# David Fletcher's new book - Australia's Colourful American Locomotives



## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

BREAKING NEWS - My Book is finally published and is currently being prepared for shipment, due around mid July!!

Some of you may remember me from MLS 2001-2007 when I used to run all those model building Masterclasses - what great fun times they were - we did the little 2-6-0 in 2001, the Mason Bogie 2002-2004, the CP Huntington in 2005, the Carter Bros passenger cars in 2006 and the Porter 0-6-0 and 2-6-0s in 2007!
From that point onward I've been doing detailed locomotive drawings and liveries for Accucraft since 2006 and Accucraft UK since 2019.

Anyway - my book -

This is a book I started in late 2007 and has been a massive research and drawing project undertaken primarily between 2007 and 2015. Light Railway Research Society of Australia Inc (LRRSA) have taken that work to publication, are printing and ultimately distributing the book. I'm greatly indebted to Frank Stamford of LRRSA for getting this book ready for publication, along with the support of the LRRSA committee. I'm also greatly thankful to Bob Reid, former editor of Narrow Gauge Down Under, for his work in turning it all into a publishable document with the help of Colin Flashman. So much of the original archival data, specifications and original locomotive construction drawings that I used to create the 60+ locomotive drawings in the book were obtained often from private collections via the massive assistance of Richard Wickett of Pennsylvania along with the DeGolyer Library Texas, the Smithsonian Institution Museum of American History and the Stanford University Library special collection.
The Book is about the Architectural origins, styling and liveries of Australia's US built locomotives 1876-1920 (i.e. almost all that we imported). While it is about Australian US built machines, the work is far broader and is equally relevant to the locomotives on US soil and other export destinations. There are two New Zealand locomotives also covered in the book.
The book is large format at A3 landscape and is 160 pages, all in full colour. We worked to make the book exactly 160 pages, despite that, even after 2015 I managed to squeeze in three more Australian US built locomotives!
There are only 500 copies being printed - it was a large and costly undertaking so 500 was the limit set. Light Railways Research Society of Australia Inc is a Not for Profit organisation, and as such is driven entirely out of passion - the intent and indeed the need to discover, resolve and share our railway past and the role it played in our nation and the world.
Its been a long time coming and huge part of my life. Please support this endeavour! I also have produced well over 200 US locomotive drawings in original liveries (1870-1920), many are seen in Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette in every issue - is it my intention to see that these are published as well sometime, but it does depend somewhat on the interest in this, my first book - Australia's Colourful American Locomotives!
You can page through all of the pages in the book for a quick review here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfkb67KjQaE
You can order the book here:
noting that there is a presale discount if you order early. I dont know how quickly these will sell, but with 500 copies, there are not many and I'll be grabbing a few for myself and family! International postage cost will be worked out when you order, please discuss with the society.
https://shop.lrrsa.org.au/.../lightrailwayresea.../en_AU/...


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## ferroequinologist (May 8, 2016)

Hey David, great to see book come to fruition after seeing your drafts for many years. I recommend anyone interested in what influenced the styling and colours of American locomotives, not just the American exports to Australia, although here in Oz we did seem to get quite a few of different styles and periods and very interesting locomotives.
This will be a reference work for many in years to come and 500 will sell out quick, I just ordered my copy and can't wait.
Thanks
Russell


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, you can add me to the list. (Or I should say, I added myself to the LRRSA 'early purchase' list). After looking at that Youtube preview, even my significant other - She Who Must Take Pictures - admitted that I had to have it because it's "Right up my alley." It seems that the major focus of of this work is Baldwin standard practices & styles of the 19th & early 20th Century; Australian Baldwin imports serve as the demonstrations of the various styles.
Looking forward to it!


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## ferroequinologist (May 8, 2016)

Hi Gary, having seen various early draughts of this great work by David I can say it is a great guide not only to just American supplied locos to Australia but is a great story on how fancy paintwork and lining, dome shapes etc are a reflection of Victorian period taste on most machinery at the time. Also David's work with researching American paint schemes and how it applies for example Baldwin where engines were out shopped with specific paint and lining codes that applied to loco's supplied in America as well as worldwide. A very handy reference for anyone researching paint schemes of the period as Australia just about had them all and all this with great scale drawings of the locomotives for those with a scratch built urge.
I can't wait for my copy either and with the small numbers printed it will definitely be a collectors item.
Russell


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary Woolard said:


> Well, you can add me to the list. (Or I should say, I added myself to the LRRSA 'early purchase' list). After looking at that Youtube preview, even my significant other - She Who Must Take Pictures - admitted that I had to have it because it's "Right up my alley." It seems that the major focus of of this work is Baldwin standard practices & styles of the 19th & early 20th Century; Australian Baldwin imports serve as the demonstrations of the various styles.
> Looking forward to it!


Thanks Gary,
I pretty much started this book right after the last Masterclass, and its been in my life so long now that I'm finally glad to see it all in print and finished! I reckon I could have done it faster if I had more of that fab root beer you gave me back in 2003!


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

David Fletcher said:


> Thanks Gary,
> I pretty much started this book right after the last Masterclass, and its been in my life so long now that I'm finally glad to see it all in print and finished! I reckon I could have done it faster if I had more of that fab root beer you gave me back in 2003!


Oh dear.. So how much root beer do we need to send to Oz to get you onto that 2nd book!


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary Woolard said:


> Oh dear.. So how much root beer do we need to send to Oz to get you onto that 2nd book!


haha! well I gotta finish may 5 more loco drawings and I think I'm ready to get another book together on US Narrow Gauge. Problem is, I've had just 5 drawing to finish for about 2 years and I keep getting asked to work on other drawing projects! I'll get it done!


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, Australia Post kept informing me that my book had passed through customs and was being processed by the airline.. processed... processed... and it finally made it here the beginning of this week. It's a huge book and you almost need a lectern to spread it out on!
The graphics are as delicious as I've come to expect from Fletch, maybe even better. But what surprised me was how well the pictures were integrated with the narrative -- and I learned more about Baldwin's design and production routines in the 1st 5 chapters of this book than I've ever read before. Fletch even explains how to decode Baldwin's very opaque classification system so that it's understandable. (Hint -- divide by 2 and then add 3 - seriously!)
I think this book is going to set the gold standard for students of 19th century ferroequinology. 
-nuff' said?


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Gary I'm so glad you're enjoying the book! It means a lot to me to have your kind feedback. I think I mailed it three weeks ago, so the mail sure does take a while these days!
I'm currently working through my US drawing sets and will definitely get something together on the US narrow gauge in the coming year or two - the issue is knowing when to stop! I've drawn all of the pre 1900 D&RG Roster, all of the ET&WNC, all of the NPC (as of today only!), all of the pre no12 EBT, many of the SPC, DSP&P, and then some from Utah, the Black Hills, Maine, Nevada and Alaska. I do need to just put them all together and get them out.
Thanks Gary,
Hope we meet again some day!

David.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi David, Having used your great plans, help and parts to build my live steam Mason Bogie, I knew this would be a great book. My wife is buying it for my 83rd birthday. I can't wait to get it in my hands. Thank you, Thank you for being such an inspiration and friend.


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