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Sign of the Cross: 1940
... take note! (The Gallery, Agriculture, Jack Delano, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/30/2021 - 1:23pm -

July 1940. "Negroes from Florida and Georgia who travel by car and truck, following the potato crop northward. Migratory agricultural worker has his supper (a nickel pie and a glass of milk) at the railroad crossing at Camden, North Carolina." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pie the wayThe young fellow in the foreground looks as if he's posing for an advertisement. His pose, his face, the pie and the milk - - they combine to look as if they are tempting the viewer to indulge, although I'm unsure if the ad would be for milk or pie. By the way, that's a generous slice of pie for a nickel. [A "nickel pie" is an entire small pie, not a slice. - Dave] Locomotive TireThat heavy ring protecting the crossing signal is a worn out steam locomotive tire. Locomotive tires were heated with a circular gas burner to expand them, then shrunk onto the cast driver center. They tended to wear to a hollow tread contour rather than the correct slightly conical surface, which should have a specific fillet radius to the flange. Every time a locomotive spun its wheels, the tires were wearing out of contour. The tires could be turned a couple times, like brake disks or brake drums, but then were discarded to be melted down. This one escaped the furnace, and makes a nice seat, although usually too hot or too cold. Also interesting how little grade crossing signals have changed in 81 years. Model railroaders, take note! (The Gallery, Agriculture, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Allwite Morning: 1942
... enough to share. (The Gallery, Marjory Collins, NYC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/28/2014 - 12:25pm -

September 1942. "New York. Third Avenue elevated railway station in the Seventies at 8:30 a.m." America's Favorite at the "Guess It" scales. Photo by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. Same as it ever wasThere is still a hardware store at 1573 Third Avenue. Wankel Hardware - since 1896. Wankel's hardware"The same family since 1896" http://www.wankelshardware.com/ Next stopThe sign on the opposite platform suggests that this isn't in the 70s, but is instead the 89th St. station. [More like 83rd. -tterrace] It's a bit blurry & might look like "83rd," but I don't think that's right, for 2 reasons. First, 1573 Third Ave (Wankel's Hardware) is between 88th & 89th. Second, there wasn't an 83rd St stop, but there was one at 89th. 89th Street stationIt's the 89th Street station, looking south from the downtown platform. If it weren't for the people on the platform blocking the view we'd be able to see the platforms of the 84th Street station a bit further down the line. There aren't a lot of photos of 89th Street online, here are a few: http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/showpix?nsta=311146 No, the steam locomotive in the last photo is not a mistake; the Third Avenue El used steam traction for the first few decades after it opened in 1878. 89th Street closed along with the rest of the Third Avenue El in Manhattan in 1955. It wasn't needed anymore, as people soon would be able to ride a modern subway a block away on Second Avenue, and ... oh wait. BlackoutSince the United States had entered World War II by this date, I assume the lightbulbs in the overhead fixtures were special blackout bulbs that only allowed a small amount of light to be directed downward. There is a story here about these lightbulbs. A Finer, Richer WhiteCleans and Makes All White Shoes WHITER! I see others found the locationbut I think it deserves a current pic. That hardware store is beautifully painted. View Larger Map I should have been born earlierI admire how stylish women in the 40's were! Shorpy brings me home!That is definitely the corner of Third Avenue and East 89th Street -- I lived about 50 yards west of that spot for several years. I always marveled to imagine the long-gone elevated station and how different my corner used to look. Wankel's Hardware is a neighborhood mainstay that maintains a wonderful commitment to hiring developmentally challenged people. In a city where many "hardware" stores really aren't, I always valued having it nearby. I'm glad to see the store getting a little moment in the long-ago sun on Shorpy. 1950sBefore I was born, in the 1950s, my dad owned a restaurant under the 3rd Ave El line, I believe it was the 76th Station on one of the corners. I saw a photo of the store front once among the large photo collection of my parents. I need to go through the photos one day soon to see whether the photograph is noteworthy enough to share. (The Gallery, Marjory Collins, NYC, Railroads)
Vintage Vista: 1901
... razed in 1964. (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/17/2020 - 11:42pm -

        This image is but one section of 10-part panorama, described by the caption below. Some (or even all) of the points of interest mentioned may not be visible here. Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "Aerial view over rowhouses from old Providence Hospital, showing E Street, Heckman Street [now Duddington Place] and F Street S.E. between 1st and 2nd." 8x10 inch glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. Where was the old hospital?Been playing with the maps for 45 minutes. Been pulling my hair out. I need a Shorpy pro. [Try Google. - Dave] "Old" Providence HospitalThe photo was taken from the roof of the "old" Providence Hospital which was located at 2nd & D streets SE on Capitol Hill. I was born there in 1950. In the 50s, a "new" Providence Hospital was built several miles north at 1150 Varnum St. NE. The old hospital was torn down, but unlike many places in close-in SE and SW DC which succumbed to monolithic government buildings and urban renewal, the site became Providence Park. It still exists and can be found on Google Maps adjacent to Folger Park. More history can be found here. Alas, even the "new" Providence Hospital has met its fate -- it closed its doors in 2019 after 158 years of service. Providence ParkI believe that where the hospital was is now Providence Park. The row houses on E, F, Duddington, 1st and 2nd are still there, and look very nice. Chim Chiminey III used that caption title once before a long time ago, thus the II, but it applies as well here! Everywhere you look, didn't even try to count them like I did last time. High-Class NeighborhoodThe view is looking southwest with the Potomac River in the far background. Given its proximity to the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress, Supreme Court, and House and Senate Office Buildings, this is an extremely upscale neighborhood today with many of the rowhouses seen in the photo still standing and easily topping the one million dollar range. The Old Locationof Providence Hospital was in Folger Square at 2nd and D Streets SE. It was razed in 1964. (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Railroads)
40th Street Shops: 1942
... (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/31/2018 - 12:41pm -

