No. 11 built at the shops in Samoa, Humboldt County, California. Taken in Samoa, 1911ish. Oregon Eureka Railroad owned by Hammond Lumber Co. Photographer unknown. View full size.

Chicago & North Western RR worker putting the finishing touches on a rebuilt caboose on the rip tracks at Proviso Yard, Chicago. April 1943. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano.

Coal and sand chutes at the Argentine Yard, Santa Fe R.R., Kansas City, Kansas. March 1943. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano.

Santa Fe freight about to leave for the West Coast from the Corwith yard in Chicago. March 1943. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano, who went with the train to California, taking pictures along the way with his Graflex Speed Graphic. Look for them here in the coming days.

From 1907, a bird's-eye view of Wabash Avenue in Chicago, showing the celebrated "El," or elevated railway, as well as a number of piano manufacturers and the National Casket Company. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

Most locomotive portrait artists were consummate professionals who didn't allow things like light poles--or old ladies--to obscure their subject. Whoever took this photo wasn't on his game apparently. The old lady--a rather comical figure, is she not?--is probably the photographers wife, but I like to think she's lost and wandering around the Cincinnati Union Terminal service area looking for the ticket window. The locomotive, for those who care, is C&O Pacific type #492. Photo dated July, 1937. View full size.

Re-tiring a locomotive driver wheel in the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe railway shops at Shopton, near Fort Madison, Iowa. March 1943. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano.

On the inbound tracks at the Hinton, W.Va., engine terminal circa late 1940s are #300, class L-2 Hudson (4-6-4), just in off a passenger run from Cincinnati or Detroit; and #1612, a 2-6-6-6 Allegheny class H-8, used primarily in push/pull coal drag service over the Appalachians to Clifton Forge, Va. The engine crew at the left brought in one of the engines; not sure which one. C&O Railway photo. View full size.

B&M 4000, T1a class 2-8-4 smoking it up on the ready track in Boston circa 1930. Built by Lima Locomotive Works, Lima, Ohio in 1928. Considered ugly by most railfans due to the "Cobra Hood" Coffin feedwater heater mounted on the front of the boiler. Photographer unknown. View full size.

Crowd outside Grand Central Station, returning from summer vacations. Sept. 8, 1908. View full size. George Grantham Bain Collection.

Pennsylvania Station in New York as seen from Gimbel's department store circa 1910. George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size | See the interior.

Chicago & North Western railyard, Chicago. December 1942. View full size. Kodachrome by Jack Delano. Camera: 4x5 Graflex Speed Graphic.

Wrecked Pennsylvania R.R. car on tracks south of Brunswick Street. Jersey City, N.J. November 6, 1909. View full size. George Grantham Bain Collection.

Train wreck near Middletown, Ohio. July 4, 1910 [erroneously reported at the time to have involved the 20th Century Limited -- see Comments]. View full size. Glass negative from the George Grantham Bain Collection.

Chicago & North Western classification yard, December 1942. The trestle runs from the ice house to the yard. The old cars in the foreground are used as living quarters for some yard workers and itinerant help. Town of Melrose Park is in background. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano.