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Welcome to Woodville: 1941
... Greene County, Georgia." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Georgia ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/09/2021 - 10:22pm -

June 1941. "The center of Woodville. Greene County, Georgia." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Georgia IrishThe Gaelic name Ruark on that store/gas stop/garage is a reminder of Irish Catholic (and Scotch-Irish) immigration into the American South. By 1860 as many as one-third of the households in Savannah (188 miles from Woodville) were Irish immigrants; the St. Patrick's Day parade there is a big deal. Georgia Southern University runs a Center for Irish Research and Teaching which is headquartered in Savannah. Just waiting for Spencer Tracy to arriveLooks like the set for Bad Day at Black Rock. Double ColaDouble Cola ,the brand was unknown to me until now. Luckily I found 5 Original Double Cola Flange Signs in the original shipping crate! Still Would-VilleLooks like a fine place to stop for refreshments along a road trip: (The Gallery, Gas Stations, Jack Delano, Small Towns)
Aerial Amarillo: 1943
... image posted here five years ago. 4x5 Kodachrome by Jack Delano. View full size. Frank's creativity He sure comes up ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 1:42pm -

March 1943. "Amarillo, Texas, general view, South Tyler at SW 10th Avenue -- Santa Fe R.R. trip." This is the uncropped version of a smaller image posted here five years ago. 4x5 Kodachrome by Jack Delano. View full size. Frank's creativityHe sure comes up with some imaginative and fascinating window displays. Academy of Music & Art"Music Dancing Expression" I thought that was illegal in Texas. Old Stomping GroundsI spent the first six years of my life exactly here. Fortunately not quite old enough to be seen running away from home in my pedal car in Jack's picture, but old enough that some places well-depicted in that picture are among my vivid early memories. No A/C !As a Californian I can't imagine living there in the summer. Dear ShorpyAfter googlemapping I found the location, the photo was taken from the Santa Fe building(now the Potter County tax office) and looks S.W. The intersection you can actually see is SW 10th Ave and S. Harrison St. At least two of the buildings are still there. View Larger Map Skyspotting AmarilloIt's amazing to see a vibrant mixed 1940's neighborhood and the mostly barren industrial parkingscape of today. Still in today's picture: Amarillo Furniture Company now ABC Blueprints Franks now Randy's Shoes ???R-A-WAY=Blackstone Cafe/Young Sushi Academy of Music & Art now AKA Gaylynn's Bail Bonds and others? Texaco Station now Vacant Blue Bird Station now Qdesignworks ??? now Computer Shop The older St. Mary's Cathedral School buildings on the far side of Elwood Park . . . to put up a parking lot. Comparing this photo to the current view, it's striking how completely the homes near the center of the photo have been replaced by parking lots. And in each of the aerials in Google Earth since 1995, those lots are largely free of cars and people. It would be interesting to know how much of that transformation just happened on its own, and whether it was aided by scorched-earth urban renewal practices common in the 25 years after World War II. A December 1961 news article from the Amarillo Globe Times indicates that urban renewal was hadn't really begun yet. Two lonely people!I can find a grand total of TWO people in the whole town! One is standing next to a car at the house with the turret directly above the Conoco gas station, and the other is waiting on the corner to the right of the white building with a dome in the center of the picture. Wood Paneled SedanI am puzzled by the wood paneled sedan at the intersection across from the Conoco station. It looks to be a 1942 Buick, but to my knowledge, they did not make a wood paneled sedan. They did make a station wagon, but no sedan. [Looks like a taxi - tterrace] Many buildings still there!A view from the air, today: http://binged.it/MNr0bT And of course, the building this shot was likely taken from. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Fire-Chief: 1940
... on U.S. 1 (New York Avenue)." 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Money in cans All those cans are worth well ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2012 - 4:27pm -

June 1940. Washington, D.C. "Discarded oil cans at truck service station on U.S. 1 (New York Avenue)." 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Money in cansAll those cans are worth well over one hundred dollars empty to collectors today. Not Paper CansThose oil cans are made of 100% metal from the USA! Fire Chief HelmetWhen I was a kid in the 1960s, I had a Texaco Fire Chief helmet. It had a microphone that hung down from the side, and a speaker on the front. It was very well made out of heavy plastic. Mom still has it stored away somewhere. I wonder what it's worth today? Engines are better nowThis is an indication of how lousy engine rings were back then. Modern engines hardly use any oil. Bottled OilThe oil in bottles was used oil. They would take used oil, filter it, add a little fresh oil, and sell it for substantially less than new oil. I know because I had an old beater in the early 70s that burned a couple quarts a week, so I always bought the used stuff. It was always in bottles and the new stuff was always in cans. Recycling CenterBring all your cardboard and flammable product containers down to the handy recycle bins beside our lead-filled gas pumps. Don't forget to extinguish all smoking materials before tossing them out the window! Things Have ChangedA reminder of how engines used to burn a lot more oil 70 years ago. Recycling?Not so much. I am surpised at the use of paper cans. I thought glass bottles were more common then. When I was an attendent in the 70's, the bottle racks were still in the back room. You're a quart lowWish I had a dollar for every time I heard that from the attendant in the 50's and 60's. Quite a variety of motor oil cansI spot Texaco, Sinclair, Gulflube, Havoline, Esso, Dubl-Duty and Quaker State. Canned oilI vividly remember my dad teaching me to change oil in the '70s. He taught me to use a filter wrench, but by the time I was old enough to have my own car, the clearances were so tight that you couldn't turn a wrench. Each car I owned, I had to develop a different strategy for threading my forearms through the engine compartment to get a two-handed grip on the filter. I think I remember the plastic bottles replacing the cans about '82 or '83. My dad worked for Texaco, so that's a thing I would remember. I remember in the late '80s visiting a bargain store that had about ten feet of wall space dedicated to the old stab-in spouts. They must have been betting on a few suckers who didn't realize that oil no longer came in cans! UNCANNY OILIn the late 40's -early 50's the Standard station where my Grandad traded got their fresh oil in bulk, and pumped it into quart bottles with the metal top (spout). The bottles were kept handy to the gas pumps in wire racks that held 6 or 8 quarts. Still have that helmetin my attic. Last time I checked, the microphone still worked. What a great toy. I spent many quality hours playing with that thing. (When I was a kid, when I was a ki— oh, never mind…) Green DinosaurThe Sinclair oil can with the dinosaur immediately caught my eye. I can remember very clearly going to the gas station with my dad when I was a child, a Sinclair gas station with the big green dinosaur on their sign, and free with a fill-up was a small green dino made out of soap. The highlight of the trip for me, and of course Dad always handed it to me with a smile. (The Gallery, D.C., Gas Stations, Jack Delano)
Welcome to Cokeville: 1941
... Siloam, Greene County, Georgia." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The Corner ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/10/2018 - 10:17pm -

June 1941. "Main street of Siloam, Greene County, Georgia." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The Corner ReportHow people got the news in the 1940s. And Yahoo meant something completely different. It has seen better daysThe intersection now: A Town With OptionsNo traffic signals, apparently, but you can fill her up and get a Co-Cola on either side of the street! Late Model FordsThe black sedan just to the right of the Crown pump is a 1939 Ford Tudor, down the road in the center is a 1940 Ford pickup. Hydro-forming: a new word!Dubois Courier Newspaper, Wednesday, April 30, 1941 - Page 10 White PlainsIt's not Siloam, it's White Plains near Siloam. More photos of this intersection https://www.loc.gov/search/?fa=partof:lot+1557 and street view https://goo.gl/maps/dD9d7U6xiCWyi9e57 (The Gallery, Gas Stations, Jack Delano, Small Towns)
Plains Grain: 1943
... between Amarillo, Texas, and Clovis, New Mexico." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. "The Last ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/09/2013 - 10:13am -

