News Regarding "Surviving World Steam" for May 2001
"Surviving World Steam" is a series of CD-ROMs for Microsoft Windows. For more information, please visit my websites at:
Surviving World Steam Locomotives
[www.pernet.net]
Surviving World Steam Vehicles
[www.pernet.net].
*** Contents ***
· "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" has been updated for May 2001
· Release of "Surviving World Steam Vehicles" delayed until August 2001
· Reviews of "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" now available online
· "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" acquired by the National Science Museum in London.
*** "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" has been updated for May 2001 ***
The "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" database has been updated for the month of May, 2001. It contains 17,854 steam locomotives; up 275 since the last update in November, 2000 and 85% of the total worldwide. Information from three more countries is now included, bringing the total to 135.
The database also has much more complete information on the 700 steam locomotives currently preserved in Japan and the 82 preserved in Taiwan. A long-time "list keeper" is currently going through database, and passing on corrections and additions as needed. Trip reports from a "Surviving World Steam Locomotive" user from China, Poland, and Russia are also included in the database.
An unexpected development has been the flood of photographs being contributed to "Surviving World Steam Locomotives". Already, several CD-ROMs containing hundreds of photographs from around the world have been received; and an individual has agreed to the use of his private collection of nearly 2000 photographs in future updates to "Surviving World Steam Locomotives". The master photograph database currently includes 1300 photographs, but that figure could easily be doubled in the months to come.
The program CD-ROM includes 570 photographs, ten sound clips, and an Apple Quicktime Movie. The photographs include nearly every single wheel arrangement still in existence, most of the major builders, and many of the countries found in the database. A photograph of Kitson-Meyer articulated locomotives derelict in Bolivia, and a Beyer Garrett operational in Zimbabwe are now included. You can also add your own photographs to the database, as well as links to additional sound clips (.wav files).
Those who have already purchased a copy can order an update. The update includes 200 pictures, many of which do not ship with the program. Updates include an "Update Wizard", which transfers pictures and sound clip links to the update from your current copy before overwriting it. Thus, you needn’t worry about losing your picture collection with each update.
Both the program and updates can be ordered from the order page at
[www.pernet.net]. You can still order online using Paypal from several countries around the world.
*** Release of "Surviving World Steam Vehicles" delayed until August 2001 ***
"Surviving World Steam Vehicles" will be a CD-ROM of surviving steam road vehicles worldwide. A website describing it is available at
[www.pernet.net]. It will include
· Traction Engines (Steam Tractors)
· Steam Rollers
· Steam Cars
· Steam Wagons (Trucks)
· Steam Fire Pumpers
· Portable Steam Engines and Boilers
· Steam Shovels, Dredges and Draglines (not mounted on barges or rails)
· Steam Bicycles, Loggers, and other rare vehicles.
Initially, the plan was to release it in November of 2000 with just a sample of data. But, as data and pictures begun to roll in, the release was delayed to May 2001; it was hoped that all of the data and photographs would be entered by then.
However, when it was time to stop work on "Surviving World Steam Vehicles" so that work could resume on the update to "Surviving World Steam Locomotives", there were still over 1300 vehicles left to be entered, with more anticipated in the near future. So, the release has been delayed to August 2001. In the future, this will also make it possible to update "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" without delaying updates to "Surviving World Steam Vehicles", and visa versa.
The current status of "Surviving World Steam Vehicles" is available at
[www.pernet.net]. Currently, 5000 of the 6300 records received to date have been entered, along with all of the photographs.
*** Reviews of "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" ***
There are several reviews of "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" available; please see
[www.pernet.net]. Several of them can be read online. If you would like an unbiased third-party opinion on "Surviving World Steam Locomotives", I refer you to these reviews.
*** "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" acquired by the National Science Museum in London. ***
Since it’s initial release in November of 1999, "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" has been acquired by individuals and organizations from across the spectrum and around the world. Individuals who enjoy and are even restoring steam locomotives, a school board, tourist railroads, and the webmaster for the "Steam Central" website are all current users of "Surviving World Steam Locomotives".
We are honored to include the National Science Museum in London, England as our latest user of "Surviving World Steam Locomotives". We are glad that the extensive information and hundreds of photographs already in the project will be a part of the museum’s Library. For more information on the holdings of the National Science Museum, please contact the museum’s Enquiry Service.
Meanwhile, I wish to extend at this time a warm "thank you" to everyone who has supported "Surviving World Steam", either through sending photographs or data, or by purchasing a CD-ROM. Without the input of dozens of users and references worldwide, neither "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" nor "Surviving World Steam Vehicles" would have been possible. If you have any questions about "Surviving World Steam Locomotives" or "Surviving World Steam Vehicles", please feel free to contact me.
-James Hefner
james1@pernet.net">(james1@pernet.net)
Hebrews 10:20a
