A practical handbook for American railroad engineers offering rules, tables, and formulas for locating, constructing, equipping, and managing railroads. It proceeds from reconnaissance and surveying through alignment and preliminary contracts to earthwork, rockwork, and detailed bridge construction in wood, iron, and stone; covers masonry, foundations, superstructure, rails, switches, and rolling stock; describes locomotives—their mechanics, boilers, traction, and classification—as well as car design, stations, and operational management including staffing, timetables, costs, and telegraph use. Appendices supply arithmetic, formularies, measures, specifications, and cost comparisons to support practical calculations and estimates.