December 1942. "Working on the cylinder of a locomotive at the Chicago & North Western R.R. 40th Street shops, Chicago, Illinois." Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. 40th Street ain't what it used to beChicagoans will immediately think the shops were located at 4000 south on the grid. Nope, surprise! The 40th Street shops were 4000 west, at present day Pulaski. Here's a 1915 map and also the current Google aerial view. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Savannah: 1905
... not sure. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads, Savannah) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 1:19pm -

Circa 1905. "The docks at Savannah." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Is something amiss?Looks like there has been a derailment in the middle of the street. FinallyA Pepsi-Cola sign. Interesting shipCabins all around, but the way it is riding high in the water it seems to wait for bulk cargo as well. I wonder what it was and how it got stowed on board. No big conspicuous cargo hatches I could see. Re: Interesting shipI posted a link to the photo on the Southern Railway Historical Society Yahoo group, and one of the members, Bob Hanson, a resident of Georgia, posted the following comment: "The ship on the left taking coal appears to be either the City of Atlanta or the second City of Columbus (sister ships) of the Ocean Steamship Company of Savannah, a subsidiary of the Central of Georgia Railway." Steam and Sail.Looks like the need to get that coal onboard to stop the listing to port! Not too much cargo goes on board this ship, only one noticeable cargo hatch forward towards the bow and only one crane to service it. And yes this ship does have sails as well. You can see a furled sail on the aft mast. Back in those days sails were breakdown insurance and used to help supplement steam power. Savannah Docks, Detroit's finished productA 1904 postcard from the Detroit Photographic Company, titled, "Ocean Steamship Co's Docks, Savannah, Ga." from the New York Public Library Collection. The faded message is dated March 30, 1906, and reads: "Margaret & Irene, Arrived here this morning, we had a fine trip, been doing Savannah all day. We found it a lovely place and the weather like July in New York. Oh, it is just lovely. We take train to Atlanta tonight. Marie & John" Potential Disaster In Savannah?I should have gone into a little more detail in my earlier comment. I really wish that smoke/steam was not obscuring the view of the locomotive as much as it is. The tender appears to have derailed in the middle of the street. It looks as though it might have become detached from the engine. If so, and the water supply to the engine was interrupted, then everybody in the area should be running for their lives. I've posted some photos to my Flickr site of a 1948 boiler explosion that illustrates what happens when a steam locomotive runs out of water while the firebox is hot: www.flickr.com/photos/michaeljy/3514234654 Also, notice that something has happened to the boxcar on the left side of the street, causing its load to shift and push its door out at the bottom. It looks like it might be loaded with bales of cotton. This poses a great dilemma for the railroad, since the door is barely hanging on and could fall off at any time. Those things are heavy. The car is half blocking the street, and it can only be moved with the greatest care, perhaps it can't be moved at all until the problem is fixed. Meanwhile, all of this has blocked the rail access to this entire area, meaning that until these problems are solved, these extremely busy docks cannot be serviced. Sleek That passenger/packet freighter sure has the sleek lines of that time. I like that architecture! It must have taken a long time to shovel all that coal from the barges into the bunkers of the ship. [Coaling was accomplished with a mechanical conveyor, seen here in its raised position. - Dave] I didn't notice the conveyer. That will speed things up a lot but the end is really nasty like using the grain legs in Buffalo, NY. I can't decide if I like the ships more or the mishmash of rooflines in this photo! Coaling at SavannahAs one always interested in the early 20th century coal economy (e.g. Berwind's Eureka Coal), any chance for an application of ShorpyZoom™ on the coal barges in this photo? Gone To HistoryI tried finding this location, but the port of Savannah has changed so much that it is impossible. This area is likely under where the Talmadge Bridge now is. Re: Coaling at SavannahWhat a dirty and labor-intensive job that was! Looks like there might be as many as a dozen or so men on that barge next to the ship, including one at the bottom of the ladder. There is no sign of any motorized vessel in the area, so I guess they had to use a combination of wenches and lines from the ship, along with sheer manpower, to maneuver the barges around as they were emptied. The mechanical bucket, scuttle, collier, or whatever it was called, looks as though it had to be filled manually in the barge (as opposed to a clamshell-type contraption). Even with that many hands working, moving that much coal had to be a back-breaking task. But I guess people back then were accustomed to such. [If any wenches were used, it wasn't for coaling. - Dave] Steady as she goesThe sails on the ship to the left were probably only used as a staysail to stop the boat from badly rolling in swells, as there seems to be lots of rigging and substantial shrouds to get in the way of efficiently using wind power as a backup if the engine conked out -- you wouldn't want all your passengers too seasick. The Cadsbyis the vessel in the center of the picture opposite the liner in the foreground. In the Cadsby photo, the vessel seen in the background may be the same as in the original, not sure. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads, Savannah)
Smoke and Steam: 1914
... Larger Map (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2014 - 5:03pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1914. "Covered train platforms of Union Station viewed from roof of the City Post Office at Massachusetts Avenue, with First Street N.E. seen along stone wall." At left is perhaps the main attraction of this view, one of the grittier sections of Washington, not usually captured in period photographs. 8x10 inch glass negative, Harris & Ewing Collection. View full size. Herbert Prescott Pillsbury Flour and FeedsHerbert Prescott Pillsbury, born in Massachusetts on February 29, 1848, died in DC March 22, 1922. His previous store was at the corner of 3rd Street and New York Avenue NE in Washington, several blocks from the building in this photo. The road entering that tunnel would be H Street, and directly to the right of this point of view would be Union Station. The location of the building advertising HP Pillsbury now houses building housing CNN's Washington bureau. [The address of his establishment here is 54-58 H Street N.E. - Dave] Gone for MetroThe large building and the smokestack to the left of the tracks and at least the track on the left were removed when the Metro subway was constructed. The building was the power plant for the station. The stone wall is still there, though. The entire area where the tracks are to the right of the stone wall was filled in as part of the station construction project. That must have been quite a job in the days before modern earthmoving equipment. [Steam shovels! - Dave] On my way over!And I expect the highest prices for my junk. Short StoriesThat row of strangely short buildings at left, including the livery stable, look like the victims of a grade-raising project. They seem to have lost most of their first floor facades when the street was raised, perhaps as part of the Union Station construction. Ground level going upIn fact the area had gone through a huge grade-raising project around 1890, which resulted in the original B&O New Jersey Ave. station being mostly submerged, and a new waiting room being constructed along side it in 1889. This view shows the original portion to the left and the addition to the right. The stone wallView Larger Map (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Railroads)
Badland: 1939
... "No." (The Gallery, Landscapes, M.P. Wolcott, Mining, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/05/2019 - 12:05pm -

