Western Kentucky represented, in the time period covered by this book from the 1950s-80s, the bulk of coal mining in North America. Attributed to in John Prine’s famous song “Paradise,” Muhlenberg County is home to Kentucky's first commercial coal mine named the McLean Drift Bank. At one point, Muhlenberg County produced more coal than any county, state, or country as the largest producer of coal in the world. The massive mining machines documented herein show how this was possible through vintage and colorful photography. Production statistics are detailed for each piece of equipment, laced with historical facts and stories about the mines and mining companies that operated them. Includes a rare look at some of the old draglines that have been re-started and are digging in Western Kentucky once again thanks to new technology.

The aim of each volume of this series Guides to Information Sources is to reduce the time which needs to be spent on patient searching and to recommend the best starting point and sources most likely to yield the desired information. The criteria for selection provide a way into a subject to those new to the field and assists in identifying major new or possibly unexplored sources to those who already have some acquaintance with it. The series attempts to achieve evaluation through a careful selection of sources and through the comments provided on those sources.

With the encroachment of the Internet into nearly all aspects of work and life, it seems as though information is everywhere. However, there is information and then there is correct, appropriate, and timely information. While we might love being able to turn to Wikipedia® for encyclopedia-like information or search Google® for the thousands of links on a topic, engineers need the best information, information that is evaluated, up-to-date, and complete. Accurate, vetted information is necessary when building new skyscrapers or developing new prosthetics for returning military veterans While the award-winning first edition of Using the Engineering Literature used a roadmap analogy, we now need a three-dimensional analysis reflecting the complex and dynamic nature of research in the information age. Using the Engineering Literature, Second Edition provides a guide to the wide range of resources available in all fields of engineering. This second edition has been thoroughly revised and features new sections on nanotechnology as well as green engineering. The information age has greatly impacted the way engineers find information. Engineers have an effect, directly and indirectly, on almost all aspects of our lives, and it is vital that they find the right information at the right time to create better products and processes. Comprehensive and up to date, with expert chapter authors, this book fills a gap in the literature, providing critical information in a user-friendly format.