Nothing evokes the exhilarating feeling of power and nostalgia than the sight of a majestic and powerful steam train coursing up a mountain pass, steam billowing from its engine. The end of the nineteenth century witnessed the birth of the railway system as a powerful means of transport for freight and a wonderfully romantic way to travel.Arranged chronologically, the book charts the history of the development of locomotives, detailing the early British innovations in steam the Battle of the Gauges; the American Mikados, Shays, Switchers and Record Breakers, the early Canadian freight trains, European mountain power, and the enduring steam locomotives of India and South America Written by world experts in the field and illustrated with over 400 photographs and artwork, this exhaustive reference also provides specification boxes and comprehensive technical and performance data.