Anyone who has watched in anticipation as 100 tons of hot, black, smoky iron rolls into the station, or who thrills at the smell of creosote and the plaintive blue note of a steam whistle, should revel in Charles McShane's detailed examination of the inner workings of the classic steam engine. For the first time since 1907, fans of classic American steam locomotives can pore over hundreds of mechanical illustrations as McShane explains every aspect of how these impressive juggernauts operated. As impressive as the sum of the parts may be, the steam engine is made up of hundreds of discreet systems - slide valves, steam injectors, lubricators, pressure gauges, pneumatic brakes - all of them scrutinized in loving detail in Classic American Locomotives. Starting with a brief history of the locomotive, McShane addresses every aspect of locomotive construction, even treating how each company manufactured the various parts, how an engineer or rail worker should maintain these components, and the relative merits of the different systems.