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Proviso Yard: 1943
... May 1943. View full size. Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. Yellow Rails The rails that appear to be painted yellow have a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 9:49pm -

Freight cars in the Proviso Yard of the Chicago & North Western Railroad. April or May 1943. View full size. Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano.
Yellow RailsThe rails that appear to be painted yellow have a fresh layer of rust on the railheads.

Jack DelanoThanks for all the Jack Delano posts. I stumbled on his work several years ago. You have no idea how happy it makes me to find in Shorpy a fellow appreciator.
- Abraham
[Thanks Abraham! How did you find out about him? Online? He is my favorite of the photographers whose work is on the site. - Dave]
More on Jack DI found him through the Library of Congress' "American Memory" site. It was the railroad stuff -- the portraits, the train barns, the nighttime rail yard photos -- that got me. 
Aside from the interview transcript with him and his wife that's in the Smithsonian archives, I don't know much else about him. What was his stuff like after he moved to Puerto Rico?
Jack DelanoThanks for making this site searchable by photographer; it's the best single collection of Delano's images I can find on the web. Delano's photos are my favorite from the post-1930's period: unsentimental but still saying a lot. You might be interested to know that his son, Pablo Delano, is also a photographer; last I knew (late 1990's) he lived in the Hartford CT area, was teaching at Trinity College there. 
yellow paintIts the clearance point dude, no wonder derails occur, dyslectic painters in our midst?
[Or maybe dyslexic. - Dave]
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Amethyst Twilight: 1942
... Western R.R. at twilight." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size. Fantastic Shot Doesn't matter how it was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/15/2016 - 8:07pm -

December 1942. "Proviso departure yard of the Chicago & North Western R.R. at twilight." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size.
Fantastic ShotDoesn't matter how it was done, I wouldnt understand it anyway.
trick shot?yeah - i'm a big fan of delano, too...
but..
how'd he manage to have the lantern in the foreground be in sharp focus when it is in a field of soft-focus cinders?  odd.
shifted focusExposing for that scene would likely leave the lantern badly over-exposed. I'd bet that the lantern was masked and the focus adjusted mid-exposure.
Perhaps...... my favorite Delano shot ever. 
a touch of tiltLooks like he tilted his focal plane to keep the ground in focus off into the distance (note the top of the building is also out of focus)
Forgive my ignorance...I've seen a couple photos on Shorpy of railroad yards that have the same light trails like this one.  I'm assuming that they were captured by leaving the shutter open longer (hence the double image of the rail car on the left), but what were they created with?  Were they lanterns being carried around?  Was this a Jack Delano trademark?  In any case, beautiful photo, and one more example I'll be directing people to when I next praise this site.
[Yes, lanterns. - Dave]
Jack's lanternIf you look close you will see two lanters that left the trail of lights....One lantern has a freshers battery in it and thus produces a slightly brighter trail. One man was standing outside the shanty and the other was inside (probably getting a switching list, they both walked to the right where they were probably doing switching.
[The other shots show kerosene lanterns, not battery-powered. - Dave]
Nikon EM can achieve theNikon EM can achieve the same shot with given circumstances
Jack's Lantern"how'd he manage to have the lantern in the foreground be in sharp focus when it is in a field of soft-focus cinders?"
Photoshop maybe?
Just kidding. I'm guessing he did it by tilts.
Could the lantern have been flashing perhaps? This could prevent it from being overexposed. Or perhaps Jack knew when it was turned on and setup the exposure so that the lantern would be switched off for the first portion of the exposure and switched on for the second portion of the same exposure.
this is simply stunning. onethis is simply stunning. one of my favorite photos as well.
Jack DelanoThis is the work of a master.  That's obvious, but I had to say it.
LanternThat's a kerosene oil switchlamp.  No on/off switch.
The flashing lanternobviously on his other side from the camera.
Stating the obvious, againAll you have to do is do is google "KODACHROME DELANO."  Library of Congress has many more.  Indeed he was great.
Master of lighting KodachromeJack Delano, wiley photographer. Beautiful image. Most color films tend toward blue with long exposures, with Kodachrome the reciprocity effect goes more toward this gorgeous indigo/violet.
I think this is a double exposure: a short one with the lamp lit and the boxcar nearer (fainter image) and a longer one after the boxcar was moved. If there had been a longer single exposure I would expect the boxcar to show a gradient rather than two states (think of electron field probability diagrams...) He clearly used a small aperture as focus is maintained through a fair depth of field (at least on the longer second exposure). I doubt he used any tilt--not a significant feature on Speed Graphics of the era (I use one), and rise (pretty limited) would not help with the Sheimpflug effect.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Winter Light: 1942
... a Chicago and North Western railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Edward ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/18/2024 - 3:39pm -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. In the roundhouse at a Chicago and North Western railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Edward Steichen could not have done this better.A very painterly image from the talented Mr. Delano.
Beautiful shot!Great composition and contrasts. No one did light, shadow, and silhouette better than Jack Delano.
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

The Hump Master: 1942
... post at the hump office." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. After the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/20/2024 - 11:24am -

