The Men Who Loved Trains
This is important for understanding the business aspect of railroads and helps explain the precarious situation a number of east coast railroads faced in the late 1960s. Certainly a page turner.

Metropolitan Corridor
Harvard professor John Stilgoe helps us to understand how railroads changed the landscape of America with a particular focus on the northeast. For a broader geographic understanding of such a topic I would also recommend Train Time

Rising from the Rails
This is an excellent overview of the Pullman Company and in particular the porters who served its millions of passengers. I find this book humanizes what we do. Again, like Stilgoe, Tye shows it wasn't just about locomotives and rolling stock. There was an important human aspect in railroading.

Set Up, Running
Again, a view into the human side of railroading. Page turner, no doubt.

These suggestions are universal in nature. No matter where you are in the U.S. these books will have some appeal. Most importantly, they will allow you to contextualize your equipment. In other words, bring it to life for your members and your visitors.

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:04 pm

A couple more, to understand the industry a bit better:

The American Railroad Network, 1861-1890 by George Rogers Taylor and Irene D. Neu. This is an older book, from the 1950s but has been reprinted. It is essential to understand the development of railroads, originally viewed as complimentary to other forms of transportation, into its own transportation network.

Amazon has this book, CHEAP!

http://www.amazon.com/The-American-Railroad-Network-1861-1890/dp/B006LWGHSK

The Transportation Revolution, 1850-1860 also by Taylor.

Given my profession, I've found the below two books indespensible:

Railroads and American Law by James Ely

Lawyering for the Railroad by William G. Thomas

Also, in case I missed them, John H. White's books on passenger cars, freight cars and early locomotives are essentials.

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:28 pm

wilkinsd wrote:

The American Railroad Network, 1861-1890 by George Rogers Taylor and Irene D. Neu. This is an older book, from the 1950s but has been reprinted. It is essential to understand the development of railroads, originally viewed as complimentary to other forms of transportation, into its own transportation network.

Amazon has this book, CHEAP!

This is a great book to help understand the early development of the industry and especially the various efforts to standardize the practices of gauge, designs, etc.

The Amazon offering is for blemished books. It is currently offered by the publisher University of Illinois Press at $19.95 plus the usual add-ons.
See: The American Railroad Network, 1861-1890

You can find some great historical or social studies about the railroads and the country they operated in at the various University Presses. Many of the books named by the other posters are from this source and not the "railfan" press. University of Indiana has a great series of railroad titles.

stephenpiwowarski · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 5:58 pm

Indiana University Press offers many excellent books on railroads and transportation.

Specifically, I would recommend Railroads and the American People by H. Roger Grant.

I second Brent's recommendation of Metropolitan Corridor. In fact, I would recommend any of John Stilgoe's books as they are excellent.

Also some books that you may, depending upon your circumstances, find helpful are available here: http://www.preservationnation.org/prese ... SqL-1petom

Stephen Piwowarski

Jack A. Siffert · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:11 pm **Posts:** 373

Speaking of books, does anyone know of a good version of Roberts' Rules of Order? I need to find out the ways to handle some ugly things that have happened in of late
I would think allot of groups bylaws specify R.R.O.O. for guidelines in their governing structure so a good copy of that would come in handy.

Bobharbison · **Joined:** Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:42 pm **Posts:** 2949

Jack A. Siffert wrote:

Speaking of books, does anyone know of a good version of Roberts' Rules of Order? I need to find out the ways to handle some ugly things that have happened in of late
I would think allot of groups bylaws specify R.R.O.O. for guidelines in their governing structure so a good copy of that would come in handy.

You can get a copy directly from the source: http://www.robertsrules.com/

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:16 am

Robert's Rules of Order can be an excellent guide to running meetings or organizations, especially if a group is new, likely to have factions with differing goals/missions/opinions, dealing with major financial issues, etc.

It also, as I have had the harrowing misfortune to witness firsthand, can be a way to funnel an unbelievable amount of bureaucracy into something that should be enjoyable. I walked away from one group, never to return, after an incident where they started arguing over what the protocol was (RROO or By-Laws?) on top of the dispute already being argued.

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 2:41 am

I learned Robert's Rules of Order in order to avoid being run over by the self-appointed parliamentarians.

There upon I have used it sparingly. Often either to keep a meeting moving or to keep the business at hand clear.

The worse problem is not those who have read and studied Robert's, but rather those who have not and know just a little. They often confuse running a mass meeting with how Robert's says a small board can be run. They often confuse the concept of tabling a motion as compared to postpone to a subsequent time.

Randolph R. Ruiz · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2013 1:59 pm

The Preservationist's Library

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