You don't have to be a soccer fan to know “Schalke.” But how many railroad enthusiasts are familiar with the locomotive manufacturer Schalke? Over many years, Stefan Lauscher and Wolfgang-Dieter Richter have compiled all the information and images they could find on what is probably Germany's least-known locomotive factory. The result is a weighty, beautifully laid-out book that skillfully illuminates a little-known topic in railway technology: the world of mining and coking plant locomotives, special locomotives for underground railways and local transport, and electric locomotives for industry and mining around the world. An elegant diesel locomotive is also included.