Chicago, December 1942. "Hump master in a Chicago & North Western railroad yard operating a signal switch system which extends the length of the hump track. He is thus able to control movements of locomotives pushing the train over the hump from his post at the hump office." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
After the snickeringRead the Straight Dope.
He's a what?He would have been great on "What's My Line?"
Retarder Controller? I suspect the control the hump master is using is actually the retarder controller-slowing down the car(s) as it rolls down the hump. The clipboard he holds would have the weight/contents of each car (or group of cars, called a 'cut'). His job was to regulate the speed of each, so they rolled just far enough, but not TOO far. His job was probably 55% art, 40% science, and 5% luck back then, given the varied rolling resistance of freight cars from different RR's.
Hump on my signalIn the fourth image down in this posting you'll see this picture and another which explains the operation. The lever he has his hand on does nothing more than control the signal aspects displayed to the engineer of the hump locomotive. There's a second operator, shown in the other photo, who controls both the turnouts and the retarders; they both have a copy of the same list, whose content you can see in the second picture, which gives information on each car, in order, as to weight and destination.
Bar codesBar codes are now used in humping operations.  Computers read the codes as cars begin their roll down the hump (or on the way up), retrieve car information from a database, calculate the necessary momentum the car needs to properly attach to the growing train, and the retarders are applied automatically.  
It's amazing to watch from a distance, with cars moving here and there to their respective destinations, retarders creating screeching noises as they press against the wheel flanges.
RF Railcar IDIn our area, at least, RF (radio frequency) tags replaced bar codes some time ago for railcar identification by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Humping by TelephoneIn the sixties when I worked for Mother Bell in New Haven, I would get called out at least weekly during the late night/early morning hours to fix some trouble in the telephone system in use at "The Hump". The NYNH&H RR (later Penn Central) had some of the oldest telephone equipment in existence, and it was how they coordinated all the hump movements between towers. It was always very cool to stand in one of the towers and watch all the freight cars coming over the hump and descending through "the ladder" to be mixed on one of innumerable tracks in the huge yard. 
I had to find outThe Fast Freight Rides the Hump from Popular Mechanics, March 1940.
(Technology, The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

The Hump Master: 1942
... from his post at the hump office." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. If I had that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/20/2024 - 11:27am -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Hump master in a Chicago and North Western Railroad yard operating a signal switch system which extends the length of the hump track. He is thus able to control movements of locomotives pushing the train over the hump from his post at the hump office." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
If I had that job ...I would definitely get cards printed.
What does a Hump Master Do?Jokes aside, our hump conductor controls the speed of cars that are rolling down the hump using the device in his right hand.  The control is connected to a retarder - a device that squeezes the sides of a car's wheels to slow it down.  His clipboard shows whether each car is a load or an empty.   His experience takes into consideration the weight of each car, the weather (cold temperatures make journal bearings stiffer and winds can propel cars faster and farther) and the distance the car has to travel in its destination track.  Perhaps he is in one of the towers shown in this earlier photograph.
https://www.shorpy.com/node/27310
Alas, today computers and radar perform the same function.
What he *actually* doesThe hump master does not control the retarders -- they are controlled from a tower where the speed of the cars can be observed; or, in more sophisticated systems, by radar equipment to measure the speed of the cars and automatically make adjustments.
This person controls the speed of the switching engine pushing the cars over the "hump." It would be hard for a retarder to "back" cars!
Dang kidsThe chalked words "Conductor Only" suggests that someone in the past was playing around with the controls who shouldn't have.
The Way We Weren'tI had aspirations to become a hump master, but, alas ...
I betWednesday was his favorite day of the week..
(Technology, The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Hybrid EV: 1942
... Pacific Railroad to the West Coast." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Not hybrid or EV. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/10/2024 - 2:58pm -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. One of the Chicago and North Western Railroad streamliner diesel electric locomotives. These trains are operated jointly with the Union Pacific Railroad to the West Coast." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
Not hybrid or EV.Locomotives are diesel-electric, not hybrid. The electric part is the method of power transmission between the engine and wheels because they have a 250-950rpm operating range. A gearbox would be too large and complex to be practical, especially when synchronizing multiple units. They don't charge or operate on batteries (except some at low yard speeds for shuttling).
[You're thinking about this much too narrowly. Hybrid: "Of mixed character; a thing made by combining two different elements." - Dave]
Ice BeardJust like old man winter.
Chug and playShorpy is certainly correct - but then almost all (North American) "diesels" are such: a diesel engine drives a generator that powers the traction motors. But the U.P. was strictly an amateur about combining powering methods

The SBB lok is still around - ! - but converted back to free-range capabilities.
EMD E6It looks like the EMD E-series, guessing E6, built from 1938 to 1942.
I take it backThe E-series didn't have the radiator.  Lionel offered two streamliners, the M10000 and this thing.  I can't find pictures of this thing that also give the model number.
Achoo-choo!It looks like its nose is running!  I love that streamlined look, though.  I'll bet it's sporting that striking Union Pacific armour yellow and gray paint scheme, too! 
Re: Achoo-choo!You are absolutely correct!
Not an E-unit. It's an M-10000!I think that the "runny nose" comes from water in the air hoses. (Just a guess!!)
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Hump Office: 1942
... a Chicago and North Western railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Nutritious Snack! I've never seen raisins in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/20/2024 - 11:19am -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Train clerk working on his lists in the hump office at a Chicago and North Western railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size.
Nutritious Snack!I've never seen raisins in a vending machine, but there she is:  Sun Maid.

MmmI'll grab a Hershey's for 5 cents.
Wages & PricesPer the poster on the wall, minimum wage was 40 cents per hour. 
According to this statistical abstract, at the end of 1942 milk was about 15 cents a quart (about 22 minutes of work),  eggs were about 59 cents a dozen (about 90 minutes' work) and bacon about 41 cents a pound (about an hour's work).

Why Change?Most consumer packaged goods are always getting updated packaging. But 80-year old labels on Hershey and Sun-Maid products look right at home in 2024. 
Grab that Hershey before it's emptyBy November 1942, sugar was already being rationed on the home front, and chocolate bars were  being rationed in Great Britain. Hershey was already in the process of converting its output of chocolate bars to the exclusive distribution to those in uniform. They were not literally "rationed" like gas, but the producing companies created less-tasty varieties that would appear in soldiers' D-ration kits, after being reformulated to survive tropical or desert conditions. 
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads, The Office)