September 1939. "Ducktown, Tennessee. Train bringing copper ore out of mine. Fumes from smelting copper for sulfuric acid have destroyed all vegetation and eroded the land." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Duplicate?This seems to be the same MPW photo posted under the caption, “The Wasteland” a couple days ago. Maybe this is a different image, as I have not compared them side by side. [That would be less trouble than leaving a comment, wouldn't it? - Dave] FumesThey didn’t do wonders for the Ducktown inhabitants either; a Navy shipmate was from Ducktown, and he had major COPD at age 35, followed by a fatal heart attack a year later. Not a resortIt looks like the land is still scarred. Here's an overhead view of the area northeast of Ducktown, near the Burra Burra mine. While the area has some vegetation, it still looks pretty bare. I wouldn't go near the lake to the west. Now?I've seen a lot of things on Shorpy but the devastation seen here is astonishing. It looks to be many many square miles no doubt in all directions from the mine. I'm wondering what it might look like now, was there recovery? To State the ObviousThis photo has a happy choo-choo that seems not to know the sorrows of air laden with sulfuric acid. The other doesn't. 51 Years LaterI drove through Ducktown in 1990. It didn't look anything like this. Road sign said, "Ducktown, A quacking nice town." Lasting scarsAbout 1978 I drove a cousin from Knoxville to an interview for a teaching position in nearby Copper Hill. The school sat all alone on a hilltop, with a 360-degree view very much reminiscent of this image. The superintendent who conducted her interview asked her if she "really wanted to commit to a place that looks like this?" She is eternally grateful to him for that question, because the answer was a resounding "No." (The Gallery, Landscapes, M.P. Wolcott, Mining, Railroads)
Colossus: 1904
... and men were men! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/28/2011 - 2:58am -

Ecorse, Michigan, 1904. "Steamer Detroit, Michigan Central Transfer, broadside view." Another view of this railcar ferry abuilding at Great Lakes Engineering Works. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. How many people work here?About half of them. Four Independent Wheels The Railroad Gazette, Nov 18, 1904. General News Section The large car ferry, Detroit, built for the Michigan Central Railroad for use on the Detroit river, was recently launched at the Ecorse yard. The Detroit measures 308 ft. on deck, has 64 ft. beam and is 19½ ft. deep. There will be four independent wheels, two at each end, operated by compound engines, and two double-ended boilers 13 x 22 ft. and two single-ended boilers 13 x 11½ ft. The boat will carry 28 cars and is expected to be put in commission next winter. More on the Detroit of Detroit at this previous post. Screwed at either endScrews at both ends, that's something different, will making a decision much easier. And count the amount of workers on this project. A Beautiful Piece of WorkUp until now I knew diddly about railcar ferries and had never seen a big "modern" one like this, especially out of the water. It is truly an impressive design, a thing of beauty. The props and rudders at both ends are the clincher, though this might have been a standard feature for all I know. I wondered in the bow-end photo about the odd profile of the propeller blades, but apparently they worked double duty as ice breakers. Wow! A rudder at both ends would have made this monster at least a little more maneuverable in tight spots, but it must have required a skillful pilot to captain this vessel! These "Detroit" steamer pictures go under the heading: When ships were ships and men were men! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
City Gas: 1912
... to liven things up! (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/21/2014 - 9:30am -

Circa 1912. "Foundation for retort house, construction for Detroit City Gas Company." A scene from the days when most big municipalities had an illuminating-gas plant where coal was heated to make the poisonous product known as "city gas." 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Moth BallsIf you ever used coal gas, it had a smell similar to moth balls. Natural gas has no odour, so an additive (mercaptans) is used so a leak can be detected. I visited New Zealand in the 1980s, and Christchurch, Invercargill and Dunedin were still generating coal gas. When you light the burner on a stove, coal gas ignites with a sharp POP, compared to natural gas. Otherwise, cooking is the same either way. I toured the Dunedin gas works twice before it closed as New Zealand's last gas works in 1987. It is now a museum, one of only three such in the world. You can read about it here. City gas, town gas, coal gas, producer gasWhatever the name, if you read a reference in a novel to sticking one's head into the oven to commit suicide, this is what is referred to, not today's natural gas. Natural gas is mostly methane. Coal-derived gas includes a substantial amount of carbon monoxide. It was the dominant household cooking (and sometimes lighting) fuel until the 1940s-1950s in the US, and somewhat later in Britain. A striking resemblancehowever I don't remember this level of the game? Taking a LeakThe pipes conveying steam from the mixer have sprung a nice leak right next to the workers. Nothing like a little live steam to liven things up! (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Railroads)
Potter House: 1907
... called "mounting blocks." - Dave] (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 6:11pm -