March 1943. "Farwell, Texas, at the New Mexico state line. Going through town on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad between Amarillo, Texas, and Clovis, New Mexico." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. "The Last Picture Show"All that's missing is a svelte Sybil Shepard, Jeff Bridges and Sam the Lion. Or Tatum O'Neal in Paper MoonI would love to have been Peter Bogdanovich's location scout. Plains, Grain and AutomobileNeat capture of a moment in time. It does look like one of Bogdanovich's movies. Paper Moon is one of my faves. If you get a chance, read the book (Addie Pray). Very different from the movie and based in Alabama. He decided to shoot in Kansas for the landscape and what a great decision it was! Here We Go AgainNo, I'm not singing. I'm grousing once again about the fact that, in my opinion, most of these changes we see when comparing the current site with the ones portrayed in these great photos don't measure up. Ice gang was right on the money, and EVERYTHING in this photo is gone. Even the trees are gone and having visited this part of the country, they could sorely spare them. Bah. See the USA. . . in your Chevrolet. That's a 1940 model in the photo. Trailer looks home-made! Pretty sure- - I found Plains Grain buildings foundations: 34 23' 19.67"N 103 02' 37.28"W Am I right? View Larger Map Trailer "Trailer looks home-made!" Yes indeed -- in fact, it is based on a car frame with the body removed, you can see the differential in the rear axle. The load is --- coal maybe?? Not to quibble, butPerhaps this photo was mislabeled by Mr. Delano when it was archived. When zooming into the Google map at link provided, it appears that the point at which this photo was taken the train may already have crossed the state line into New Mexico, in spite of the road sign that necessarily had to be placed beyond the tracks. In any case, you're seeing into the tiny burg of Texico, New Mexico far more than you are seeing any of Farwell, Texas from this angle. Kudos to Ice gang for locating this obscure crossing! Coming round the bendThe plume of smoke in the distance is surely from another train coming this way. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads, Small Towns)
The Milwaukee Road: 1943
... Chicago Union Station." Medium format nitrate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Precious ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2013 - 2:15pm -

January 1943. "A Chicago, Milwaukee, Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad train just arrived at Chicago Union Station." Medium format nitrate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Precious memoriesThe featured train probably had an Otto Kuhler designed “beavertail” observation car on the rear end. It wouldn’t be too many more years before the Brooks Stevens designed Hiawatha observation cars replaced them and were proudly gracing the mains. During the late 70s a lot of the retired passenger cars were rusting away in an area known as the “shops,” in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ironically, some of that equipment was birthed (built) in the shops and returned there to die. Fortunately, the Stevens “Cedar Rapids” observation car was rescued and restored. She dances all over the place these days, often pulled by the 4-8-4 Milwaukee steamer 261. I worked in the shops during the late 70s and spent many winter morning exploring that old equipment, including the Cedar Rapids, when my boss needed me to get scarce for a while. Not much I would trade those days for. MILW rib-side carsThese cars haven't had their skirts modified or removed - the MILW's rib-side passenger cars were never fitted with skirts: What a wonderful photographThis picture just draws you in. In some situations black and white is the only way to go. Mini-SkirtsOnly Hiawatha cars built in 1942 were built with skirts, and though they did extend the full length of the cars without cutouts for the trucks or other underbody equipment, they were very short skirts extending down only about 6 inches. It is possible that wartime shortages of materials caused the design change to add to the cars structural strength. Danger Lights!This location is right where the final scenes of the 1930 film Danger Lights took place which, incidentally, was filmed on the Milwaukee Road as well. It would have served Mr. Delano well to have loaded some color film in his camera since those Milwaukee Road cars were a bright orange, red and maroon and that would certainly have brightened the mood this gloomy Chicago view. This morningI just walked through there this morning. It's a lot darker now, because the area around it has been built up and roofed over, but glass-roofed sheds like this are still there, and are still in use for commuter and Amtrak trains. You can see some from the air if you look near Jackson and Canal streets. They appear in films sometimes (Public Enemies was the last one I remember). RE: No center to the tiesFrom memory, I think railroad tracks on concrete beds don't have full-width ties. On occasion I walk alongside the Union Station tracks in the Shorpy photo. More often I ride the train from nearby Ogilvie (aka Northwest) station. There are no ties. Also the Chicago elevated tracks have full-width wood ties, but underground in the subway, with a concrete floor, there are short blocks under each rail like the Shorpy photo. Re: Precious memorieskreriver is correct, the Friends of the 261 give everyone the opportunity to enjoy these Milwaukee Road classics. I'm lucky enough to live within earshot of the whistle. http://261.com/ Skirts & TiesFull length skirting on both rail and road cars, like streamlining on steam locomotives, was a maintenance nightmare. It was often modified or removed before everyone got a chance to see it. Half ties are common when the "ballast" is poured concrete, like in a subway. The gap leaves room for a central drainage gutter. Consult American Railway Engineering Association manuals on line for comments on the practice. The extra labor cost may be saved in the future if the ties don't rot as fast as in ordinary construction. The vanishing pointIs being carried away in a truck. No center to the tiesI am a retired railroader, and I have never seen the centers cut from the ties in a station (like the track to the left). Does anyone know why this was done for sure? It wasn't done to save material as the labor cost would have been twice as much as the material saved. Missing centersI have seen this frequently, especially in subway systems such as New York and DC. I expect the cut centers facilitated drainage. Any better ideas out there? Full Length Skirting?The cars have the streamline skirting (rocker panels on automobiles) extending the full length of the carbody. Usually the skirting is eliminated where the trucks are located to permit servicing. I have not seen photos of cars with the full length skirts. Can anyone enlighten? (The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
It's Great: 1941
... near Rutland, Vermont." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. On the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/16/2020 - 1:09pm -

August 1941. "Children of a dairy farmer near Rutland, Vermont." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. On the wallGod Bless America Gossip has itThat the kids look like the Milkman. Let's see how much you've grown since last time. Get to the door, boys! I'd like to have that lampBut I would put a new cord on it. We've seen this family before --I'd know that door frame anywhere. https://www.shorpy.com/node/25162 A Touch Of ColorWhat this photo could have looked like in color (The Gallery, Agriculture, Jack Delano, Kids)
Married, With Cows: 1940
... in Little Compton, Rhode Island." 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. His wife is a cutie! Look at that smile! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/03/2013 - 7:42am -

December 1940. "Family of Dennis Decosta, Portuguese Farm Security Administration client who owns 12 cows on a small farm in Little Compton, Rhode Island." 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. His wifeis a cutie! Look at that smile! Smile DennisMr Decosta appears to have something on his mind. The rest of the family seems to be enjoying themselves. Dennis Decosta was not Portuguesehaving been born in Rhode Island in 1904. According to the 1940 U.S. Census, he and his wife, Mary, had five children, the youngest three of whom appear to be in the photo -- Robert, age 1; Catherine, age 2, and Owen, age 4. Mr. Decosta passed away in Connecticut in 1967. New Englanders, all. Re: Dennis Decosta was not Portuguese. . . having been born in Rhode Island in 1904. Submitted by AndyHall on Thu, 01/03/2013 - 12:33pm. Punchline from an old Mainer joke: "Well, if your cat had kittens in the oven, you wouldn't call 'em biscuits, wouldja?" Got a Match?I think that's a holder for matches on the wall above the family. Matches were a household necessity in those days. And by the way, a penny box of matches now costs fifteen cents. RepurposedThose old match holders are now sold to restaurants as toothpick dispensers. Married, With Cows: 1940I just talked to the little boy wearing the hat. He is 77 years old now. He told me that he knows about the photo, and that his wife found it on the Internet a while ago. MooI know how he feels. We milked about 30 cows morning and night when I was a kid. It is not a fun way to make a living. Matches As ChangeLaark, my grandfather used to own the Rainbow Pure Oil station in Callahan, Florida, and folks still talk about how he'd give boxes of matches instead of pennies when making change. Evidently, he made a fraction of a cent profit on the deal, but folks back then always needed matches and few if any objected to the idea. The HoneymoonersThat kitchen looks a LOT like Ralph and Alice Kramden's. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kids, Kitchens etc.)
Pampa Depot: 1943
... a town on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Grain Doors The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2013 - 8:09pm -