Boilermakers: 1942
... Chicago and North Western Railroad." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. BOILER UP! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/17/2024 - 3:57pm -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Boiler makers inside the firebox of a locomotive on which they have been working in the roundhouse at a yard of the Chicago and North Western Railroad." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
BOILER UP!Thank you, Dave.
Zebra Man
Purdue University
Class of '88
Re: BOILER UP!My dad was also Purdue, Class of '32 (delayed due to WWI).
A few years later worked for Baldwin as a delivery agent, deadheading in the cab as new locos were rolled out to customers.
Pretty amazing Century, over all!
Dangerous JobMy father worked in the railyards back in the Thirties. He used to say that a lot of the guys working in the boilers were gone by the 1950s. Asbestos got them, he'd say. Who knew?
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Icy Loco: 1942
... a Chicago and North Western railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Low Air ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/15/2024 - 4:48pm -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Switching and classification freight yards. Engineer and fireman thawing out air compressors on a cold morning at a Chicago and North Western railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Low Air PressureThese two steam-powered compressors (steam cylinders on top, air cylinders on the bottom) supply compressed air to operate the air brakes; the air is stored in the riveted cylinder at the left edge of the photograph.  
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Feeding Station: 1942
... Locomotives at the coaling station." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Snorting ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/11/2024 - 11:06am -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Chicago & North Western Railroad switching and classification freight yards. Locomotives at the coaling station." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Snorting beasts“A Modern Dragon,” by Rowena Bennett:
A train is a dragon that roars through the dark
He wriggles his tail as he sends up a spark.
He pierces the night with his one yellow eye,
And all the earth trembles when he rushes by.
Engine mislabeledThe Chicago and North Western Class E-4 was a class of nine streamlined 4-6-4 "Hudson" steam locomotives built in 1937 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO). 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_and_North_Western_E-4_Class
A C&NW E-4 waiting to be refueled at a Chicago-area coaling station in December 1942
WowThat's how a powerful train should look.
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Checkin Tender: 1942
... North Western railyard." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/18/2024 - 10:36am -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Engineer taking a last look at the tender before going out on the road from a Chicago and North Western railyard." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Frosty Freight: 1942
... Chicago and North Western Railroad." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/16/2024 - 8:56pm -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Switching and classification freight yards. Looking out toward the icehouse from the freighthouse at a yard of the Chicago and North Western Railroad." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Westbound Freight: 1943
... pass. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. FSA/Office of War Information archive. Camera? Does anyone know ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 4:15pm -

March 1943. Westbound Santa Fe freight on a siding at Ricardo, New Mexico, waiting for the eastbound train to pass. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. FSA/Office of War Information archive.
Camera?Does anyone know what type of camera Mr. Delano was using at this time?
Re: Jack Delano's CameraGraflex Speed Graphic press camera.
LocomotiveThe locomotive, for those interested, is #5000, known affectionately on the Santa Fe as "Madame Queen".  She was AT&SF's first 2-10-4 Texas type, built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1930.  The Queen was an experimental locomotive which paved the way for 35 more Texas types of more advanced design. Donated to the city of Amarillo, Texas in 1957, the 5000 is still around, sitting in a park.
Re: Jack's CameraThanks.  Although somehow that's not as exotic as I was hoping for.
# 5000Great shot of a beautiful engine. Judging from the semaphore signal being clear (green) for the main track facing west, I believe #5000 is waiting on a west bound train to pass not a easbound, unless the eastbound hasn't reached the signal block to make it go yellow then red. Anyway, another great pict from Jack.
Re: #5000The train is facing west. Look at the shadow.
>> Judging from the semaphore signal being clear (green) for the main track facing west, I believe #5000 is waiting on a west bound train to pass not a easbound, unless the eastbound hasn't reached the signal block to make it go yellow then red.
Re: #5000Sorry, meant to say signal is facing east for a west bound move, I know the train is facing west since it's going west.
ATSF 2-10-4You forgot #3829, the first ATSF 2-10-4, an improved 2-10-2 with a four wheel trailing truck instead of the standard two wheel truck. She proved the value of the concept and although some sort of makeshift affair she had a long successful life. #5000 Madame Queen was a complete new design, she would have been the class locomotive for many more but the Depression intervened. So she never was repeated and the Northerns and Texas types that came much later looked quite different again. 
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Figure Studies: 1942
... activities among farm people." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, U.S. Foreign Information Service. View full size. Elephant in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2024 - 12:50pm -

April 1942. "Madison, Wisconsin. Members of the University of Wisconsin's Blue Shield Country Life Club visiting the studio of John Steuart Curry, university artist-in-residence. One of the aims of the club is to bring about greater participation in cultural activities among farm people." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, U.S. Foreign Information Service. View full size.
Elephant in the room --I am chuckling at the posters' varied comments on drywall -- drywall?
For pity's sake fellows, there are *naked people* on the walls. 
Fair EnoughI am interested in the large work on the wall above them. Anyone know what that is? Might it be a Curry? Ah, yes it is "State Fair," and in color!

