Book excerpt: An era ended in 1960, when the major railroads in the United States dieselized. Having served the continent for more than a century, North America's most visible symbol of industrial supremacy was obsolete. In railroad yards everywhere, thousands of steam engines stood gathering rust or waiting silently for a call to service that never came; still more perished unceremoniously, sold off and cut up for scrap metal. But a handful of railroads went out of their way to keep steam alive. This stunning volume is a pictorial tribute to working steam in North America, beautifully illustrated and lovingly told. -- Includes prime examples of accurate restorations that illustrate the development of steam locomotives while evoking the mood of this exciting period in North American History -- Filled with discussions of the dedicated preservationists who have kept steam alive in an era when the cost of overhauling and maintenance has become an extravagance -- More than 100 pristine, black-and-white photographs capture some of the most beautiful and historic steam locomotives in operation today