March 1943. "Pampa, Texas. Going through a town on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Grain DoorsThe several stack of wooden panels in the middle of the picture are grain doors. before the advent of covered hopper cars to carry grain, it was typically carried in boxcars. The regular boxcar door was opened by sliding it to the side and the grain door placed just inside the opening, nailed at each side. The grain door left a gap at the top of the door opening. The elevator worker then placed a tube through the opening to fill the car. Since grain was heavy, it would only fill the car to somewhere below the top of the grain door. At the receiving elevator, the grain door would be breached to let the grain flow out near the bottom. Lots of shovel work getting the last of the grain out, unless the elevator had a car tipper, which would tilt the car to get most of the last of the grain out. Life in a Small TownI have never been in Pampa, TX but this picture reminds me so much of life in a small town in Kansas. The first thing you might notice is the smell of the hot creosote from the cross ties baking in the sun. Then there would be the sound of the machinery and blowers in the grain elevator. Once you get away from the sounds of the elevator there might be the sound of someone on a construction project with the sounds of hammering or sawing somewhere in the distance. Other than that, it would be mostly quiet. There might be the sound of a passing car once in a while or, maybe, the roar of a passing freight train highballing it through on the mainline. There was always the thought of having a cold one at the end of the day in the local "watering hole" and listen to the old timers telling tall tales. I would surely rather live there than in a big city. Sky toneJack Delano's work continues to amaze. In this one he probably put an orange filter over the lens to render that burning Texas sky as a middle tone of gray. Masterful control of the B&W process, indeed. MonolithsThe tall black objects to the right of center are 'water stands'. They supplied water to replenish the tenders of steam locomotives. One is oil, the other water...Lorenzo is correct that the more distant monolith is a water crane which was found in nearly all busy steam era service facilities but I would have to say that the nearer structure is an oil column since the Santa Fe along with most other roads out west ran mostly oil fired locomotives. Oil was cheap and abundant, coal less so. Great photo, Shorpy! Oil and WaterThe far standpipe is water, the near one is Bunker C heavy fuel oil for the oil fired steam locos. Building on left behind box carLooks like the same building, 5 windows, detail at top and arch above center window. View Larger Map Oil columnThe "stand" nearest the camera is actually an oil column. They were often co-located with watering facilities so the locomotive could take on both water and fuel in a single stop. "Stand" was a term used sometimes, but "column" was the more correct term. Water or oil "plug" was a slang term used as well. What's that on left?Birdhouse? or a mailbox? Dropbox Dot Com"Birdhouse? or a mailbox?" It's probably a dropbox for waybills. They were common where cars were interchanged when / where agents weren't on duty, or when customers were switched during off-hours. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Waiting for the Light: 1943
... the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. Arm up? Isn't the signal up, which would ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/19/2013 - 11:35am -