Cultural RiftFarm life is a culture in itself. These days, the trend of modern homesteading, farm B&B experiences, the resurgence of vegetable gardening, and food preservation is often portrayed as aspirational - absurdly glossy and sometimes morally superior, which I find ridiculous.
Thinking of my two sets of grandparents, all farmers in the Midwest from the 19-teens to the 1960s, and first-generation Americans, my mother's family was very much immersed in the cultural offerings available to them, while my father's side was deeply superstitious and suspicious of "outsiders." Both sides had their good qualities and flaws, but the difference in "worldliness" between these families who were in like occupations, of similar economic status, and living in the same general area is marked. How much or how little the two families embraced broader cultural experiences is vastly different.
My mother's immediate and extended family was very well read, made trips to museums and concerts, and attended lectures when they could, were involved in local civic organizations and school boards, had leadership roles in agricultural and conservation organizations, and their churches. There was a desire to acquire new skills, and to modernize the farm. They hosted foreign students who were attending a local university in the 1940s and '50s, and maintained correspondence with those students for decades after.
Conversely, my father's family, who we lived closer to, was quite insular. Any unfamiliar vehicle that came down the road was the topic of endless speculation, and even unease. They gossiped with glee, and could fire up the righteous indignation at the drop of a hat. They did possess some musical talent, but it was not shared beyond the family or church. Oddly, no one offered to teach us grandkids guitar or piano, nor invited us to sing - we were watchers only. We grandkids did learn a bit about raising animals, gardening, and preserving food, but the methods were static, stuck in a former era. Agricultural practices were never updated. Unsurprisingly, no one took up farming, and the land was leased to other farmers after my grandparents retired.
From the days before the drywall we know todayThose small rectangular sheets, often generically referred to as "sheetrock" (after the United States Gypsum Company trademarked brand Sheetrock) were commonly used before the advent of the standard, larger sheets in later years.
A variation of this product was one of similar size called rock lath and was used in cases where a plaster coat was desired. This had perforations to allow the plaster  to form "keys" in the same manner as in older construction that relied on the use of wood lath strips with spaces in between to receive the wet plaster. When dried, the plaster would be locked in place where it had been pressed through the strips.  
Deja vu Agri CultureI thought this group and setting looked familiar.  Sometimes, I'm amazed by what I remember ... but, don't ask me what I ate for dinner last night.
Yes, gypsum lath ...I put up a lot of it for plaster walls in the 1950s and '60s. It was a simple job that a kid could do without consequential mistakes. Our lath was solid (non-perforated) but held the plaster well, probably because the outer layer of paper was fuzzy. I know it worked because the plaster walls in one house I prepped are still in fine condition after 62 years. 
The lath sheets were 18x48 inches and fit well with studs on either 16- or 24-inch centers. Wall studs in the pictured room are on more expensive 16-inch centers as indicated by the nail spacing. The walls were probably always intended to be tack boards and never finished with plaster, which would have been done before the window trim was applied. 
Drywall sheets came later, had a smooth finish for painting, were thicker, and of course were typically 4x8 feet. The plastering trade gradually disappeared after the innovation of drywall, and with it the fine decorative finishes that one sometimes can find in old houses. Plaster was more expensive and took a long time to dry, which held up the construction process. 
ElephantsSince it's in an artist's studio, it is "art".  Otherwise it would be smut.
Was the photo edited?If you look at the right hand of the woman seated in this photo - and in the one another commenter linked to - it appears that she was smoking a cigarette, but that the offensive object was photo-shopped out of the image at some point. Which does raise a question as to whether the artwork was edited too. 
[Um, no. And no. - Dave]
(The Gallery, Education, Schools, Jack Delano)

See You in Iowa: 1943
... the train arrives at its destination." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. What a beast Jack ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/26/2024 - 8:39pm -

January 1943. "Conductor handling engineer copy of train orders before a Chicago and North Western freight pulls out of Chicago for Clinton, Iowa. Since the track between those points is under automatic train control, the engineer hands the conductor the key to the automatic train control lock of the engine. The conductor will keep the key in the caboose until the train arrives at its destination." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
What a beastJack Delano sure knew how to capture the essence of steam engines.  That locomotive positively looms behind the two humans.  It is a thing of power and beauty.
C&NW Class H-1 LocomotiveAttached is a photo of 3014 charging across farmland taken at about the same time as this. The H-1 was a 4-8-4 "Northern" type loco -- one of the final modern steam engines used by the North Western before dieselization. Interestingly, Mr. Delano has set a telephoto equipped camera upon the air pump seen above the heads of the crew.
[LOL! - Dave]
Here Casey!Smoke one of mine. It'll keep ya warm for the entire trip!
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

California Here I Come: 1943
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. This is the freight Jack accompanied from Chicago to California in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:04pm -

Santa Fe freight about to leave for the West Coast from the Corwith Yard at Chicago.  View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. This is the freight Jack accompanied from Chicago to California in March 1943, taking many pictures along the way for the Office of War Information.
CaliforniaIs this Delano still alive?
Laurent Wiame from Switzerland...
[Jack Delano died 10 years ago at the age of 83 - Dave]
Thank youThank you for all the amazing color pictures by Jack Delano... 
California or BustI hope you have all of the pictures from Frank's trip from Chicago to LA, I certainly would love to see them. So Frank worked for the war dept? He sure was lucky to be able to travel across the country for his job and getting paid for it.
Iron Horse at WarHe wrote a book entitled the "Iron Horse at War" which chronicled this trip and also contained many railroad photos from other parts of the country.  The book is out of print but might be found on E Bay.  Unfortunately, the book is in Black & White.
That train isn't moving anytime soon!The train still has a blue flag hanging on it. That means that there is still someone working on it. Each worker puts a blue flag on the front end of the train (or on the track ahead of the train) and ONLY that man can remove it. Once all blue flags are removed, the train can then proceed.
Jack DelanoMany thanks for these fabulous photographs. Just stumbled across them ... Delano was an artist of the finest caliber, and you honor him by posting these for future generations to enjoy. Excellent work.
Jack from Chicago
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Illinois Central: 1942
... Central Railroad yard." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Doobie ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2024 - 4:09pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Locomotives in an Illinois Central Railroad yard." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Doobie BrothersWell, The Illinois Central ... and the Southern Central Freight. Gotta keep on pushin' Mama, you know they're running late!
City of New Orleans"City of New Orleans" is a country folk song written by Steve Goodman (and first recorded for Goodman's self-titled 1971 album), describing a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans on the Illinois Central Railroad's "City of New Orleans" in bittersweet and nostalgic terms. (Wikipedia)
and made famous by Arlo Guthrie
Still RunsAmtrak still runs "City of New Orleans".  It still goes thru Kankakee and Memphis.
https://www.amtrak.com/city-of-new-orleans-train
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