Saginaw, Michigan, circa 1907. "Dr. Henry C. Potter's residence." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The house knows how to accessorizeI love the windows and awnings. You don't see windows all dolled up like that anymore. Not on the outside anyway. I'd live thereBut only if I could afford a housekeeper. And she better do windows, too. Southern ExposureBefore air conditioning was common, south facing windows were often equipped with such shades. TranquilityI look at this photo and say to myself, "The world has gotten too d@mn complicated." To sit on this porch in 1907 with a glass of lemonade and the evening paper, perhaps I would give up the comforts and technology of 2011. For back in 1907, if something had to be done or someone had to be contacted, it could just wait until tomorrow. "Henry C. Potter" Bathroom SuicideJan 5, 1909, N.Y. Times. Dr. Potter's son: HENRY C. POTTER Jr. A SUICIDE; Michigan Banker Was Suffering from Nervous Depression. DETROIT, Mich., Jan. 4. -- Henry C. Potter, Jr., of the People's State Bank of this city, Secretary and Treasurer of the Flint Pere Marquette Railroad from 1884 to 1900, and a prominent figure in financial circles of Michigan, committed suicide to-day in the bathroom of his residence by shooting himself through the head. A Wealthy ManAnd did he ever call his daughter's beau "That son of a Saginaw fisherman"? Dr. Potter (1823-1909)Dr. Henry C. Potter's greatest accomplishment was the building and management of the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad, which he undertook along with his father-in-law. He also formed and ran the Savings Bank of East Saginaw, from 1872 until the year of this photo. According to his biography in the "History of Saginaw County," "In his beautiful home, at Jefferson and Holland Avenues, he was a prince of hosts, courteous, hospitable, and ever thoughtful of the comfort and pleasure of his guests." Voldemort IvyHe who shall not be named is creeping up the side of the house. What's missing todayCraftmanship. The skill and artistry to produce intricate and quality wood products today is uncommon and we are the poorer for it. Henry Camp Potter 1823-1909Born at Utica, New York, on January 14, 1823; died at San Ysidro Ranch near Santa Barbara on April 3, 1909, three months after his son Henry Jr. committed suicide. He had led a full and interesting life, counting among his friends newspaper editor Horace Greeley, US Secretaries of State William H. Seward and James G. Blaine, and poet John Greenleaf Whittier. Before he died, he was one of the last remaining people to have heard Daniel Webster speak. Although he was a physician, getting his MD degree from Albany Medical College in 1844, Dr. Potter practiced medicine less than ten years. In 1852, he went into the public works construction business with his father-in-law, Samuel Farwell. That connection brought him to Saginaw in 1859 where he oversaw the building of the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad. Dr. Potter served as treasurer, general manager and vice-president of that railroad until his retirement in 1891. In addition, he was instrumental in establishing the first salt company in the area, served on various bank boards and was conspicuously active in Saginaw civic affairs. Dr. Potter was 86 when he died, old enough to have survived his wife of nearly 59 years, Sarah, and all four of their children. Helen died in 1864; James in 1879; William, president of the Long Island Railroad, in 1905; and, finally, Henry Jr., vice-president of the People’s State Bank of Detroit, by his own hand in 1909. It was said that last death likely did much to hasten Dr. Potter’s end. 1404 S. Jefferson Ave.This is 1404 S. Jefferson Ave near the corner of Jefferson and Holland. This entire block no longer exists today. Watch your buggy step pleaseBetween the two hitching posts near the front porch is a square stone buggy step. They still survive here and there when not in the way such as mow strips between a sidewalk and the street. [Also called "mounting blocks." - Dave] (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Base Station: 1906
... Anyone know when they changed over? (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/18/2015 - 10:58am -

        19th-century cog railway to the highest peak in the Northeast. New Hampshire circa 1906. "Base station, Mount Washington Railway, White Mountains." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Cinder protection?I'm guessing the gauze wrapping on the hat of the woman on the passenger car platform to the left was protection from cinders, rather than mosquitoes. I know from experience how cinders from steam locos (coal or wood burners) blow back into your face, hair, etc. SeatingConsidering the angle of the incline, I imagine all seats were facing uphill. Train configurationThe train on the right is setup passenger car, engine, passenger car, engine, etc. Today the engines are at either end of the train. Is here something special about this type of locomotive? I noticed the boilers are mounted at an angle. I am assuming this is because of the grade. Boilers are mounted at an angle?That would be a yes. Train timeThe angled boilers are, indeed, due to the incline of the track. That way the water level in the boiler is correct, neither too deep nor too dry above the firebox crownsheets. On another note, the trains are run with the engine at the end of the train. What you may be seeing is only multiple trains spotted close to each other in order to be at the loading platform. One Locomotive-One CarWhat looks like a single train on the right is actually four trains. On the Mt. Washington Cog Railway one locomotive has always pushed just one car to the top of the mountain and braked it back down again. The locomotive boilers are indeed mounted at an angle so they will be roughly level when they are climbing the mountain. It's necessary to keep the water level high enough to cover the crown sheet (top of the firebox) to avoid a boiler explosion. EDIT: The train on the left of the photo is a Boston & Maine train that brought vacationers up to Marshfield to ride the Cog Railway. Also, note that at the time of the photo the locomotives were fired by wood. They have burned coal for as long as I ever knew. Anyone know when they changed over? (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Brockton, Mass. Train Station: c.1905
... View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by D_Chadwick - 02/03/2010 - 9:13am -

This was one of the stations for the The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The location is now the home of the Brockton Police Station. Scanned from the original 5x4 inch glass negative. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Railroads)
Moving Pictures: 1900
... smooth. (I speak from experience.) (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/20/2013 - 1:44pm -

"1899 or 1902. Lackawanna photo car." Detroit Photographic's rolling studio-darkroom-showroom. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. The futureWhat an interesting photo. I wonder if these people had the foresight of these photos being invaluable to future generations or was this just a business/hobby type venture ? Either way simply amazing ! Cheers. Wonder if they slept there, tooFrom past Shorpy encounters, this is a famous railcar. With the ladies and child shown, I wonder if it also served as a rolling residence for the owners. With the likely photo chemical fumes, it probably wouldn't have been conducive to living aboard, but it was a clever and modern way of doing business. Mr. DPCLooks like William Henry Jackson himself on the rear platform holding the camera. Morris and Essex RailroadApparently this car really belonged to the Morris and Essex Railroad, which was leased by the Lackawanna for roughly 80 years. Note the "M&E" to the far right of "Lackawanna." BallastThe DL&W was a blue chip anthracite hauling carrier and extremely profitable. It prided itself on its physical plant, even down to the point of maintaining "razor" edge ballast along it main line tracks. Posed rocksNo ordinary railroad ballast is that neat. The colors of natureThose would be black, white, and gray, right? [They were until DPC colorized their post cards and prints. -tterrace] BallastI wonder if the rocks were placed that way to prevent water from eroding the tracks. I've never seen a ballast arrangement quite like that. CoalUngraded coal of various sizes most likely in that tender: those gigantic chunks had to be hand-shoveled by the fireman into the firebox constantly. Possibly the one car consist was not as demanding fuelwise as a regular train of several cars. Nevertheless, it was hot as Hades labor during the summer, but brutally cold, in that open cab, in the winter season. About that ballastI suspect that this photo was made at a station. The smoothness of the dirt path along the tracks suggests this. It was desirable to keep ballast out of walkways, because plain dirt is safer to walk on. People often twist their ankles while walking on ballast. Also, it is VERY difficult, sometimes impossible, to pull those big baggage carts over ballast, especially when they're loaded down with baggage, mail, and express. Station personnel make their jobs much easier by keeping the surfaces over which they have to pull those things smooth. (I speak from experience.) (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Working Lunch: 1943
... or in front of a camera. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads) ... 
 