March 1943. "Kiowa (vicinity), Kansas. Train waiting for a block signal along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. Arm up?Isn't the signal up, which would signal clear? Help me here, please? Highball?I'm no expert on reading signal aspects, but I believe it's displaying a "proceed." Time to goThis retired railroader says proceed thru the block at prescribed speed. I believeit's the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe RailWAY. Clear!Yes, that signal is displaying "proceed". Grade Crossing AheadThere's not much to go on in this photo for figuring out the exact location, but just beyond the second signal there appears to be a hard line crossing the tracks from left to right. That might be the now-abandoned Missouri Pacific branchline to Hardtner, KS. Assuming that Rt. 2 follows the old MP right of way (it has some very railroad-like broad curves to it), then this photo was taken near the intersection of Main Street and Railroad Avenue in Kiowa. As for the signals. The square ends on both signals visible would indicate that they are interlocking signals (which fits with that being the MP crossing up ahead) and not a manual block (round end) or automatic block (pointed end) signal. The other two posters (at this writing) are correct, the signals are set to clear. So, the description given is just writer's license. PuzzlesPhare Pleigh makes good observations. There are more questions in my mind, though: 1. The far signal, on the pole, is on this side of the crossing - that is, it is beyond the crossing, and so does not govern moves over the crossing. 2. There is only one track at the far signal, so only one route should be possible. However, both signals are showing clear, which would mean conflicting (opposing) routes - which should not be possible. 3. The near switch is in front of the cantilever signal, so it is "outside" the interlocking; the signal does not govern moves over this switch. The second switch is "inside" the interlocking, and is protected by the signals. I would have expected to see another signal governing moves from this track, quite possibly a dwarf; I can't see one in the picture. 4. The far switch *should* be set for the other track, but again I can't see the position in this photo. An interesting picture. And the train is probably waiting for a clear signal, since the signal on the cantilever is clear for a different train (I think). Aspect not litI agree...Dave, we need a zoomed in view of the switch points in the background. Also, I also will echo that the arms of the semaphores are in the clear position, however, I would have expected, even in bright daylight at this angle, to be seeing the clear light through the semaphore lens. It appears to be dark or just a little light (probably from the background) getting through it. With the bulb on the other side it should be brighter than it is. edit: After tterrace's generous post of the zoomed photo, can we throw a monkey wrench into the comments and possibly say that the level crossing in the distance may not be a diamond but a vehicle crossing? I ask this as us railroaders would expect to see a signal protecting the other side of the crossing. Yeah, I don't see any crossing warning signs on either side of the main to warn vehicle traffic, nor any telegraph/phone lines paralleling the line, but I also don't see any bulky diamond hardware sticking out of the side of the mains rails as I do with the guard rail and switch point areas. This makes me believe this is a road crossing. Also noticed that the locomotive probably is sitting on the main as there is a spring frog on the left main rail with the spring mechanics on both sides of the left rail and a visible flange gap on rail the locomotive is on. [This is as big as it gets. - tterrace] TrainspottedIt is a "Clear" Signal but you will notice: 1. It is on a cantilever station rather than on a pole similar to the signal a little farther down the track. That would imply that the signal is governing one of the tracks diverging off to the left. If it were for the track on which the locomotive stands it would likely also be on the pole. (Yes, I understand ATSF did use cantilever signals right next to the track they are governing). 2. The aforementioned pole signal is also showing a clear indication. Unless the signal system is malfunctioning it could not display this aspect to the track on which the locomotive is standing (not to mention the track that has the clear signal on the cantilever). 3. The answer seems to be that the locomotive is on an auxiliary track and that the signals govern the two tracks diverging to the left. The cantilever signal probably also governs the crossing at grade a short distance ahead. Thanks!For all the info regarding how signals worked and how to understand the sources. A very intricate business indeed. Engine LocationOk.. I'm going to go out on a limb and try to figure where this was taken. According to the shadows it appears we are travelling to the west. On the left side, marked by the row of telephone poles is Route 2 which runs between Attica, Ks and Kiowa, Ks. Very far ahead on the right hand side is, what looks like, a grain elevator. I think that is the grain elevator at Hazleton, Ks. The roads I cannot identify exactly because I can't determine distance by a photograph. There is a railroad cross marking immediately to the right. It doesn't look well travelled so, I will guess, it leads into a field. They still have those today. The next major road just beyond the signals could be Minco Road or Tri-City Road which is closer to Hazleton. I don't know of any other grain elevators between Attica and Kiowa. So, I think we are somewhere within a mile or two east of Hazleton, KS. Another thoughtIt would seem likely that for one reason or another, the semaphore system was not in service at the moment this picture was taken. Is it possible the ATSF was in the process of installing the signal hardware, but had not yet put the system into service? Up until about 10 years ago the old Monon line (now abandoned) between New Albany, Indiana and Bedford, Indiana was controlled by semaphore indication. At some point shortly afterward the signal system was taken out of service and an order to that effect was issued. Train crews were instructed by the order to disregard the semaphores and be governed by DTC. I believe there are pictures on the web of what appear to be CP and INRD trains running “stop” semaphore indications in that territory. Regarding the Shorpy image, my guess is the train was running with timetable and train orders, waiting for an opposing train to clear the main at the far switch. Why I love Shorpy!It's wonderful, the level of engagement we get, as folks chime in with these great details; always fascinating! I'm just surprised no one has (yet!) counted rivets and kinks in lube lines and told us which locomotive this is. I capitulatePiyer, I think you are right. I asked a good engineer friend of mine who basically said the same thing. {Jim said} There are railroad diamonds that have no protection whatsoever; no interlocking signals, no manual gates, no stop signs. After viewing some aerial maps I've changed my mind and think that it is an unprotected railroad diamond crossing which no longer exists. My guess of the track layout, judging from the placement of the signals, is that the mainline comes from the distance and continues on the farthest-to-the-left track visible in front of the steamer. The facing semaphore signal is to the left of center of the steamer's track and beyond the points of the closest switch and governs, I think, the facing movements on the far left track. In the Bing aerial photo I've marked **PIYER, his attachment was EXACTLY the same place you linked!** what I think is the Santa Fe mainline (and the diverging branch at the wye) in blue, the yard or auxiliary track that the steamer is on in green and the middle track, which might be the Kiowa Siding, in yellow. I'm just assuming that the railroad crossing at the diamond, which I've marked in red, is another railroad and not just another Santa Fe line because of the overall track layout in the area. And yes Dbell, I agree, that is one of the reasons I keep coming back here, the level of expertise and civility of the folks that comment here makes this just awesome. Flat Pair SignalsThe masts of both of the signals have number plates, indicating they are Permissive Signals rather than Absloute Signals, and thus are block signals rather than part of an interlocking system. Unlike most other roads, on the Santa Fe square end signal blades were used on block signals. The question then remains as to why the signal to the left would be showing a clear block when we know there's a train, as we are on it. Close examination of a zoomed image shows that the points of the switch adjacent to that signal are aligned for the siding. The signal is showing that the route for which the turnout is lined, that is, the siding, is clear. The signal in front of our engine also shows clear because we can proceed through the spring switch. This was a signal system in wide use on sidings on the ATSF, which they called Flat Pair Signals. An answer???Looking at BING, which is nice enough to include abandoned rail lines, I see that the MP line crossed the Santa Fe further south than I had original thought. Flipping that map (http://binged.it/11eaawr) so that south is up and north is down, I think we are pointed in the same direction as the locomotive. Much has, obviously, changed over the years, but it would now seem that the interlocking signals aren't for the crossing but for the south leg of the Santa Fe's wye / branchline junction. If you allow that the yard might have originally been on the opposite side of the mainline so as to serve both main and branch lines, then this can fit with the image here. As for the lack of signals at the grade crossing... The line from Kiowa to Hardtner is / was (abd. 2002) the Kiowa, Hardtner & Pacific Railway from birth to abandonment, and merely operated by the MP. It is conceivable that the KH&P was dark territory and that trains had to stop clear of the crossing and get permission to cross from the Santa Fe dispatcher - a cheaper option than a manned interlocking, the expense of which, as the second railroad on the scene, would have typically fallen on them. Final puzzle pieceFrom my timetable collection, I dug up Missouri Pacific system timetable #18 - October 25, 1981. According to this, the Hardtner branch crossed the Santa Fe a total of 7 times between Hardtner Jct. (Wichita, KS) and Kiowa in route to Hardtner. These crossings were protected by (n to s): a gate, a gate, a manual interlocking, a stop sign, a stop sign, a gate, and a manual interlocking. The last one presumably being the crossing we are looking at here. Locomotive: Class 4000 Mikado(2-8-2), one of a group of 101 (4000 to 4100) built by Baldwin between 1921 and 1926 (Maybe there's another photo from Mr Delano from this set that shows the specific number?) and scrapped between 1950 and 1954. This is based on the "40" that I can see on the sand dome. [Here you go. - tterrace] Colour?I know nothing about trains, but I do know the train community is *very* specific about making sure train colours are correct especially in black and white photos. Anyone got a colour reference for the train? More photos & cluesHere are several other helpful photos from this set. The opposite side view shows more of the track layout and another has the engine detail. Piyer, I'd say you're right on target in the BING photo! The LOC photos DO show the yard on the wye side of the main. Presumably as train lengths increased, the sidings couldn't be lengthened on the town side of the tracks, so the whole shebang was flip-flopped. Topo maps show remnants of a road in that location going from the present adjacent farmhouse across the tracks to the former airstrip, and a curved track bridging the wye ends (that scar still visible). That is definitely a crossing with another railroad. Look at the height of the telephone poles on both sides. In 1943, highways didn't get such vertical clearances, plus, there are tie ends barely visible "behind" the far signal. There are also 2 vertical "somethings" just to the right of the cantilever mast (one near each track). In the cab window view, the far switch points are definitely reversed toward the wye (and apparently the cantilever is reflecting that route). That much just makes sense. (all this more visible in the massive LOC TIFF images) Mystery solved? ATSF 4097According to information available to me, ATSF 4097 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1926, construction number 59398. For those not familiar with railroad terminology, I have written out the following information in long form. I recognize many of these details will be of more significance to locomotive historians who would be satisfied with the usual technical shorthand. Principle dimensions: cylinders: 27 diameter, 32 stroke, in inches driving wheel diameter: 63 inches working pressure: 200 pounds per square inch calculated tractive effort: 63,000 pounds* weight on drive wheels: 260,200 pounds total locomotive weight: 342,000 pounds tender capacity: 5,000 gallons oil; 15,000 gallons water tender weight, fully loaded: 298,600 pounds total wheelbase, engine and tender: 79 feet, 1.875 inches total length over coupler pulling faces: 89 feet, 9 inches Like all locomotives in the '4000' Class, it was built with a Schmidt superheater, Walschaert valve gear, Elesco feedwater heater (except 4007) and Delta trailing truck. It was built as an oil-burner. It was sold for scrap to Commercial Metals Co. on 27 January 1956. GENERAL NOTES: Dimensions given are typical for the 1926 Baldwin-built locomotives (4086-4100) and do not necessarily apply to any specific locomotive at a specific time. It would be surprising if any locomotive matched the dimensions exactly even when new. In particular, recorded weights could vary significantly between rolling the same locomotive off and then back onto a scale. Weight on drive wheels varied with spring tension (in the suspension system) and changed with wear or simply shop setting. *-The dimension seemingly of most interest to railfans is also the least relevant -- that of calculated tractive effort (CTE, usually shortened to tractive effort=TE). As the name implies, it is a theoretical calculation of the maximum amount of force available to be applied at the driving wheels. It is, at best, vaguely accurate for comparison purposes between locomotive classes over a given profile. Although some railroads reported CTE down to the last pound, any calculation more precise than the nearest thousand pounds was pure fiction. In fact, the ONLY way of determining what a locomotive can haul is by controlled road tests using a dynamometer car. Those already interested in the ATSF will no doubt already know my sources, primarily S. R. Wood and E. D. Worley. I can provide more detail if wanted. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
The Sheltering Sky: 1943
... Mexico. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. I walk the line Up until the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 3:28pm -