I.C.R.R.: 1942
... Central railyard." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Wowsers! A ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/16/2024 - 4:47pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Locomotives in the Illinois Central railyard." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Wowsers!A truly beautiful photograph: great subject, great composition, great light, great developing! Thank you, Shorpy - one of the finest photos you have published!
Where's my time machine?I would go back to that exact place and time for a few minutes, not only for the sight but the sounds. I'd even bring along my 1937 Ikoflex, the same make and model as one of the cameras that Delano used.
Was disappointed when they sold to Canadian NationalI lived most of my life right next to the Illinois Central track at the southern end in Louisiana.  Even in the swamp, where I was, the railroad was very well maintained.  I believe the sale to CN was in the '80s.  I was sad to see it go.  
Paducahbuilt2530 is a heavy freight 4-8-2 Mountain type locomotive assembled by the IC in its own shops in Paducah, Kentucky, just before or in the early years of WWII.  The large tender only has 2-axle trucks, but you can see that the top of the tender was modified to carry additional coal.  Perhaps the small car between it and the next locomotive is an auxiliary tender to carry additional water.  
Huffing and Puffing American PowerGetting ready to go.
Penny SmashersI'll never forget those Mountains southbound out of Louisville along US 31, thundering through Valley Station, Kentucky, headed to wherever our 12 year-old imaginations had them destined! 
Better Times on the HorizonThis is an extraordinarily powerful image.  A dreary November Chicago day and a bleak unknown future for our county all less than one year after Pearl Harbor.  But looking deep into this black and white photograph 80 years later, we can see the power and resiliency of our county with its manufacturing coming to life augmented by our massive railroad system.  Mr. Delano scored a winner with this shot.
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Trackwork: 1942
... tracks at an Illinois Central Railroad yard." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Digging in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/17/2024 - 2:55pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Maintenance crew repairing roundhouse tracks at an Illinois Central Railroad yard." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
Digging in the GardenTracks that radiate out from a turntable are sometimes called Garden Tracks.  Here, speeds are low here, so things don't have to be perfect.  However, the foreman has determined it is time to dig out the soot and cinders, maybe change out a weak tie or two and firm things up.  On the adjacent track on can see two track jacks that are used to raise up a portion of the rails and ties so that additional ballast can be place beneath the ties to firm up a low spot.  To the right is a small maintenance car where the spoils can be pitched in for disposal.  
Union Smoke Break?There are four laborers and nine shovels. 
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

L. Logan, Boilermaker: 1942
... & North Western R.R." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Incredible What a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2012 - 10:58pm -

December 1942. Melrose Park, Ill. "L. Logan, of West Chicago, boilermaker at the Proviso Yard roundhouse, Chicago & North Western R.R." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
IncredibleWhat a face!!  He has not had an easy life.  He looks weary.
Startling, lifelike!Wow, it's like looking through a window directly into the past.
A fantastic portraitBut then again I find most of Jack Delano's work to be amazing. You can almost smell the oil, sweat and coal dust. 
Those spectaclesIt seems as though his glasses might fit quite snug under those goggles.
I can smell the welding now.
Reminds me of my old tradesmanThis bloke looks a lot like the first tradesman I was assigned to when I was an apprentice boilermaker. Happy memories!
You know JackJack Delano is one of the great photographers who need not sign his work.
You know who took that photograph that just knocked you off your feet!
Whatta guy!
Great LightingAnother fantastic Jack Delano photo. The lighting really brings out the character in his face.
When I first saw the  photo I thought I was looking at Henry Fonda.
Delano's workcould be the inspiriation for the super-realism artists.  Delano creates with photography what those guys do with an airbrush.
Leroy LoganBased on my research, I am fairly confident that this is Leroy Logan, born circa 1889 in Illinois.  He is found in the 1930 Census and was working for the railroad at the time.
Buy him a beer!I wouldn't mind in the least buying this man a drink and talking shop with him.
[I'd buy him a boilermaker. - Dave]
MaybeI grew up in West Chicago, which was a fairly small town when that photo was taken, maybe 5000 people at most. Chances are good I crossed paths with him or more than likely his kids. He looks like a hard working good guy.
FlawlessI think this is the finest exposure on the whole site, to date.  Great composition and lighting.  Delano's masterpiece, perhaps, and shows how amazing Kodachrome could be.  (I used it exclusively, even for night shots with that slow 16 and 25 ASA, even if I had to sit for hours waiting for an exposure.)
Stay Bolt InspectionThis gentleman is likely conducting inspection or repair of stay bolts inside a radial stay fire box.   He's crawling (or peeking) out of an open butterfly fire box door.  He appears to have air lines under his left glove for tools.  Stay bolts keep the boiler in perfect radius around the fire box and are hollow so that when tested under pressure they leak and water can be detected on close inspection.  A leaking stay bolt must be ground out and replaced.   A deafening and dirty job.   
Shift ShaveFrom the stubble on his face, I would guess this was well into a long shift. Mr. Logan looks like a gentleman who started his shifts with a clean shave.
If the hat fits.....That is certainly a very well-worn and stained Fedora that Leroy is wearing.....probably his favourite work-hat.
I'll bet that it has seen a few years since it left the manufacturers.
Firebox Door!That's it! I was trying to figure out exactly where Mr. Logan was on the locomotive. Not many clues here but I figured the castellated nut above his head is the pivot point of a "Butterfly" firebox door on the boiler backhead. The angled pipe to the left was used to open and close the door manually and on most engines there was also a foot pedal to open the door automatically for "hand firing." You can see part of the flue sheet inside the firebox above his right ear. Jack took the picture from the cab floor.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Oil Train: 1942
... be sent on to the East." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Oil trains ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/09/2024 - 3:05pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. An oil train from the Southwest leaves an Illinois Central railyard for the Pennsylvania Rail Road to be sent on to the East." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Oil trains are still (again?) a thingLengthy oil trains like this move through Chicago and Milwaukee today.
I have read that the boom in American & Canadian production from oil sands & fracking exceeds the pipeline capacity, so oil trains are rolling.
A big one passed as I was re-photographing a Shorpy scene, (Chicago: 1956) it took 10 or 15 minutes to go by.
Oh no! Not Algebra!"An oil train from the Southwest leaves an Illinois Central railyard for the Pennsylvania Rail Road to be sent on to the East."  At the same time a coal train leaves the destination in the East, bound for the Illinois Central railyard.
I can't go on ... anymore, I can't remember the difference between a coefficient and a variable.  The only constant was I wanted to take geometry.
Markham YardPresumably that is the north end of the yard in Homewood, IL.  One can see the electrified commuter tracks on the left (west) side.  Illinois Central was later acquired by CN who still maintains the large yard and a locomotive facility and administrative offices in the area.  Photographer Delano seems to have spent quite some time capturing images in the area.
Oil strategy WWIIOil played a major role in World War II strategy. The US had it; Germany and Japan didn't. Japan's early moves were dictated by the need to get at the oil of the Dutch East Indies. And it is said that a major reason for Hitler's worst blunder (to attack the USSR without neutralizing England) was the need to secure access to oil reserves in the Caucasus. Though it required rationing, the US provided 85% of Allied oil supplies.
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Engine of Change: 1942
... for use on the road." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Kid peering ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/08/2024 - 7:29pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. In the roundhouse at an Illinois Central Railroad yard. This former switching engine is being rebuilt for use on the road." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Kid peering over the topIs that one of those 'steam punks' I've heard about?
Dirty workYears ago I worked in the shop of a construction company that used a lot of heavy equipment. A big Caterpillar diesel engine had just been rebuilt and was ready to haul out to a jobsite to be reinstalled. The shop foreman suggested that the outside of the engine should be sprayed with oil and grease so that "the guys in the field will know what it is."
Keep to the codeThe two crouching guys up top look like they're trying to spell a word. I see a k and an e. 
Putting the old dog back into service"This former switching engine is being rebuilt for use on the road."
Getting any available rolling stock ready for railroad service because not many new locomotives would be getting built for use in domestic service due to wartime material constraints and shifting heavy production to war materials like tanks and artillery.
MachineThis photo should included with the definition of "machine". Look at all that has to happen to get this thing to move. Not to disrespect today's technology but a general explanation of a modern locomotive is a big diesel engine spinning a big generator that sends electricity to electric motors in the drive wheels.
Incredible technology past and present. 
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

The Red Caboose: 1943
... 1943. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. Caboose Great photo, Jack takes really terrific RR pictures, has ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:02pm -

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.
CabooseGreat photo, Jack takes really terrific RR pictures, has he ever contributed to Trains or Railfan magazines?
[This picture is over 60 years old ... Jack died 10 years ago at the age of 83. - Dave]
KodachromeEarly Kodachrome looked so good.  Color film these days has too much contrast.
Re: Kodachromeyes, i have noticed most of the pictures taken in the 40s that i have seen on this site are more crisp than the ones taken now!
American railway jargon is aAmerican railway jargon is a bit of a mystery to me. Can you tell me what "rip tracks" are?
Rip tracksRIP track
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A RIP track (RIP is an acronym for repair in place) is a designated track or tracks in a rail yard where locomotives and/or railroad cars are set out for minor repairs without removing the units from service, sometimes without even removing a freight load from the car. In some yards, a RIP track may be used for staging locomotives or "bad order" cars for major repairs. Some yards may have more than one RIP track to serve both functions.
Jack DelanoJack Delano was not a railfan per se.  I am not sure he was even particularly a photographer by trade.  He was a beneficiary of government funds during the FDR era.   Fortunately he was sensitive to the drama of the railroads.
Interestingly, some years ago I attended a concert by a Cuban clarinet / saxophone player named Paquito d'Rivera.  The music was more or less jazz/classical fusion and one of the pieces was composed by Jack Delano, who moved to Puerto Rico after the war.  So Delano was a true artist in more ways than one.
Dave Nelson
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

The North Yard: 1942
... yard at an Illinois Central railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. All downhill from ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/11/2024 - 1:36pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. General view of the north classification yard at an Illinois Central railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
All downhill from hereThis image shows the many power switches and retarders used to direct and control the speed of cars that have been shoved over the top of the hump and roll by gravity to their intended classification tracks.  The hump yardmaster (located behind the photographer) arranges the switches and retarder operators (in their small towers) slow the cars by squeezing their wheels so that they roll their intended distance before coupling up to cars already in the track.  Wind, different car weights and number of cars already in the track require a lot of judgment to prevent a car from "stalling" before reaching its intended destination or rolling too fast and slamming into a standing car.
I count 13 guysThe north classification yard is not as abandoned as first appears.  There are two men in the center foreground, huddled over working on something together.  Then, straight up from them and a little to the right, is a man walking the tracks.  Beyond him, where the railroad cars are, I count 10 men walking (I'm pretty sure they're all men).
I hoped to see one of the control (switch?) towers occupied, but no.
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Landscapes, Railroads)

Yardwork: 1942
... at an Illinois Central railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Fuzzy At ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/09/2024 - 3:11pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Tender and switch engine at an Illinois Central railyard." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
FuzzyAt first I couldn't figure out if it was my glasses needed changing or a part of the photo was out of focus.  Come to the conclusion probably both!
[It's in focus -- twice. Maybe something bumped the camera. - Dave]
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

PneuTube: 1942
... sent in this way." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Ol' Dan ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/05/2024 - 3:13pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. A pneumatic tube system connects the main yard office with yardmaster offices throughout the Illinois Central railyard. Switch lists and other communications are quickly sent in this way." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Ol' Dan TuckerThe operator looks like he combed his hair with a wagon wheel.
But hold on!It also cuts hair!
A technology no long pneuMy local bank branch abandoned its drive-thru tube system within the past few years, but some remain, as do manufacturers of the equipment. Probably the main use today is in hospitals, providing safe and monitored transfer of laboratory and pharmacy materials.
The largest urban pneumatic mail system was in Paris, where 'pneus' could be sent from 1866 to 1984, with peak usage (30 million messages) in 1945. The last such system, in Prague, was wiped out by flooding in 2002.
Emails, 1942 styleI had once the privilege to work for a company that was using a pneumatic tube system well into the 1990s. Back then that was still the most efficient way to quickly share drawings and documents with colleagues who were working at the other end of a mile long facility. Back then that was the most economic way to provide prints and copies within such a company. Printers and plotters were much more expensive and needed to be utilized. Hence a central printing and copying offce. Which was located next to the microfiche archive. And also sported a microfiche printer and a cyanotype copier (as in "blueprints"). 
I must be getting old. 
BTW, the City of Prague (Czech Republic) may have been the last city to have had a municipal pneumatic mail system in operation. Alas, it got swamped during the Great 2002 European Floods, and that was that.
SENDSo it's essentially an early version of text messaging.
Department stores had them.I remember them c. 1958 in Cleveland, at Sterling-Lindner-Davis. There was a restaurant, too, with a child menu I was treated to a few times. And elevator operators.
Red light bulbsAt least I think they're red and not blacklights. Also they don't have any protection form being broken by a wayward cylinder. 
Most frequent pneumatic tube communicationU up
Smith's Department StoreAs a kid growing up in Windsor, Ontario in the 1950s a trip to Smith's with Mum was always a treat. When she made the purchase the cash was put into the cylinder and away it went to the cash room. The store employee wrapped up the purchase, and a short time later there would be an increasing volume of hissing air coming from the return tube and suddenly POP. The cylinder fell into a cushioned bin, and the employee would open the cylinder to give my mother her change and receipt. But the real treats were the trips to the massive Hudson's Department Store in Detroit where they had cash registers with eight drawers. In 1972 I flew to Chicago from Seattle and my cash was sent off in a pneumatic tube.
Central Cashier StationI remember several stores that had a secure (caged area) that served as a central cashier location that would receive customer payments from the floor sales clerks via the tube. They would process the bill and the included cash payment and send any change back to the clerk through the tube. This way only a few folks had access to the cash drawer.
Still in UseThe UK supermarket ASDA (still with a minority Walmart holding) still use pneumatic tubes to send cash paper money in pods from the checkouts to the cash office. I worked in one for a time and can still hear the vacuum motor winding up, a whoosh of air and then the rattle and clatter as they fell into a tub in a sealed safe. (I didn't tell you that OK?)
I know you are, but what am I?This looks like Pee Wee Herman working his first job! It must be really hot in that office since he has actually removed his jacket and bow tie.
(Technology, The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads, The Office)

Where the Sidewalk Ends: 1941
... Bedford, Massachusetts." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Spooky ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/28/2019 - 2:46pm -

January 17, 1941. "On a foggy night in New Bedford, Massachusetts." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Spooky pictureIf there was only a human figure walking down the sidewalk. The chill factor would be sky high.
NoirBetter buy your popcorn quickly and get back in your seat. The murder is about to take place.
514 County Street at KemptonOn this site now stands -- a KFC and its parking lot. The old houses are gone, replaced by an ugly ugly apartment building. 
Streetview if you dare -- I found the address in a 1919 New Bedford Guide:
https://archive.org/details/newbedforddirect1919wagr/page/1168
KFC and ugly apt buildinghttps://goo.gl/maps/6fJUUa8GLHfwyvj6A
TalentJack Delano was so talented!
Muffled blanketDashiell Hammett: eat your heart out.
Thick fog covered the city like aunt Mabel's pea soup. I could just make out the dame up ahead, lurking under the washy light of a street lamp leaning like the thousand drunks it had supported. Was she the spy? I knew I'd find out soon enough. Her dress was blue. The Germans wore gray ...
Typical DelanoThat is, SUPERB! Reminds me of the Sleeping Locomotives photo (a masterpiece!)
DELANO NOIR - Forget about the assignment for the F.S.A.Let's face it, many of the best Photographers that Roosevelt kept alive during the great depression took photos that "Shorpy" has blessed us with which don't seem very much of interest to "farm security". They were just there at a visually magical moment and couldn't resist. This is a stand apart FANTASTIC work of pure art thanks David - - -
(The Gallery, Jack Delano)

Locomotive Dreams: 1942
... 1942. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. repeat You guys already posted this one. It's beautiful enough ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 11:29pm -

Roundhouse at the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad yard, Chicago. December 1942. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano.
repeatYou guys already posted this one.  It's beautiful enough to warrant posting twice...but I just figured I'd let you know.
RepeatIt's not a repeat ... the other one is horizontal. This one's a vertical.
PhotoYou can smell the coal and grease fantastic photo
PPHow did you do your post processing in these beautiful color pictures. They look great - great job!!!
Constantin
http://www.goodstockimages.com
Good GodWhat an absolutely stunning image!! :^o
Superb. Jack Delano has aSuperb. Jack Delano has a new fan. Absolutely brilliant.
C&NWThe engine closest is a C&NW M-1 class 0-6-0 switcher built in 1916; the second looks like a C&NW 2-8-0 number 1756 Class Z freight engine built in 1910 and last one looks like a C&NW M-1 class 0-6-0 too. Can't read the number. The M-1 0-6-0s were interesting engines---the C&NW had many built from 1905 to 1917.  The early versions were lighter and less powerful than the late versions --- yet they all bore the M-1 class and same pay level for the crews. Trivia.  
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Twilight Departure: 1942
... and the train is going by during exposure." Kodachrome by Jack Delano. View full size. Far out man! Makes me want to turn on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 4:45pm -

December 1942. Chicago, Illinois. "View in a departure yard at Chicago & North Western's Proviso yard at twilight. Brakeman is signaling with a red flare and the train is going by during exposure." Kodachrome by Jack Delano. View full size.
Far out man!Makes me want to turn on the black light in my bedroom and put in my Iron Butterfly 8-track.
AwesomeThese pictures always amaze me. Thanks for posting them!
Conversation starterThis one makes an excellent desktop background. 
Night LifeMy dad would have been the conductor out there with the signal lanterns. Once he was directing an inexperienced engineer to glide back-up and the caboose ran into Dad, slamming him between the cars. He had huge bruises all over face and body but nothing life-threatening. 
Yard signalsBelow are two other Delano time exposures showing the use of signal flares. The yardmen called them fusees.


