Prototype Cyclopedia

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The Prototype Cyclopedia is a series of soft-bound books that provide in-depth information about US rolling stock in the first half of the twentieth century. The books are very well-illustrated and focus mostly on freight cars, though locomotives, passenger cars and structures do occasionally feature.

 

I picked up volume 16 over the weekend, in part because there was an interesting article on the development of running boards and the shift from wood to various kinds of metal products. Apart from the reproductions of trade adverts, there were some useful roof shots of boxcars and covered hoppers.

 

The publisher's web site is at http://www.rpcycpub.com/home.html

 

Prices are around $28 a go, somewhat expensive but worth it if you are interested in the period covered since the opportunities to go out and inspect the prototype cars are limited to those with functioning time machines for the most part.