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)
General Excitement: 1919
... View full size. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Railroads, Streetcars, WWI) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/29/2012 - 2:12pm -

Sept. 12, 1919. Washington, D.C. "First Division, American Expeditionary Forces. Union Station plaza -- Pershing arriving." Harris & Ewing. View full size. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Railroads, Streetcars, WWI)
Central Mexicano: 1891
... Santa Rosa . - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Railroads, W.H. Jackson) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/27/2018 - 2:25pm -

        One of William Henry Jackson's "mammoth plate" exposures, made using 18x22 inch glass negatives, a massive view camera, assorted assistants, pack animals and a mobile darkroom that he hauled around by rail with chartered locomotives. This image comes from a number of 8x10 copy negatives exposed in the 1890s from the original 18x22 mammoth plates, which evidently are too big or fragile to scan. 1891. "Mexican Central Railway -- bridge over the Santa Rosa River." 8x10 glass plate made from an 18x22 negative by William Henry Jackson. View full size. Where is this?Today, I can find no "Santa Rosa River" listed inside the nation of Mexico. Perhaps names have changed. [Maybe those tricky Mexicans changed it to Rio Santa Rosa. - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Railroads, W.H. Jackson)
Sinking the Tunnel: 1910
... 7,860 feet. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 12:53pm -

The Detroit River circa 1910. "Sinking cast section of Michigan Central Railroad Company tunnel." Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. More!Love to see more of this process, its mind boggling to have this tunnel in the works at such an early time in the last century. Was this one of the first tries? First vehicularThe first immersed tube tunnel was the Shirley Gut Syphon, a sewer line in Boston built in 1893, but this was the first train tunnel built with this method. Still going strongThe tunnel is still in daily use today. Here is a 1991 video showing both entrances to the tunnel (Detroit and Windsor) and trains using it. Still there The Detroit/Windsor railroad tunnel under the Detroit River is still there and still being used by Canadian Pacific. Sorry to note that Google Maps doesn't have a very good view of it. Don't build 'em like that anymoreStill in use 100 years later. Click the pic. A Most Daring Plan History of Detroit A Chronicle of its Progress, its Industries, its Institutions, and the People of the Fair City of the Straits, 1912 W. S. Kinnear, then chief engineer of the Michigan Central, a man of extraordinary engineering ability, was appointed one of a board of construction and gave ear to what was then considered a most daring plan of construction. There was no precedent to follow. The idea was entirely new. It was the open trench idea, now brought to a successful conclusion.The plans as submitted by Butler Brothers, Hoff and Company, contemplated the digging of an open trench in the river bottom, deep enough to allow the top of the tunnel to be slightly below the river bed. The plan as outlined, and finally adopted, was to dig a V shaped trench in the bottom of the river, twenty-five feet at its base and wide enough at the top to embrace a two-bore tunnel. The bottom of the trench was to be lined with rubble and cement. Twin tubes were constructed at the St. Clair shipyards of the Great Lakes Engineering Company. They were 260 feet long and 22 feet in the clear, in the inside. These tubes were built upon the ways as if they were ships, and were connected with iron bolts. At a distance of every eleven feet, there were placed steel diaphrams sloping from the top to the bottom, so as to conform to the shape of the trench in the bottom of the river. Outside of the diaphrams was placed a sheathing of plank, which served as a buoy which would float the tubes when launched. The tubes were bulkheaded up and when launched were towed from St. Clair to Detroit, where they were placed in position in the trench by means of tugs and divers. So close was the calculation that there was not an error of more than an eighth of an inch in the entire tunnel. Preparatory to the sinking of the tubes, what were called gridiron saddles, of steel, projecting about four feet above the bottom of the trench, were so placed that the end of each tube would occupy one-half of each saddle. The projecting diaphrams planked as stated, formed pockets without bottoms into which was forced under hydraulic pressure, concrete which not only filled the pockets, but was forced below and beneath the tubes when placed, and carried up and arched in each pocket overhead, in such a manner as to enclose the placed tubes in a monolithic mass. As fast as the tubes were placed in position, the flange of one fitting into the socket of the other, a rubber gasket being in position, the space between the two joining ends was filled with cement grout so that the joints were absolutely air tight. When the process of filling one pocket began it was kept up until that pocket with its arched top was complete. This was done for the reason that had not this course been pursued, there would have been a cleavage line which would have admitted a seepage which would have eventually been disastrous. These tubes were laid for 1,540 feet, the total length of the tunnel being 7,860 feet. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
Bustling Boonton: 1900
... as a sideline. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/25/2017 - 10:54am -