Santa Fe R.R. trip, March 1943. Section house along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in the vicinity of Encino, New Mexico. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. I walk the lineUp until the mid 1980s the very busy railway line that passes through my town had "sectionmen" doing just exactly that. They carried a spike maul over their shoulder and walked along the track. The foreman had a gasoline track motor car which could be heard put-putting along this line. We even still had the telegraph poles along the right-of-way. Today that is all gone along with the cabooses on freight trains. Maintenance-of-way personnel now drive fully equipped 3 or 4 ton trucks that are able to use pavement. They are also "tricked out" with a retractable set of steel wheels to take to the rails as needed. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Landscapes, WW2)
Bensenville: 1943
... track. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. Working on the Railroad I've ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 5:38pm -

May 1943. Bensenville, Illinois. Section crew of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad taking up track. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. Working on the RailroadI've been working on the railroad, all the livelong day ... It almost looks like……a diorama (in the standard size, at least). Track gangThey are removing a switch and replacing it with straight track. You can see the gauge bar sitting across the rails, so they're not removing the track completely. You can also see the tie impressions in the ballast in the foreground, they are apparently removing several yard tracks. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)
The Eggs and I: 1940
... a bulldozer at an Army camp nearby." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Make mine ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/29/2019 - 6:56pm -

December 1940. "Mrs. Richard Carter, poultry farmer of Middleboro, Massachusetts. She runs the business of one thousand poulets while her husband drives a bulldozer at an Army camp nearby." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Make mine scrambled ...... with buttery grits, crispy bacon, and a hot biscuit. Oh and I'll have a pair of those Knock-Out shoes in size nine. Not all in one basket?Check. When your day can't end soon enough.Egg scale. Small, Medium, Large. A boring job for sure. HOW MUCH DOES IT WEIGH?EGGzactly 2.1 oz. (That's what one of my Grade A large eggs weighs) Zenith egg grader... I suppose. And under her breath you can hear sayingL, L, M, XL, S, XL, M, omelette, M, M, L, omelette, and so on. I'm Totally Floored!As boring as this mundane task must be, I'm certain that the flooring will keep her wide awake! Any of you 'colorizers' out there up to the challenge?!? Mille chickensPoulets? Is this a flourish or an old American usage? [Perhaps Ukrainian-American. - Dave] Nice rugThat's a really nice rug. With that, the wallpaper and the curtains in the window, it doesn't look like a coop. They must move the ready eggs to a different room, barn or house to do the weighing and sorting. Since she's wearing short sleeves in December in Massachusetts then it's probably well heated also. I wonder if she moves the eggs from the barn or if they had a helper. [That's a linoleum rug. - Dave] (The Gallery, Agriculture, Jack Delano)
Paper Pusher: 1941
... Corporation mill." Medium-format nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Working Man Except for the fact that he's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/10/2010 - 7:50pm -

September 1941. Sheldon Springs, Vermont. "Feeding machine that grinds wood into pulp, one of the last stages in making paper at the Mississquoi Corporation mill." Medium-format nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Working ManExcept for the fact that he's probably standing on a red hot, steam powered grinder and his lungs are probaby filled with pulp, he looks quite fit. Or maybe it's because he's only 17. Working Man TooYes definitely a working man. Those were the days when a man wasn't afraid to get down and dirty. Dangerous, yes, but they had to do what was necessary before all our wondrous technology. LangianSort of has that "Metropolis" movie feel about it, the shirtless fellow, machinery, steam, dirt, grit and grime. Don't forget the stenchIndustrial paper making has to be one of the nastier-smelling industries in the nation. Just drive through Maine if you don't believe it. Steampunk NightmareLooks like he's been miniaturized. And, yeah, having approached Luke, Maryland, I can say that it is an industry with a distinctive smell. EgadPictures like this must make Safety Inspectors cringe. Heck, even I cringe. Inside StoryI work at this mill. This was actually toward the start of the process. We don't have this part of the mill any more, we are completely recycled content now. However, the mill started as a stone groundwood mill. Balsam & spruce logs were brought in, debarked, and cut into 2 foot lengths. These were fed into pocket grinders seen in the photo. Rotating grind stones turned the logs into pulp. At the time of the picture these machines were powered solely by hydropower. It was the nicest smelling pulping process there ever was. This fiber was made into ticket stock, closure board, and matte board on cylinder board paper machines. Worst job at the millsI worked summers at a mill in Maine and this was the worst job there was. Using pulp hooks and dragging logs into the hopper. Hot and backbreaking, and forget it if you fell behind the grinder or got a log in the wrong way causing a jam. As far as I know, it is still done this way. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Mining)
Winter Light: 1941
... plant in Midland, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Speedy ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/22/2018 - 11:05am -

January 1941. "At the steel plant in Midland, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Speedy Pizza? Red LightThe traffic light looks the same in this monochrome photograph as they do in real life to my colourblind eyes. [It could also be a green light. - Dave] Train in the backgroundI have the NYC gondola and PRR boxcar. Only in the smaller Lionel electric trains version. Brrrr ...This is one of those pictures that make you feel cold just looking at it. Ice Ice BabyI'm hoping that the baby carriage is unoccupied. Stop LightIt's RED. as the rhyme I taught my children says: the light on top means STOP. [Back in the day, green was the top light on many a stoplight. - Dave] If you say so. Green top, red bottomAs seen here. Stoplights Part 2Dave's right, Phaedrus, because back before 1950, there were a number of different types of traffic control devices until they were standardized. I worked for the local County Highway Department and according to the Seeley Book of Standards (our office Bible), there were (among others) red/green (no yellow) and the type that Dave is talking about. On the main road was (top down) red/yellow/green and on the side road, green/yellow/red with the lenses being illuminated by a common bulb at each level. Stark, grim, and beautiful Why do I get the feeling that this guy is going to find his way into a taproom sooner or later. (The Gallery, Factories, Jack Delano, Railroads)
I.G.A.: 1941
... store in Hinesburg, Vermont." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The Dors ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/08/2019 - 8:11pm -

August 1941. "General store in Hinesburg, Vermont." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The Dors of Perception1936 Ford Fordor Touring Sedan. Yes, Ford spelled it Fordor & Tudor. Somewhat changed Orthochromatic film?The sign at the top, carefully lit with a half-dozen lights but without seeming to have any words or images could conceivably have been caused by blue paint on a white background, if it was photographed by orthochromatic film, which was still sometimes used at this time. [There's another, simpler, explanation. - Dave] IGA's were everywhereI remember when IGA stores were in almost every little town. When I grew up in Loomis, Nebraska, the IGA was a block from our house and up until 1975 we made our weekly grocery trips there. You could get an after-school pop there. It closed in the early 90s. The Orthochromatic BluesIf it was orthochromatic film the blue sky would have been washed out. Car IDs1936 Ford; 1929 Essex The Inevitable CarOf course, there's a Subaru passing in the modern streetview image. Hinesburg is an increasingly suburban area but still has quite a bit of working farmland for how close to Burlington it is. (The Gallery, Gas Stations, Jack Delano, Stores & Markets)
Mrs. Information: 1943
... all over the country at the Union Station." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. IT 1943 Must be a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/26/2013 - 9:36am -

