本书比较全面系统的介绍了铁路机车车辆的结构组成和工作原理，内容涉及内燃机车、电力机车、铁道车辆和城市轨道车辆以及牵引供电系统、磁悬浮列车等。作为铁路车辆的重要组成部分，制动系统、悬挂系统、柴油机、转向架、传动控制系统等方面的内容在相关章节做了专门介绍。全书共分15章，各章均设置有课文、词汇、注释及练习题。适用于学生重点学习本专业方向的专业知识，并根据需要学习其他方面的内容。

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Railway；CHAPTER 2 The Train；Unit 1 Types of Trains；Unit 2 Operation；Unit 3 Couplers；CHAPTER3 Types of Locomotives；Unit 1 Introduction to Locomotive；Unit 2 Types of Locomotives；CHAPTER 4 Structure and Performance of Locomotive；Unit 1 Wheels Arrangement；Unit 2 Parts of Locomotive；Unit 3 Locomotive Characteristics；CHAPTER 5 Transmission and Control of Locomotive；Unit 1　Transmission of Locomotive；Unit 2 Electrical Control；Unit 3　Motor；Unit 1　Introduction to Diesel Engine；Unit 2 Size, Layout and Power；Unit 3 Starting and Control；Unit 4 Cooling and Lubrication；CHAPTER 7 Railway Cars ( 1 )；Unit 1　Classification of Railway Cars；Unit 2 Freight Cars；CHAPTER 8 Railway Cars (2)；Unit 1　History；Unit 2 Car Types；Unit 3　Configuration；CHAPTER 9 Bogie；Uint 1 How Bogies Work；Uint 2 A High Speed Bogie；Unit 3 Major Characteristics of Bogies in Recent Railcars；CHAPTER 10 Vehicle Suspension；Unit 1　Introduction to Vehicle Suspension；Unit 2 Plate Frame Bogie Suspension；Unit 3　Equaliser Bar, Rubber and Air Suspension；CHAPTER 11 Braking；Unit 1 Air Brake；Unit 2　Electro - pneumatic Brake；Unit 3　Dynamic Braking；CHAPTER 12 Depots and Workshops；Unit 1　Maintenance of Rolling Stock；Unit 2 Workshops and Depots；CHAPTER 13 Developing Maglev Trains；Unit 1　Principle and Configuration of Maglev；Unit 2 Performance and Development of Maglev；CHAPTER 14 Power Supply of Electric Traction；Unit 1 Power Supply；Unit 2 Catenary；Unit 3 Third Rail；CHAPTER 15 The Light Rail Transition；APPENDIX；References；