Living with Steam

Author: Aaron Heverin

This unique podcast features the sounds of railroad operations in Buffalo, Western New York, and elsewhere. Steam engines, early diesel engines, freight and passenger trains; they're all heard exactly as they sounded from 1948 to 1955. The recordings were made on a Webster-Chicago wire recorder by John M. Prophet III, noted Pennsylvania Railroad historian and dedicated railfan for his entire life. Visit livingwithsteam.com for more information about each episode.
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Language: en

Genres: History

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William A. Steventon & The Railroad Record Club, Part 3
Episode 6
Tuesday, 15 July, 2025

In this episode of Living with Steam EXTRA, we'll conclude the story of William A. Steventon and how he came to develop the Railroad Record Club in the 1950s. It wasn't easy for Steventon to pull this venture off especially in an era where railroad sound recordings were in high demand amongst railfans yearning to relive the days of trains pulled by steam engines. Competition was out there and Steventon strived for a quality product that wouldn't bankrupt him in the process. Also featured in this episode is a fun and informative interview I had with Ken Gear, who was at the right place at the right time to acquire the entire Steventon estate of Railroad Record Club archives even though it was in serious danger of being destroyed and lost forever.