January 1943. Chicago, Illinois. "Mrs. Marie Griffith, manager of the information room, at one of the boards listing rates to points all over the country at the Union Station." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. IT 1943Must be a real pain when a new city pops up in between two older ones. Wow!This message board makes the code machine shown here earlier look like child's play! Thanks to InflationChicago to San Antonio in 1943: $40.16; this is equal to $540.36 in 2013 dollars. [Adult fare on Amtrak's Texas Eagle from Chicago to San Antonio is $256. - Dave] RatesOK, I understand OW and RT, 1stCl and Coach, and the 3-Mo period for an open RT ticket. But, what's "FURLO"? And why is it set at 90 days, rather than the nearly identical 3-Mo? Also, curious why about the way the classes were split across the board. Looks like OW-1st, OW-Coach, then RT-Coach, followed by RT-1st, judging by the different heading colors and the prices. Rail historians? Anyone? Military fares?I'm guessing FURLO was for special military furlough fares, given that this is 1943. These are strictly railroad fares--if you wanted a sleeper, you'd need to pay the first class rate plus the Pullman Company's charge for the room. And they seem to be just fares out of Union Station, so the rate to Davenport, IA is most likely on the Milwaukee Road via Savanna, IL. Most travelers would just walk a few blocks over to La Salle Street Station and take a Rock Island Lines train direct to Davenport. Furlough fares in WWIIFrom 1940 until early 1947, a special rate was charged to members of the armed forces travelling at their own expense. It was good in coaches only, and priced at 1.25 cents per mile with a return limit of 30 days, later extended to 90 days. I note that the "FURLO" fares (listed in the fifth column) from Chicago to Dallas, and to Houston, were 50.54 percent of the fares in the fourth column. Furlough FaresFurlough fares were a permanent thing. Amtrak continued to offer a 25% active-duty military discount until well into the 1980s, at least, IIRC, heck they might still have it. Reservists and National Guardsmen were not eligible unless they produced orders showing they were in an active duty period. A green I.D. card was normally required. Also well into the Amtrak era were clergy fares, and discounts for blind passengers, either traveling alone or with a human or canine escort. These were a real pain for agents, since they continued to be administered by regional "bureaus" which issued coupon books, and some of them had odd discount rates, like 10.5%, etc. In pre-computer days, all tariffs, passenger and freight, express and baggage, for all modes, were VERY complicated. Similar to Military Standby in the 60sWhen I was in the Navy in the 60s I could travel on leave with the airlines as a military standby passenger for a reduced rate. It was strictly space available but it usually worked quite well for me. This was probably an outgrowth of the tradition of the FURLO fares from the WW2 era. I don't think it is available anymore. It probably wouldn't work well now since most flights today are usually overbooked. A dusty jobI note that Mrs. Information is wearing a duster to protect her dress from the chalk dust. Also, did the train fares really change so frequently that they needed to be recorded in this manner? 1956 electionI remember that on election night in 1956 the major networks were tabulating the results of the Ike-Adlai presidential election in a similar manner. When I was in the Air Force in the late '60s we still tracked critical equipment and circuit status by hand in Maintenance Control at Ramstein Air Base by hand, though we used grease pencils on Plexiglass by then. We've come a long way. An inefficient systemAnd the railroads knew it, even at that early date. By the late 1940's the first punchcard ticketing data systems were being experimented with to eliminate boards like this. Unfortunately, they wouldn't need to utilize and improve such new technology for long. These days Amtrak could probably store all of its destinations and rates on a Commodore 64, so sparse and limited is its service. PreciseI'm astounded at the quality of the penmanship. Maybe at the start of a shift but after a long stretch, you'd start to 'slur' your writing. Impressive. No erasers = no mistakes? Up and down the boardStock brokerage firms had wall-to-wall boards with current up-to-the-moment stock prices, at least into the 1960s. Bookie joints also had boards. Nice to see the old home town on ShorpyEven if it's only written in chalk. Hempstead, Texas. In the lady's shadow - the town where I was born, Hugo, OK. The town where I grew up, Idabel, OK, is not listed, but my mother has often spoken of riding the train between Idabel and Hugo. (The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Stitchcraft: 1941
... the needlework factory." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Such elegant ladies So well turned out, all ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/05/2019 - 9:57pm -

December 1941. San Juan, Puerto Rico. "Women in the needlework factory." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Such elegant ladiesSo well turned out, all of them. Check the woman in the middle of the group of five: the string of pearls, earrings, the fine bracelet on her delicate wristwatch, long slender fingers and lovely nails. Plus, Jack Delano has caught her in a moment of action and concentration. A really fine photo. Eldoradosnap fasteners, white, rustproof. (The Gallery, Factories, Jack Delano, Puerto Rico)
Trainlight: 1943
... trip." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano, who seems to have been among the earliest photographers of light trails ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 3:30pm -

March 1943. "Activity in the Santa Fe R.R. yard, Los Angeles, Calif. All switch lights, headlights and lamps have been shaded from above in accordance with blackout regulations. The heavy light streaks are caused by paths of locomotive headlights and the thin lines by lamps of switchmen working in the yard. Santa Fe R.R. trip." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano, who seems to have been among the earliest photographers of light trails in color. Blackout lightsWeird to think there were blackout regulations in LA in 1943 ... Garrett Dash Nelson LA BlackoutA Japanese sub shelled a pier at the Goleta oilfields near Santa Barbara just a few months after Pearl Harbor, so it was lights out after that. The cityglow on the horizon was like a neon sign saying "aim here" to any bad guys at sea. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Los Angeles, Railroads, WW2)
Lunch-Pail Pals: 1941
... school near Fairfield, Vermont." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Stylin' the new matching wingtips ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/01/2019 - 9:54pm -

September 1941. "Two of the Gaynor boys walking to school near Fairfield, Vermont." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Stylin' the new matching wingtipsNothing better than that feeling of your new school clothes and shoes. They each have swag for sure. Photogenic familyThe Gaynor boys and their little sister Carolyn are ridiculously photogenic. These look to be the two oldest, Robert (10), and John (7). They could have been child models. Purpose-made or repurposed?As I look at the anchors for the bails and the general shape and size of both tins, I wonder: are these purpose-made or are they cleaned and repurposed gallon paint tins? [Those are Swift's lard buckets. - Dave] Well, there you go. Lard was never favoured in my family as a shortening, and lard buckets were outside my experience. A Question about KnickersWhen did knickers cease to be common apparel among boys? My sense is that they were gone or mostly gone by the late '40s, but I didn't arrive until the '50s. Someone who was there: please clue me in. Air of MysteryWhen I was little, I read Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Farmer Boy" and I was entranced by the idea of a "lunch pail". How would that differ from my own lunch box? Would it be bigger? Would food stay hot longer? And if I had one, how could I convince my mother to put "bread-and-butter and sausage, doughnuts and apples, and four delicious apple-turnovers, their plump crusts filled with melting slices of apple and spicy brown juice" in it instead of celery, carrots and a sandwich. Then I got a bit older and realized it was just a bucket. I've decided that this is charming. Not the usual Jack Delano. The boy on the left has the shy smile of someone who doesn't live in Midland PA. KnickersI never wore knickers, and don't recall others wearing them. I was born in 1932. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kids, Rural America)
Saturday Shoppers: 1941
... last seen here . Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Bust stop? Is the overhang over "Cola" a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/10/2020 - 8:31pm -

November 1941. "View of Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia, on a Saturday afternoon." The street corner last seen here. Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Bust stop?Is the overhang over "Cola" a bust stop or shoeshine post or ??? [Pray tell, what is a "bust" stop? - Dave] Western AutoThat signage would work well even today. I could not help but notice, as well, how neatly dressed the people are. Everyone neatly dressed... and one barefoot little boy. [Two, actually. - Dave] Coke muralWhat a beauty. If you follow the link in Dave’s caption to the earlier post (Nov. 11, 2018), we get an even better view, close up. The bottle on the right is a masterpiece: the light gleaming on the vertical facets above the lettering on the bottle, the raised Coca-Cola lettering itself, the crimps of the bottlecap – all this is achieved with paint on brick. I applaud the skilled tradesman of yesteryear. Barefoot in the crosswalkGrocery stores like the one on the corner were very common back in the day."Barefoot boys! Watch out for hazards!" I've never seen a sign like the one under the traffic signal. "No turns." Hasn’t changed a lotI ride through this intersection often on my way to Athens. The buildings haven’t changed that much, but I rarely see this many well-dressed people. BrrrBarefoot in November. His mama shouldn't have let him do that. She looks like she could afford a pair of shoes. It's like Truman always said --The bust stops here. Re: Bust stopA bust stop is what happens when someone has to slam on their brakes upon seeing a Jane Russell lookalike at the crosswalk. About "No Turns"Even I was curious about the "No Turn" sign below the signal posted by jimmylee42. What the sign really states is "No U Turns." The U is there but not as noticeable in a B/W photo. This one just might be missed today while driving because we are so used to seeing so many large print, brightly colored signs. BustedToo funny, Dave. Have you tried typing bus stop after a few beers on lockdown? here's a good explanation of bust stop. https://youtu.be/NBLZ2PBJHjg Be well, Harold O. Los Angeles (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Coaling: 1942
... yards. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. Coaling 1942 What a beautiful image. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 3:45pm -

December 1942. Locomotives over the ash pit at the roundhouse and coaling station of the Chicago & North Western Railroad yards. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. Coaling 1942What a beautiful image. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Water Street, Night: 1943
... Central R.R., Chicago." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size. Amazing This is all condo's now I believe ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/09/2017 - 9:21am -

May 1943. "South Water Street freight terminal of the Illinois Central R.R., Chicago." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size. AmazingThis is all condo's now I believe Why no blackout in effect?I'm wondering why blackout regulations weren't seemingly in effect this night while the war raged in 1943. I know the coast was under blackout regulations but I also thought that the Great Lake coasts were too because of the possibility of enemy submarines heading up the St. Lawrence River. Just a thought! Blackout regulationsBlackouts were observed during blackout alerts. In coastal regions blackouts were on the shore side. From an April 1943 newspaper clipping: Blackout regulations are now uniform in a large area from the Atlantic Coast to the Mississippi River. Revised Signals. The new blackout signals differ from signals used in the past in that a second audible "blue" signal is used. The blackout signals now in effect follow: First or blue signal. This will be the first signal the public will hear. It will be a long blast of two minutes duration. When this is sounded all lights except the street lights and those in essential war industries must be extinguished. Traffic will continue to move with dimmed lights and pedestrians will move to place of shelter. The second or red signal will be a series of short blasts extending over two minutes. With this all traffic ceases except those vehicles with proper identification which have been given permission to move. War industries drop their blackout shades. Passengers have to leave cars and busses for shelter Third Audible Signal. The third audible signal will be a second blue signal. This will be a long blast of two minutes duration. Street lights will go on. War Industries remove their blackout shades. All other lights will remain extinguished. Vehicular traffic will resume "on the low beam." The next signal will be the all clear, which will be one short blast of 15 seconds duration. The all clear will be announced over the radio. Today's view looking south from Monroe StreetThe bridge over the tracks in the 1943 photo is Monroe Street. The low classical building is the Art Institute, and today you see its hall built over the tracks, leading to its later wings to the east. The building with the pyramidal top is the Metropolitan Tower. The train tracks are still here and well-traveled, carrying Metra commuter trains to Randolph Street station under Millenium Park. AutographedLove these time exposures. Here, we find a lonely track worker, with a lantern in hand, signing his name to the photograph. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Working Lunch: 1943
... and E.H. Albrecht." Medium-format nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Leg Ties That's one way of keeping a cold ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/15/2009 - 7:43am -

February 1943. "Daniel Senise (center) at lunch in the work shanty at an Indiana Harbor Belt Line rail yard. With him are switchmen John McCarthy (left) and E.H. Albrecht." Medium-format nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Leg TiesThat's one way of keeping a cold draft from going up your pants. Mr. McCarthy has that Bogart overbite and squint. "The conductors wear grey. You wear blue. See?" Kromer KommentsKromers, which as an owner I can positively state are the absolute best cold weather cap ever made, are still produced today by a firm in Michigan. George "Stormy" Kromer was a real person. A Chicago & North Western engineer and amateur baseball player, he needed a cap that would stay on when leaning out of the engine cab for better visibility in cold weather. He and his wife reworked one of his old wool baseball caps and the Storm King was born in the 1900s. Other railroaders saw the hat and wanted one, leading to the formation of the Kromer Cap Co. in Milwaukee. Leg ties didn't keep you warm — they kept you alive. The last thing you want to wear in a working railroad yard is loose fitting clothing that could catch on something, causing you to stumble and fall. There's no room for error between tracks when cars are passing inches away, and it's a long way to the ground from the cab or deck plate of a locomotive. RR TopperSenise and Albrecht are wearing Kromer caps that were manufactured in Wisconsin back in the day. My grandfather worked for the Soo Line in Gladstone, Michigan, and I have his black Kromer. I believed it to be black until I cautiously took it to the dry cleaner and it turned out to be dark blue. All those years of railroading had been washed away, but not forgotten. Tea for MeSeeing as how the railroad would probably frown on switchmen drinking on the job (to say nothing of your co-workers, or the inadvisability of doing so while a government photographer is taking your picture), it's not very likely that Mr. M is taking a nip. I'll wager..that's Carnation he's pouring in his coffee. What's in that bottle?The man in the stripes is drinking from a bottle that looks similar to a wine or hooch flask from that era. Dan is adding evaporated milk to his coffee, which was used by my old relatives who did not have cream. Also their zowiches were wrapped in wax paper which currently costs more than plastic wrap (and plastic was not in popular use in those days) and some people would bring home and re-use their sandwich wrap the next day too. Typical hard-working men with humble dignity, reminiscent of all the blue collar laborers of the 40's. Draft preventionWhat a great slice-of-life photo. This being taken in February, I'm guessing they've tied their pants legs closed to keep cold air from blowing up, although it could be to keep clean. Their collars also seem to be similarly sealed. Stormy KromerThose sure are Stormy Kromers. They are still made in Michigan. One of these years I am going to pull the trigger and buy one. TablepaperMy thrifty German father always put a layer of newspapers on the table before we ate. Tablecloths were reserved for guests. Being a farmer, Daddy wore those bib overalls daily. The wide pocket in front was reserved for his metal tin of Prince Albert. His tobacco and pack of ZigZag rolling papers were always at the ready! Bunkhouse GangMy grandfather was section crew boss and lived in a four-story company house with bunkhouse at ground level. We saw this scene reenacted every time we visited; my father was part of the crew. No way that is hooch in the bottle, and yes, it is Carnation going into the coffee. Winter, summer, spring and fall they tied off anything that could catch and kill; for winter warmth they wore Union suits under their coveralls. Both of them had the hat too. Some men wore it off the job, but my gramp and dad had a dress hat. At the end of the day they would drop their work clothes and go into the bunkhouse shower room to clean up before going home. My mother and grandmother had the task of getting the coal dust out of their clothes, which always ended up with holes and frayed due to strong detergents and scrubbing. Gad, what a memory this one inspires -- a really good memory. Coffee or Tea it MUST BeBefore the ever-popular Thermos, folks would save an old glass bottle to carry coffee or tea with them out to a job. Just uild a small fire, or set the bottle near a stove and reheat it. When your life depends on the people around you, you can bet there's no hooch or wine here. Railroad employees were, and still are, governed by General Rule G: "The use of intoxicants or narcotics is prohibited. Employees must not have intoxicants or narcotics in their possession while on duty." Warm flask The coffee flasks were warmed against the boiler/firebox of the locomotive ... enough pipes and nicks and crannies there to prop up a glass flask against the hot firebox/pipes ... corked ... CondensedYep, it's Carnation and I just can't resist: Carnation milk, Best in the land. Comes to the table, In a little red can. No tits to pull, No s--- to pitch. Just punch two holes, In the son-of-a-bitch. BottleWhile I agree that's not booze in the bottle in this shot, anyone who thinks no drinking on the job went on in those days while working on the railroad is nuts. As recently as the late 70s I knew of at least one yardmaster who kept a desk drawer full of ice and liquor or beer for the crews. The entire attic of the RR building I work in now is full of old steel beer cans. But no. No one with any sense at all would allow themselves to be photographed drinking on the job. Tied cuffs and buttoned collarsMany rails tied their cuffs as a safety measure. It prevented catching a heel in the cuff when getting on or off moving equipment. The buttoned collars are to prevent cinders from steam locomotives from going down your neck. From the looks of their "bibs" I'd guess they were working on a steam locomotive. Yes, there was plenty of drinking going on, especially back in the "boomer" days, but I doubt anyone would be so brazen as to drink so openly, or in front of a camera. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Eastbound Freight: 1943
... and Clovis, New Mexico." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Safety first ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/13/2015 - 11:21am -

