Railway Prototype Cyclopedia

RAILWAY
PROTOTYPE
CYCLOPEDIA
"Accuracy for Your Enjoyment"

What is Railway Prototype Cyclopedia?

Railway Prototype Cyclopedia, or 'RP CYC' for short, is a continuing series of softbound books that provides invaluable information in a single source with a focus on the 1920s through 1950s. This was the "Golden Age" of railroads when steam locomotives and first generation diesels ruled.
Volumes 1 - 5 are each 96 pages in length, Volumes 6 - 10 and 13 - 15 are each 104 pages, and Volumes 11, 12, and 16 through 24 are 112 pages long. In many cases the back inside cover is used as an additional page for tables. Each volume uses 80-weight enameled paper and a perfect-bound textured "leatherette" cover. Included are articles on freight and passenger cars, locomotives, and structures. Some articles include information about selected scale models that relate to the subject.
One of our most important priorities, RP CYC provides high quality, large format photographs of the prototype equipment and scale models. Every photograph selected for publication is large enough for you to see as much detail as possible. Also, articles are supported with applicable plans, diagrams, and roster information.

The Bottom Line!

We want you to use RP CYC as a primary source of information and photographs for modeling or historical purposes and to keep each volume on your bookshelf for handy reference.

Volume 1 and Volumes 8, 10 through 19, and 23-24 of RP CYC are available for immediate shipment. Volumes 2 through 7, 9, 20-22 are out of print and will not be reprinted either in hard copy or in digital form.

Click the link Cumulative RP CYC Article Index to download a 13-page file in pdf format that provides a searchable listing to help locate articles by subject published in Volumes 1 through 24 of Railway Prototype Cyclopedia.

Please CLICK BELOW for information on each volume, price, direct ordering information, and list of hobby shops and book dealers that stock RP CYC.