Kenneth C. Springirth

Kenneth Charles Springirth (born 1939) is a United States author, activist, politician, guest-speaker, photographer, and railroad historian.
Early life
Kenneth demonstrated a passion for railways at an early age. The son of a trolley car motorman in Philadelphia, and the grandson of a trolley car motorman in Washington D.C., Ken was destined to live and breathe steam.
With his father's guidance he began to explore railways all across the nation and abroad and began to develop an infinite passion for the complex systems of steam, metal and transportation. Influenced by many of his contemporaries, Kenneth studied the rise and fall of his beloved behemoths.
Spending his free time either riding a train or at train museums, Kenneth's affinity towards preserving our national heritage grew. With a cause in mind and a direction, Ken set out to chronicle everything that he could regarding trains and trolley systems of America.
Ken was a major proponent of mass transit and the reach of the Erie Metropolitan Transit.
To further his research, Ken studied at the Drexel Institute of Technology (now Drexel University), and began to record the history of locomotives in greater Pennsylvania.
His work has been cited as transformative and inspiring to railway aficionados and historians alike. Ken has preserved a snapshot of the very backbone of America which our country was built upon.
Career
Ken is the author of 32 books on railroads and trolley car systems. He has always been active in his local government both as a politician and activist. Lobbying local governments to preserve these delicate pieces of history along with fighting for basic human rights and interests for his communities. Ken won the election for Harborcreek Township Supervisor in 1999 with 2,762 votes to Martin Learn's 1,734 votes with both candidates conducting a clean election.
Nearly five decades have been devoted to preserving the national history of the trolley car and locomotive.
Ken continues to write and preserve and has two books scheduled for publication in 2017 from publisher, Fonthill Media.
Awards
Major victory in fight against NFG rate hike
Received honors and service award from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church for services to the community
As a citizen activist got two questions added to the Erie Country Ballot in 1983
Ken was awarded the AFL-CIO Central Labor Council's Community Services Award
Winner of the Liberty Bell Award, 1988
Guest of Honor and Lecturer at Kiwanas Rotary Club
Received 'Man of Action' title by Erie Times-News
Works
His books are as follows:
*Erie to Conneaut by Trolley (1968)
*Trolleys of the Gem City (1969)
*Grape Belt Trolleys (1970)
*Viewing Pennsylvania Trolleys (1971)
*North American Trolleys (1976)
*Trolleys of the English Speaking World (1978)
*Greater Erie Trolleys (2005)
*Johnstown Trolleys and Incline (2006)
*Pittsburgh Streamlined Trolleys (2006)
*Suburban Philadelphia Trolleys (2007)
*East Broad Top Railroad (2008)
*Southeastern Pennsylvania Trolleys (2008)
*Arcade & Attica Railroad (2009)
*Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad (2009)
*Northwestern Pennsylvania Railroads (2010)
*Toronto Trolleys in Color (2010)
*Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad (2011) co author David L. Weber
*Honoring the New York Central Railroad (2012)
*Remembering the Erie Lackawanna Railroad (2012)
*Erie to Cleveland by Trolley (2013)
*Remembering the Pennsylvania Railroad (2013)
*Chicagoland Electrified Railroads (2014)
*Jamestown to Buffalo by Trolley (2014)
*New Orleans Fabulous Streetcars (2014)
*Toronto Streetcars Serve the City (2014)
*ABC’s On The Rails (2015)
*San Francisco’s Magnificent Streetcars (2015)
*Pennsylvania’s Trolley Heritage (2015)
*Massachusetts Trolley Heritage (2016)
*Philadelphia Electrified Rail Lines (2016)
*Trolleys of Pennsylvania (2016)
*Street Cars of Washington D.C. (2016)
*Reading Railroad Heritage (2017)
*Baltimore Streetcar Memories (2017)

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