Industrial Archives & Library

Industrial Archives & Library IAL collects, organizes, conserves, and preserves industrial records for the ages.

Machine Tool Monday- Something a little different. Niles was also a defense contractor during times of war. During the K...
06/01/2026

Machine Tool Monday- Something a little different. Niles was also a defense contractor during times of war. During the Korean War, they built portions of the M48 Patton tank. We will be featuring these photos over the next several weeks as we see a turret go through various stages of manufacture.

05/31/2026

Continuing our build to the 250th, we see AFT 1 under PC catenary in 1975. The train was a self-contained touring exposition. Even those who couldn't visit the exhibition could see through the glass sides on some of the display cars as the train rolled by. Film by Michael Eagleson.

Several of our staff are attending the annual Society for Industrial Archeology conference in Norfolk this week. The con...
05/29/2026

Several of our staff are attending the annual Society for Industrial Archeology conference in Norfolk this week. The conference is a mix of tours of industrial and historic sites as well as presentations on various aspects of industrial history. Yesterday, we toured Joint Base Langley Eustis, where the US Army trains their railroaders. In our collection, we have movies, negatives, and slides of this same operation taken by Michael Eagleson in the 1960s.

Erie RS-2 904 hustles some Stillwells through Bloomfield, NJ in this September 27, 1961 view. Eagleson shot a fair numbe...
05/28/2026

Erie RS-2 904 hustles some Stillwells through Bloomfield, NJ in this September 27, 1961 view. Eagleson shot a fair number of RS-2s in and around his home in Glen Ridge.

Machine Tool Monday- A sampling of the paperwork needed by Niles to make each machine.
05/25/2026

Machine Tool Monday- A sampling of the paperwork needed by Niles to make each machine.

05/24/2026

As we begin to gear up for the 250th, let's take a look at the preparations done to former Reading 2101 as it was transformed into Ameriacan Freedom Train 1. More AFT movies to come every week!

Maggie Valley Railroad Heisler pulls a train of two former cabooses. Reportedly, the coach in the background was too lar...
05/21/2026

Maggie Valley Railroad Heisler pulls a train of two former cabooses. Reportedly, the coach in the background was too large for the line's clearances.

Machine Tool Monday- Every year there used to be a large railroad supplier convention in Atlantic City. Here we see a Ma...
05/18/2026

Machine Tool Monday- Every year there used to be a large railroad supplier convention in Atlantic City. Here we see a Mack truck pulling a Niles wheel lathe through the streets of Atlantic City, presumably either going to or coming from the expo.

With nice weather in the forecast for this weekend, we assume a fair number of us will be out doing yard work. In that s...
05/14/2026

With nice weather in the forecast for this weekend, we assume a fair number of us will be out doing yard work. In that spirit, here is Reading Company SW-1500 2766 with the w**d spraying train in Doylestown in this June 6, 1971 view.

Machine Tool Monday- Niles sent a photographer over to the Illinois Terminal to photograph a WT52 Heavy Car Wheel Lathe ...
05/11/2026

Machine Tool Monday- Niles sent a photographer over to the Illinois Terminal to photograph a WT52 Heavy Car Wheel Lathe in situ.

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