Very early in the history of the railway, attempts were made to combine propulsion and seating capacity in a single vehicle to economically cover low traffic volumes. However, the first attempts in this direction were not particularly successful due to insufficient performance and the problematic accommodation of the boiler, as well as coal and water supplies. In 1854, Borsig delivered a steam-powered draisine to the Berlin-Hamburg Railway, which was equipped with a passenger compartment and a stationary boiler. This was the first steam railcar used for a longer period, reaching a top speed of 22 km/h. The present volume, "Construction, Facilities, and Operating Resources of Secondary and Tramways" by engineer William Robert Rowan, is illustrated with 7 black-and-white plates. It is a reprint of the original edition from 1877.