author
Matthias N. (Matthias Nace) Forney
1835–1908
A pioneering American locomotive designer, he gave his name to the distinctive Forney locomotive and helped shape railroad engineering in the 19th century. He also wrote influential technical works that carried his practical knowledge to a wider audience.
1 Audiobook
Catechism of the locomotive
by Matthias N. (Matthias Nace) Forney, Georg Kosak
About the author
Born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, in 1835, he became an American steam locomotive designer and builder best known for the Forney type locomotive. His designs were widely used on New York City's elevated railroads before those lines shifted to electric power.
Beyond engineering work in the shop, he became an important voice in railroad publishing. He served as editor and later proprietor-editor of The Railroad and Engineering Journal, and he wrote books including Catechism of the Locomotive and Locomotives and Locomotive Building.
He was also among the founders of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, reflecting how closely he was tied to the professional growth of mechanical engineering in the United States. He died in 1908, leaving behind both a recognizable locomotive design and a body of practical writing for engineers.