Industrial Locomotive Distinctions

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Howdy,

I'm interested in the distinctions between industrial steam locomotives and their common-carrier cousins during 1900-30, and hope you can help me with either facts or information referrals.

Aside from the differences in size, design and application, are there less-obvious yet significant general differences? For instance, would industrial locos have used the same whistle code signals? Would they have the same staffing requirements, or would engineers likely have doubled as firemen? How would those engineers' qualifications differ from that of engineers on passenger or freight trains? Were there important operational differences such as maintanance and safety standards? Or were the uses of industrial locomotives so diverse that generalizations are not meaningful?

I'm also trying to identify small-shop locomotive builders in the U.S. generally, and the South in particular, during 1900-30.

Information about industrial locomotives, builders and railways appears to be scattered among specific companies or industries, rather than as a separate category of railroads. I'm surprised no one has written a book called Industrial Locomotives of the U.S.

This information is being gathered for a museum under development in Kennesaw, Ga., that will focus on the Glover Machine Works, which produced light steam-driven locomotives during 1902-30. And because most of the U.S. public associates railroads with passenger or freight trains, I think it's important to establish context by noting what makes "blue-collar" engines special and interesting.

Thanks so much for your help...

Gary Goettling Tucker, Ga.

-- Gary Goettling (gwriter@mindspring.com), September 26, 2001


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