StokedMy dad worked for the C&NW back then. He was a fireman and shoveled coal all night. Then he got drafted and -- guess what -- he shoveled coal into a firebox on the railroad in Seattle for his military service. Thank you, Jack Delano, your picture evokes nice memories. 
Did Delano ever know?Did Delano ever have an idea that someday his work would be considered art?  Because pictures like this and "Amethyst Twilight" definitely are.

Tell-talesThe photo was taken from under a bridge or overpass.  Faintly visible in the distance overhead are a set of "telltales," dangling ropes to warn a brakeman on top of a car that he couldn't safely remain standing as the train passed under the bridge. I remember seeing these as a child near a bridge or tunnel, generally on little-used branch lines. I have not seen a telltale in many years.
What Jack knew4x5 Kodachrome wasn't common, cheap or fast. I imagine Jack Delano was very careful about each exposure.
I used to shoot 4x5 black & white, and I had the luxury of a darkroom where I could see the results a few hours after shooting. And I paid huge attention to composition, exposure and the subject's composure, because re-shooting was costly. 
Telltale talesTell-tales are no longer needed because trainmen no longer use the roofs of cars while the cars are in motion.
"Running boards are, depending on the car's construction, wood or steel planking that provide a walking surface along the center of the car roof. In earlier times they were used by trainmen to travel from car to car to control train speed with the car's hand brakes - not an exercise for the faint-hearted.
With the development of the air brake (which allowed the engineer to control the train's speed from the locomotive), running boards were mainly used by trainmen to pass hand or lantern signals to the engine crew.
The advent of radio communication killed off this hazardous practice, though, and today it is expressly forbidden for crew members to go atop cars in motion, thus eliminating the need for running boards and the full-height safety ladders at the ends of the cars needed to get to them. Today you'll only see these components on newer cars such as covered hopper cars to allow access to loading and unloading operations.
Depending on the specific service it has been designed for, a modern box car probably sports a number of components never thought of back in 1893 when the Federal Safety Appliance Act decided to standardize ladders and running boards." 
"Freight car trucks and carbodies" by Paul D. Schneider
Published: Monday, May 01, 2006 in Trains Magazine.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Let George Do It: 1942
... police duty." Last seen here , 10 years ago. Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Door Color ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/28/2023 - 2:48pm -

September 1942. Fort Belvoir, Virginia. "Army Sgt. George Camplair on kitchen police duty." Last seen here, 10 years ago. Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
Door Color ConventionsWould they have painted the area around the handle which also extends to the trim for avoiding dirty handprints, or is there another reason for doing that?  Low light contrast for the 0300 KP arrivals, maybe? 
For crying out loudA sergeant peeling onions? Must have been as rare then as it has been during my time in another army. 
Well, at least now I know what "kitchen police duty" means. 
The Life of GeorgeFrom www.findagrave.com
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71018696/george-hans-camplair
George Hans Camplair
BIRTH
27 Jun 1919
Berlin, Germany
DEATH
2 Dec 1999 (aged 80)
McMinnville, Yamhill County, Oregon, USA
News-Register, McMinnville, Oregon, December 4, 1999
A memorial service for George Hans Camplair of McMinnville will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in Trinity Lutheran Church, McMinnville.
Mr. Camplair died Dec. 2, 1999, in Willamette Valley Medical Center, McMinnville. He was 80.
He was born June 27, 1919, in Berlin, Germany.
He and Mary Jane McNutt were married in 1946.
He worked with the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II in Africa and Hawaii. He continued as a cartographer with the Corps in Washington, D.C., from 1945 to 1979, when he retired.
He moved from Virginia to Portland in 1993 and had lived in McMinnville since 1994.
Mr. Camplair was named Volunteer of the Year in 1998 by the Oregon Alliance of Senior and Health Services. He had worked as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Loaves and Fishes and the McMinnville chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
He was a master gardener and worked many hours on landscaping projects as a member of the garden committee at Hillside Manor, McMinnville. He was a hike leader for McMinnville Senior Center. He belonged to Trinity Lutheran Church.
Survivors include two sons, Christopher Camplair of Portland and George M. Camplair of Nashville, Tenn.; a daughter, Nancy Phelps of Portland; and eight grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife in 1981; and a brother, Peter Camplair, in 1971.
Memorial contributions may be made to Habitat for Humanity, McMinnville Chapter, 342 N.E. Third St., McMinnville, OR 97128.
Arrangements are under the direction of Heritage Memorial, Portland.
Who wore the apron in this family ?Sgt. Camplair (1919-1999) eventually made it out of the kitchen and got married in 1946:

On a side note, it can be pointed out that as the family had actually emigrated from Germany - George was born in Berlin - fate might well have found him in another kitchen, peeling Zwiebeln for the Wehrmacht.
SurpriseI do wonder that an NCO gets this kind of KP duty.  Are there no privates?  
Peeling potatoesWhy bother doing it at all?  I grew up in a household that peeled potatoes and carrots, but now I peel neither.  I just wash them first, then move on to the rest of the prep without peeling.  Even for mashed potatoes.  There are nutrients and roughage in those skins – why waste time and food removing and tossing them?
[Those are onions in the photo! - Dave]
More on doorsI suspect Eventerguy is correct; I've seen similar black-painted areas on doors in other military structures, like these doors at Camp Reynolds on Angel Island. Makes me wonder if this was a standard military practice for high-traffic doors, or if each army post came up with the idea on their own.
KP duty? I was this many years old when I learned KP duty was "kitchen police" and not "kitchen patrol" duty! 
Let George do it?Doesn't look like Bob Bailey to me. Probably very few would get that reference.
TimelineThanks to Rochester for researching George Camplair's history. 
It really adds weight to an image to know a little more about the people in it.
Interesting he was born in Berlin but was ultimately in the US Army. Not that was necessarily unusual, but worthy to note.
Thanks also to Notcom for the 1946 news story on George's wedding to Mary McNutt. Probably the girl shown in the 'Sarge At Large' photo 10/20/23 (1942)
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kitchens etc., WW2)
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