Wandering Locomotive Books

Live steam modelers were scattered all over the United States in the late 1920's, most not even aware of each other. The first man to start any sort of organization was Carl Purinton, from Marblehead Mass. He put together a loose leaf book with names of live steamers, including a photo of their locomotive and asked that it be circulated around the country. The "Wandering Locomotive Book" as Carl called it, found its way from Mr. Gunnick, of Wichita Falls, Texas to Ernie Freeman of Los Angeles. In Purinton's letter of November 9, 1933 to Ernie, he states, "I can see no reason why you should not sign up Mr. Jackson and any other responsible live steamer in your vicinity."

Steve Bratina wrote:


 * The books known as the "Wandering Locomotive Books" were started when paper, pen and a Kodak was the only way, other than going to a meet, of describing the locomotive you have. Would it not be possible to do the same only electronically?

John Kurdzoniak wrote:


 * Carl Purinton did this in the 1930s with his "Wandering Locomotive Books".....books that passed from "live steam brother, to live steam brother" and these builders (they were all referred to as "brothers" back then) entered photos, notes, their location, comments about their projects, etc. and then passed it on to the next person, who entered all of HIS information. It was like a website registry of people and their locomotives, but the people back then had no concept of "internet" of course. But those books provided for THEM back then, what the internet is able to provide for us today.


 * In the 1930s and 40s these books went via mail, auto, (and probably rail in some cases), from Maine to California and back, probably Hawaii, and all across Canada. The only cost Mr. Purinton charged was the cost of more paper and supplies, etc. And I suspect each individual contributor paid the postage to send it to the next "brother", or, carried it in person via auto (or rail) when he was going to another club, or area of the country, during his vacation, hobby, or business travels and in order to give it to someone else while on the trip.


 * For example, if I had the book this month, and was taking my family to Florida by rail next month, I would bring it with me and drop it off at the home of another "live steam brother" who lived near where I was staying in Florida. Or if I was driving to Florida and not taking the train, I might drop it off at the home of a "live steam brother" while going through the Baltimore area.


 * Mr. Purinton said that he had SO MANY contacts from "the books", and his personal correspondences, that he could drive across the country and never be more than a few miles, or a few towns, away from someone he had written to in the past, or who was "in the book". Amazing. No computers to do that, either. Just paper and postage stamps.

See also:


 * * Harry Austin