R&LHS 21,THE PHILADELPHIA,WILMINGTON & BALTIMORE RAILROAD.HISTORY OF 1829-1881 !

Description

Your bid is for The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society BULLETIN No. 21 with an issued date of March 1930. This digest-sized publication measures 15.3 by 22.8 cm and contains 34 paginated pages, plus 6 more pages of photographs, plus the wraps, with Charles E. Fisher as President and Editor. As the cover warns you, this is a single subject issue covering the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad.
The editor in his introductory paragraphs tells us that the PW&B was the scene of the first successful coal burning locomotive and was very instrumental in moving troops during the War of Northern Aggression (aka the U.S. Civil War). The book opens with a Taunton Locomotive 1858 business card featuring the coal burning "Daniel Webster". The next three photos are of PW&B Grant Eng No.63, a silver model of the Daniel Webster as presented to the gentleman in the third photo: S.M. Felton, President of the road 1851-1863. THE PHILADELPHIA, WILMINGTON & BALTIMORE RAILROAD COMPANY by Chas. E. Fisher then occupies pages 4-34 with immense detail going from year to year beginning with 1829 with an overview of beginnings as the 16.19 mile horse-powered New Castle & Frenchtown Rail Road. Beginning with 1839 the author uses gleanings from the company's annual reports to provide all kinds of fascinating trivia that end with 1881. E.g. the 1860 report compares costs of fuel and repairs of coal burning vs. wood burning locomotives. The 1861 and 1865 reports present detailed locomotive rosters. The article ends with a listing 1838 to 1881 showing number of passengers carried, psgr earnings, tons of freight carried, frt earnings, net earnings and dividends paid. Study this book and you'll enjoy your Amtrak Acela ride all the more. SOME INTERESTING COMMENTS ON BULLETIN No.19 by Inglis Stuart covers a page and a half. Of interest to BULLETIN collectors Fisher then sends out an appeal for BULLETIN No.11 for any member who does not wish to keep same and he will refund their cost. My take on No.11 is that it is the rarest of all numbered BULLETINS. Four drawings of PW&B follow showing Baltimore and Philadelphia Stations and the Wilmington Roundhouse. And a photo of Taunton-built PW&B Standard No.20. This book is in excellent, museum-quality condition, with normal light spine wear and cover margin fading.
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