Circa 1901. "Railroad tracks and trestle at Boonton, New Jersey." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Nice prototypeThe trestle is great, but I love the turntable. What a project for a modeler! Ruins persist.You can see some snaps of what the round table and trestle look like today, here: Trestle and Turntable PushTurntable is of the Armstrong style still used even in recent installations, i.e. Great Smoky Mountains Railway in Bryson City, NC. Siding ending on the trestle is certainly unusual. Summer PlatesAnyone else remember Boontonware? My high school cafeteria was stocked full with it, not to mention our summer home. Incredibly sturdy plastic dishes. My dad used to joke that those apocryphal cockroaches that would survive a nuclear war would be dining off them. Still around, although no longer made in Boonton, New Jersey, but a few hundred miles away in Ashtabula, Ohio. Work in ProgressThe track is under construction. The trestle to the left is temporary, and is in the process of being filled in. The cars on the temporary trestle are delivering the material for the fill. Sellers TurntableThe turntable was built by William Sellers and Company of Philadelphia. Well built and easy to use, properly maintained they last a long time. They were widely exported to countries like Japan and Australia. My depot still has one, although it's currently out of use. Down the line at Kiama the 60' Sellers turntable is still used to turn the loco when the picnic train is steam hauled. Even though they're known as "Armstrong" tables, if the loco is properly balanced they can easily be turned by one person. A contemporary description is here. Also GoneThe toothed leaves silhouetted at the top of the photo look to be American Chestnut, just a few years before the blight that was to wipe them out was introduced. Boonton ReservoirThe hill is still there, the town at the north end of the Boonton reservoir, so-called, a practice area for student pilots in the 50s, with an island to work at circling in a wind and nobody on the ground to annoy with the air work overhead. Still an old, old placeWhile the frame structures have mostly vanished, the number of very old buildings still in use is striking... actually powering a bit of a hipster influx these days. The Civil War monument at right still stands; and the legacy of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western infrastructure is seen today in commuter and freight traffic, plus the shops of the Morristown & Erie Railroad, a relatively young shortline, which undertakes refurbishment on historic stock as a sideline. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
Rio Grande: 1940
... she was scrapped the next year. (The Gallery, Railroads, Russell Lee) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2018 - 3:03pm -

September 1940. "Railroad yards. Durango, Colorado." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The non-survivorThe D&RGW’s K-36 class of locos may be one of the best preserved anyplace. Eight of the ten from this order are still operational, either on the Durango & Silverton or the Cumbres & Toltec. A ninth, #483, underwent partial cosmetic restoration and stabilization by the C&TS but is currently parked “out back” at the Chama yard with an uncertain future. 485, though, was the hard-luck kid of the bunch. She crashed into the turntable pit at Salida in 1954 and was too badly damaged to be worth repairing; she was scrapped the next year. (The Gallery, Railroads, Russell Lee)
State of New York: 1910
... hulls to me. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/30/2012 - 2:45pm -

Cleveland, Ohio, ca. 1910. "Cuyahoga River from the viaduct." Sidewheeler State of New York at the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Co. docks. View full size. Schlitz the Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous The Schlitz globe stirs the cockles of my heart. The brewery owned a number of retail outlets (taverns) in the Milwaukee area prior to prohibition, each adorned with a ribboned Schlitz globe atop the establishment. After prohibition the company divested itself of the bars. To the best of my knowledge the only remaining building with a globe houses a wonderful Serbian restaurant in the Bay View area of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (The burek is outstanding.) The old Schlitz Brewery buildings now host trendy bars, retail and office space, lofts, etc. State of those White DressesMust have been quite a bit of laundering going on upon return home to wash out all that coal-burning steam engine soot, etc. Urban Planning Back in the DayNice how they leveled off the top of that slag heap to construct attractive river-view villas. From a 1900 mapI believe the photographer is on the viaduct crossing the river from the numeral "3". The domed buildings right of center are Union Depot. Today's Browns' Stadium is there now, or just behind them. The River TodayThe two buildings on the right behind the boat are still there. The two large tanks in the distance are where the office building that's being built (with the crane on top) today is. I used to work just east of the site of the two tanks, on the top of the hill and we used to gaze out the window towards the river all the time. It was all overgrown in the 80s and then cleared and used as an impound lot. Someone then bought the property, cleaned it up and created a legitimate parking lot out of it. In the process they uncovered and removed the stones of the foundations of the two storage tanks. I think they were Standard Oil tanks. Cleveland Browns stadium would be off to the right of the photo in the far distance, with the land not created yet, as it's built on landfill. Burp! Though be-fogged with coal smoke, Schlitz is still the beer that made Milwaukee famous. Apparently with a little help from Moxie, A drink that always tasted of ground up walnut hulls to me. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
Fast Food: 1943
... stay warm when it is cold. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/07/2014 - 3:19pm -

March 1943. "Conductor George E. Burton, having lunch in the caboose on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe between Chicago and Chillicothe." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Price of a loaf of breadWas 8 cents in those days and milk about 25 cents a gallon. My mother would send me to the store with my little red wagon. I think I remember the bread wrapped in printed waxed paper rather than the clear shown here. Safety FirstAround many rail lines, it's common to see the slogan "Safety First". Example: use safety pins to affix your badge to your hat. A Legend in Headgear He is wearing a cap called a Stormy Kromer. In 1903 railroad engineer Stormy Kromer was fed up with losing his ball cap every time he stuck his head out the train window. His wife Ida devised a set of ear flaps that could be cinched snug around Stormy's noggin thereby keeping his hat in place. A legend was born. The hat became a favorite with other railroad men and with hunters, lumbermen and all manner of outdoorsy types. About 10 years ago, the hat manufacturer was calling it quits when a young guy from Ironwood, Michigan bought the patterns and started making the classic Stormy. They now make vests, pants, coats and all manner of clothing for anyone who prefers to stay warm when it is cold. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Pocono Depot: 1905
... the building of Rt. 611. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/04/2018 - 10:53am -

