by Paul Strubeck


Pages: 250+

Format: 8.5"x11" hardcover

This first volume of a comprehensive book series on railroad tugboats, written by active railroader and tug crewmember Paul Strubeck, covers the boats and the considerable railroad maritime operations of New York Harbor, the Delaware River (Philadelphia and Wilmington), Norfolk (Hampton Roads, Sewell’s Point, and Little Creek area), and Baltimore Harbor.

Over 75 diesel-powered tugs operated for railroad owners in these regions, and many went on to live multiple lives beyond their railroad careers. This book documents the entire period of operations of these tugs under railroad ownership, their subsequent owners, and their final dispositions. This extensive history is illustrated with over 400 photos, blueprints, drawings, and technical data. A dedicated section covers the major railroad tugboat designs on the east coast, interior layouts and components, construction methods, and different engine and propulsion types.

Railroad tugboat operations were unique, and the designs of these boats were specific to the needs of the railroads they served. This book appeals not only to railroad enthusiasts, but to maritime historians interested in this unexplored chapter of tugboat design and operation.

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