They steamed westward with America, carrying goods and people to the new frontier. They powered through the industrial revolution, moving with the times. And they transported a nation in motion, soldiers and settlers and immigrants, captains of industry and itinerant labourers. These were the steam locomotives that ruled the rails and kept America moving and working for more than a century.

Pictured here in more than 250 modern photographs of restored and preserved models, these locomotives evoke the railroad's golden age and stand as a powerful reminder of the industry's might. The book offers a pictorial history of the evolution of steam power from the early nineteenth century to the demise of steam power after World War II; detailed captions identify each pictured locomotive and explain its role in the history of American motive power.

Featuring every prominent wheel configuration as well as shrouded "streamlined" locomotives, Steam Power conveys the grand geographic and technological breadth of North American railroading.