March 1943. "Parmerton, Texas. Passing an eastbound freight on the Santa Fe Railroad between Amarillo and Clovis, New Mexico." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Safety firstThe train we are "riding" is on the siding, and most likely not moving here. The man down the track, and probably another on the other side, is watching the moving freight on the left for any signs of equipment dragging or hot bearing journals. When the train passes, and they get clear, they will return to the caboose and proceed. Boxcar cabooseLooks like one of the wartime emergency cabooses the Santa Fe converted from wooden boxcars. Here's a little closer look at one: Caboose bench seatsWhen or why would some need the bench seats on top of the caboose? Caboose benchesThe benches are on the roof of the caboose for the same reason that there are benches in the cupola of the caboose from which Mr. Delano snapped this picture. They are there to provide a place for the rear trainman to ride where he can see the train ahead to inspect for signs of problems: derailment, shifted loads, smoke, etc. Also, to pass signals to the engineer (remember, no radios at this time in RR service). Though most cabooses had a rooftop cupola, or side view bay windows, for protection from the elements, in the rush to press cars into service during the war some roads didn't bother to enclose the seats. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Boxcar Brown: 1942
... color-coordinate your caboose. Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. I confess ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/22/2016 - 10:46am -

December 1942. "Research laboratory worker at the Chicago & North Western's 40th Street yard, examining paint samples used on freight cars and coaches of the railroad." Paint your wagon, or color-coordinate your caboose. Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. I confessI don't know you, sir, and I don't know if I would like you if I did. But I confess: I envy you your lab coat. I Get ItTwo considerations: 1. Weather sustainability. Some colors fade and disappear in adverse weather. 2. Advertising. It is important to companies to display their brand to the buyers (public) as much as possible. Decisions, decisionsPre-Pantone perplexity. Saving some workIf this photo had been taken in black and white, some reader here would colorize it! I don't get it.Box cars are not cars or trucks. Why not just paint them the same color? (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
The Night Porter: 1942
... 'Capitol Limited' bound for Chicago." Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Sam McGee Robert Service wrote of a porter ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/18/2020 - 12:32am -

March 1942. "Alfred MacMillan, Pullman porter resting in the men's washroom aboard the 'Capitol Limited' bound for Chicago." Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Sam McGeeRobert Service wrote of a porter who declined an offer of his books, saying his kids, aged two and three, loved his poems, but he himself liked Eliot and Auden. Pullman Porter “When I was quite a little boy I used to savour them with joy; And now my daughter, aged three, Can tell the tale of Sam McGee; While Tom, my son, that’s only two, Has heard the yarn of Dan McGrew .... Don’t think your stuff I’m not applaudin’ — My taste is Eliot and Auden.” So as we gravely bade adieu I felt quite snubbed — and so would you. And yet I shook him by the hand, Impressed that he could understand The works of those two tops I mention, So far beyond my comprehension — A humble bard of boys and barmen, Disdained, alas! by Pullman carmen. A penny for your thoughts?This is comparable to an Italian Renaissance masterwork. I need to buy a copy of this photo for my already over-crowded Shorpy wall downstairs. Jack Delano had a fine touch. And it doesn't hurt that he picked a handsome subject. As always with the best of art, photography or writing, I wish I knew more. HopperesqueI am reminded of Edward Hopper's paintings "Compartment C, Car 193" and "Automat," among others. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Hulett Unloader: 1943
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. Hulett Unloaders More information here . (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 2:00pm -

May 1943. A Hulett unloader at the Pennsylvania Railroad ore docks in Cleveland. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. Hulett UnloadersMore information here. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Cleveland, Jack Delano)
Off Track: 1943
... Topeka & Santa Fe locomotive shops." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. In a Rut - Not! Wow! Awesome! Thanks for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/05/2014 - 6:31pm -

March 1943. "Topeka, Kansas. Wheeling an engine in the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe locomotive shops." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. In a Rut - Not!Wow! Awesome! Thanks for finding and posting this beauty, open cylinders and all! DC CraneIn the upper left of the picture what appears to be two upside-down rails is actually the power feed for the crane. The current collectors would slide over the rail to get the DC power. You see very few of this type as new codes prevent new installations to have this type of electrification. Richard Feynman Explains Tapered WheelsRichard Feynman explains a few things, including why the train wheels are tapered. https://www.shorpy.com/node/6573#comment-70010 Whiting 80 TonI lived in Harvey IL my Dad was a Photographer there when I was growing up the Whiting Co. Was a major employer in Harvey for many years. WhitingWhiting is still in IL.18 miles south and they still make quality cranes. - Wonder if this one is still being used - I just had an inquiry for parts on a 1925 vintage Whiting. QuizWhy are the wheels tapered to the outside as can be seen in this picture? Head coverLook at all those cloth caps and a few fedoras amongst the shopmen. Early in my career they still wore those caps, but today these men would be written up, maybe taken out of service for walking onto the shop floor without a hardhat. Wheels are tapered to take turnsThe wheels are smaller at the inside so that they can take turns without slipping. The outer wheel rides up on the rail in a turn, causing it to act larger in diameter than the inside wheel, which rides on the smaller diameter area, for the duration of the turn. This allows the solid axle wheelset to roll without either wheel slipping due to the different circumferences they travel in the turn. AT&SF locomotive 3261a 2-8-2,coal burner, modified with extended cab, disposed of in 1952. Head Cover & Hands in PocketsLooks to me like the gent in the fedora, with his hands in his pockets, must be the boss - Engine 3261 was a 2-8-2 Mikado Class built by Baldwin between 1917 and 1920. Impressive!I really get a kick out of the work in even a modern locomotive shop. These things are so heavy (there's two bridge cranes of 80 ton capacity doing the work) and even the modern locos need to be picked up off their trucks for maintenance to their traction motors. Makes me feel like I'm doing nothing with a 4800 lb. capacity boom crane at work. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Student Nurse: 1942
... at the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company. Photo by Jack Delano, March, 1942. View full size. A detailed history… …of ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 08/08/2012 - 8:19pm -

Lydia Monroe of Ringold, Louisiana, is a student nurse at Provident Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Her father is a machinist at the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company. Photo by Jack Delano, March, 1942. View full size. A detailed history……of Provident Hospital can be found here. Lovelywith that Mona Lisa smile. NurseThis is a lovely image - what a great gaze she has. She is a beauty!because of her hair style she reminds me of the comics character "Miss Holmes" from the Buck Danny, Franco-Belgian comics series, created by Jean-Michel Charlier and Victor Hubinon, which chronicles the adventures of a trio of pilots in the United States Navy. Here is a scan from the album Les Mystères de Midway (The Mysteries of Midway) (page 39, plate J 083 B): Miss Holmes, with Buck Danny (The Gallery, Chicago, Education, Schools, Jack Delano, Medicine)
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