The John Bull: A British Locomotive Comes to America

By David Weitzman

Book Overview

Here is the story of one of the most influential early locomotives in America, the John Bull. Imported from England in 1831, this amazing workhorse was used to help build and then run the first successful New Jersey railroad, the Camden & Amboy Railroad, which reduced from days to hours the journey for freight and passengers between New York and Philadelphia.

The design on the John Bull proved inspirational: more than a dozen similar locomotives were quickly manufactured on these shores, which in turn helped spawn a vital new American industry.

With a zealous eye for intriguing detail, David Weitzman gives us a window seat on the significant moments in the history of the John Bull: its commission and manufacture in the shops of George Stephenson in England, its arrival in the United States by steamship (reminiscent of Pharaoh's Boat, it lacked assembly drawings and instructions), its years of successful service, and its retirement and subsequent move to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution-where it sat proudly and quietly until an exciting plan was hatched by its curators to honor its 150th anniversary in 1981...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0D16ZKFZM
• ISBN13: 9798888180631
• Release Date: April 2024
• Publisher: Purple House Press
• Length: 36 Pages
• Weight: 0.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.1" x 11.0"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

REMARKABLY DETAILED

The remarkably detailed, stunning black and white drawings by author/illustrator David Weitzman are worth a great deal more than the price of this book. Front endpapers and back endpapers offer a comprehensive picture of this early locomotive with accompanying numbers identifying each feature. There's the wood filled fire box, the crank, and even the driving axle. All with an interest in trains will consider this slim volume a treasure. As some know, John Bull was built in England and transported by steamship to America in 1831. Such a powerhouse had never been seen before, and it was used not only to help build but to run the first New Jersey railroad. This met with such success that America soon manufactured many more similar locomotives. After a lengthy tour of service the locomotive was retired to the Smithsonian Institution where it was admired by thousands. Even more amazing is that some 150 years after it first arrived on our shores the John Bull was still able to run as smoothly as ever. "The John Bull" is fitting tribute to a vital portion of our transportation industry. - Gail Cooke