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Courtesy Service: 1940

June 1940. "Trucks in service station on Bladensburg Road, Washington, D.C., U.S. Route 1." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size.

June 1940. "Trucks in service station on Bladensburg Road, Washington, D.C., U.S. Route 1." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size.

 

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Routes

I noted immediately that Bladensburg Road, near where I live, is not US 1. Now US 1 is Rhode Island Avenue through Mount Rainier and Hyattsville.

But it turns out that Delano's labeling was correct in 1940: During World War II, Rhode Island Avenue was widened and the route moved a mile or so west of Bladensburg, with the old road designated Alternate US 1. This was done to relieve congestion on the major north-south corridor. Good luck with that. Today the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Interstate 95 are monsters of congestion, and neither US 1 nor Alternate 1 is much better.

Esso

Notice the Esso station in the background. I remember as a child when they changed it to Exxon in 1973. Still Esso is Canada though.

Defenseless fuel dispensers

No hose breakaway connectors, bumper posts , effective size islands to stop vehicle damage. I test and inspect fuel dispensers that have been repaired after drive-offs (hose left in vehicle fuel fill neck) and vehicle contact with the aforementioned safeguards in-place. Daily contact requiring repairs aren't uncommon.

I can only imagine how often these beautiful dispensers met an early demise.

Good year

At far right, in front of the air pump, is a 1936 Packard 120, the company’s top seller, meant to allow it to survive the Depression.

Microscopic mirrors

I love both of these tractors and trailers, but, good luck seeing anything in those tiny mirrors.

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