"The Last Blacksmith" a lecture by Thomas C. Cornillie

Monday, July 25, 3-5 PM at the William L. Clements Library

Railroads have played an instrumental role in shaping the development of the United States since the mid-19 th century. However, there are many aspects of railroad history that remain unexplored. One such area is locomotive maintenance, which was a critical part of railroad operations and made railroads the largest employer in many communities. At the height of the railroad industry's power in the early 1920's the number of workers employed in railroad shops ranked second in comparison to other US manufacturers - with over 400,000 workers located in nearly 1,800 different locations across the country. This lecture will examine change in locomotive maintenance practices between 1900 and 1960 as the product of interactions between management policy, the development and application of technology, organized labor, and government regulation.

R.S.V.P. (734) 764-2347