1905. "Lackawanna Railway station, Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Incredible roofing jobI'm always amazed at man's willingness to make things harder for himself just for the sake of beauty, like taking the time to put those rows of contrasting shingles on the station roof. Stone ditchNoticed that even the ditch has stone work (also likely to prevent erosion, muddy situations and/or to minimize plant growth). The craftsmanship and attention to detail, even in things that appear mundane, is impressive. Simple EleganceI could look at Pocono Depot all day. Sadly, it was at least partially demolished in 1937. I hate to imagine what cinder-block cube might occupy the space today. Roofing job continuedExcellent point. I have family records showing both sides of my family residing in Monroe County back to the early 1700s. I spent my youth visiting relatives in that area. I've never seen such a place shift so much from beauty to utility, as has the Pocono Mountains. All of the man-made beauty that once imprinted the architecture of the area in places like Pocono Manor, Buck Hill Lodge, Skytop ended in the 1960s. The Poconos is a shell of what it once was. The downfall started in the 1950s with the building of Rt. 611. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, Railroads)
Train Christening: 1929
... Darr. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/05/2013 - 12:06pm -

July 14, 1929. Washington, D.C. "Ten-year-old Ellen Page Eaton will break a bottle of Potomac River water on the locomotive of a new Pennsylvania Railroad train this morning at 11 o'clock in the Union Station and christen it 'The Senator.' Little Miss Eaton is the daughter of John Eaton, crack engineer of the railroad, who is veteran of 28 years." More of the festivities first glimpsed here. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Ready when you are, CBIt looks like this might not have been the first take. WhoopsYeah, looks like that Potomac River water didn't quite make it to the locomotive! Oh well, the thought was there. Shoes and aplomb!I like the gent to the right of little Ellen Page Eaton, holding his hat with aplomb and trying become the center of attention. And look at his fashionable shoes! As Jimmy Durante would say"Everybody wants to get into the act." The woman behind Miss Eaton and to her right in the picture is quite intriguing. And lovely. And elegant in her cloche hat and beads. The only thing prettier than a pretty woman is a pretty woman with a pretty hat. Senator David I. WalshThe gent at the left-end shaking hands looks to be Senator David I. Walsh, of Massachusetts. Below is the final bit of the article from the previous post. Washington Post, July 14, 1929. … Among those who will attend the ceremonies are Senator David I. Walsh, of Massachusetts, District Commissioner Proctor L. Dougherty, Charles W. Darr, president of the Washington Chamber of Commerce, and the Rev. Shera Montgomery, chaplain of the House or Representatives. Alan B. Smith, general passenger agent of the railroad, who came here from Cleveland on July 1, is in charge of arrangements. Secretary of the Navy Charles Francis Adams and Secretary of Commerce Robert P. Lamont also have been invited to attend. [The man between the hand-shakers is Charles Darr. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Railroads)
Powerhouse: 1906
... 13th Street in downtown Gulfport. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2014 - 10:58am -

Gulfport, Mississippi, circa 1906. "Powerhouse of the Great Southern Hotel." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Later a Car DealershipAlthough the Great Southern Hotel was torn down around 1950, the Power Plant building - or atleast portions of it -- remained in use until Hurricane Katrina gutted it in 2005. In the 1960's through the late 1980's, the building housed the local Ford dealership -- some parts of the building were demolished or remodeled to accommodate the dealership. The narrow part of the building -- the north end, fronted on what is now 13th Street in downtown Gulfport. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Dangerous Crossing
... [Cattle guard. - Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by pabrown - 09/22/2011 - 12:11am -

Railroad crossing near McCook, Nebraska, around 1932. View full size. I Give Up!Just past the crossing, on either side of the tracks are wooden things supported by posts with some sort of mat running between them between the tracks. What the heck is that for? [Cattle guard. - Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Railroads)
Willow Springs: 1900
... My Father's Predecessor? There are two railroads that run through Willow Springs. I'm guessing that this is the Santa ... Thank you for wonderful picture. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/13/2012 - 1:13pm -

Circa 1900. "Station at Willow Springs, Illinois." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 8 x 10 Glass Negatives.I love photos from those 8 x 10 glass negatives. This one is focused a little close to the camera to be a great photo, and there are some scratches towards the bottom, but it is almost like you can step into the scene. Picnic at your own risk these daysOne source reports that when railroad service was established between Willow Springs and Chicago, city folk used it to reach what was considered a nice place to picnic. How things have changed. Today the community is host to a very large and busy highway interchange, including Interstate 294 (Chicago bypass), U.S. highways 12, 20 and 45, and Illinois 171. It also hosts, in part, a huge (2,130,000 square foot) United Parcel Service hub that processes 1.6 million packages a day, many of which are shuttled to the adjacent BNSF intermodal yard (another very large facility). I assume the fellow in the image is the station agent, a prestigious position at the time. Perhaps some knowledgeable Shorpy reader can tell us what the indication is for the semaphore aspect. Proceed? Not Bucolic AnymoreThis Illinois town was chosen as the site of a large intermodal highway/rail terminal, because it was far enough away from Chicago's core to avoid congestion, but near enough to be convenient to the Interstate Highway systen. Repair ListLooks like the chimney could use a bit of work. Electrically bondedI noticed that the far left rail has bonding wires at the joint. For 1900 I am surprised to see that this line probably has some form of signalization. Whether that be for aspects or just track occupancy I can't tell. More than likely just to make a light light up or bell ring inside the station to let the station attendant know there was a approaching. I can see the wires on the left main, but don't see them on the track on the right, could be a siding. As for the semaphores at the station, these were used for signaling the train to pick up train orders at the station; instructions for the crew for the next and/or subsequent sections of the line (where to take a siding for a meet, speed restrictions, construction, etc...) There are two, one for each direction. Generally down indicated no need to stop or receive orders. The SemaphoresThere are 2 semaphore signals seen. They are both what are known as 2 aspect semaphores. They can only indicate slow and stop. Further away in each direction you would find 3 aspect semaphore signals that would indicate either; proceed, slow or stop. Further down on the right is a mail pick-up device. I'm quite sure there is also one for the other track in back of the camera. The mail pouch is suspended from the arm and as the train goes by, an arm is extended from the mail car to snatch it and draw it inside. If there is mail for the station, it is tossed onto the platform. Commuter trains still stop at this location. Train order signalThe train order signal is set for "clear" in both directions. If there were train orders or a message to be delivered, it would be set horizontally. This signal itself doesn't convey any information to a train about the condition or occupancy of the track ahead, and would be used only for messages. Great photo, the track appears immaculate. My Father's Predecessor?There are two railroads that run through Willow Springs. I'm guessing that this is the Santa Fe depot. My father was the Santa Fe Signal Maintainer at Willows Springs Ill. throughout the 1960's. I'm assuming this photo was taken facing north and that is Willow Springs Road crossing the tracks. Thank you for wonderful picture. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
C&P: 1906
... class GL. (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC, Mining, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/28/2018 - 4:24am -

Cleveland circa 1906. "Cleveland & Pittsburgh ore docks." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. That wood hopper on the rightIs PRR Class GG, known as the "Potter Hopper." One still exists, at the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Strasburg. "The prototype for this car was known as the Potter Gondola Car, named after Pennsylvania Railroad Superintendent G.L. Potter. It features sloped end sheets and discharge doors that assist unloading with the help of gravity. This was a first step in the evolution of hopper cars from gondolas." https://rrmuseumpa.org/collections/roster The steel car to the far right is what replaced those wood hoppers, class GL. (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC, Mining, Railroads)
Infrastructure: 1910
... 1910." - Dave] (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 4:52pm -

Detroit circa 1910. "Excavating for the new Union Station." A century later, the mammoth Michigan Central Station that eventually rose here still stands, if just barely. Note the two "moonlight tower" carbon arc lamp standards in the distance. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Short Handled ShovelHated by laborers everywhere through the years. They appear in numerous folk and blues songs and the dislike is justified. I had to use one in a summer job as a kid and they are back breakers. Evolution of earthmovingThis photo shows the past and the future of earthmoving: men shoveling the earth to the steam-powered shovel at the left of the photo. But no bulldozers. Perhaps diesel/gas engines had not yet developed a power/weight ratio suitable for the needs of a bulldozer - but you had the idea on the front of locomotives: the cow catcher (and snow plow). Everyone wore a hat, but no protective headgear. Why wear a vest during such strenuous activity? Re: Short Handled shovelsThe trick is to take small shovel-loads, quickly. Too often, one tries to make the job easier by taking big "bites." Harder work, and less effective in the long run! What my dad always referred to as "a lazy man's load." One goes up, another comes down.It looks like the building to the right just suffered a fire on the second floor. How Are The Mighty FallenHere is a website showing the degradation of this once-magnificent structure. http://www.seedetroit.com/pictures/mcsweb/ Track JacksIn the foreground, on the wooden planking there are two track jacks and a pair of "Texas Toothpicks" used to operate them. The ones I've encountered were rated at 100 tons, I on the other hand wasn't. Well EmployedForty four men working. Today: possibly two for the same job. Real ManpowerAlthough the topic is "excavating," it appears these men are moving gravel or road base off the flatcars and spreading it as a foundation. There is a similar running pile alongside the tracks on the right that is being attacked. Regular Shorpy readers know about the evolution of the steam shovel, which is working its way along the distant bank, whose curvature reflects the swing of the shovel arm. Presumably the weather is brisk enough to dress warmly. I Believe in the Communion of SaintsAre the two fellows in the foreground "waterboys" (or perhaps more appropriately, watermen) for the crew? If so, it appears the fellow holding the ladle is an unhappy customer, who seems to be a little suspicious of the cleanliness of their wares. In 1910 I suppose they weren't as keen on hygienic issues and had no qualms about sharing the common cup with their fellow workmen. Date is incorrectGround was broken May 1912, there is a photo set from insurance company Manning Brothers that resides in the Avery Collection at Columbia University NYC in the Warren and Wetmore Collection. [Excavation had commenced at least by the spring of 1910. Below, headlines from May 16 and Oct. 17, 1910. Also, "circa 1910" does not necessarily mean "in 1910." - Dave] (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Railroads)
The Senator: 1929
... 1955: (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Politics, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/20/2013 - 8:53pm -

UPDATE: The photo now has a caption. October 1, 1929. The new crack train from Washington to Boston was inspected today by members of the Massachusetts State Society. Harry Carr of the Pennsylvania R.R. was host. Left to right: Wm. T. Simpson, Treasurer; Frank E. Hicks, Vice Pres.; Mrs. Proctor L. Daugherty; Geo. R. Farnum, Pres. and Assistant Attorney General of the United States; Geo. A. Hornan, Secretary; and Chas. A. Bauman. Circa 1929 at Washington's Union Station, it's the Senator. Which senator, maybe someone out there knows. Unlabeled Harris & Ewing glass plate. View full size. All AboardThe Senator is the train, if my recollection of early naming trends is correct. Nowadays it would be The Lobbyist. Washington-Boston ExpressThe Pennsylvania Railroad operated The Senator between Boston and New York City, with the New Haven taking over for the New York-Boston leg of the run. The train lasted well into the Amtrak era. PRR PRR also ran The Congressional from Wash DC to NY and Boston, Lionel model trains made a model of the train with a GG1 loco and 4 passenger cars, I've always wanted that set. KeystoneIndeed, Pennsylvania being the Keystone State, the shape of the sign is suggestive of the Pennsylvania Railroad. I had the pleasure of riding the Senator a few times in 1972 and 1973 on my way home from Philadelphia, where I was going to college, to the nearest railroad station to my home, New Brunswick, NJ. Alas, the express train didn't stop at New Brunswick so I had to get off at Trenton. I could only enjoy the spacious, elegant seating and super-smooth ride for a small part of my journey. Trains used for long-distance travel were extremely civilized even as late as this. The Senator certainly had a dining car -- on one of my trips I looked into it -- but eating on board was beyond the means of a student. Schedule thisHere's the schedule for The Senator from 1955: (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Politics, Railroads)
Penn Station: 1912
... before it had been erected. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2018 - 9:34am -

New York, 1912. "Pennsylvania Station, east facade." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Shown at Shorpy a dozen timesLook here, even in 1908 before it had been erected. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Railroads)
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