MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME

Search Shorpy

SEARCH TIP: Click the tags above a photo to find more of same:
Mandatory field.

Search results -- 30 results per page


Goliath & Goliath: 1942
... to leave for Clinton, Iowa." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Switching ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/12/2023 - 2:39pm -

December 1942. "Locomotives in the Chicago and North Western departure yard about to leave for Clinton, Iowa." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Switching dutiesEngine 2519, on left, listed as a road engine, wheel arrangement 2-8-2, C&NW J-A class, builder: Schenectady Locomotive works.
Engine 2637, on right, listed as switching type, wheel arrangement 0-8-0, C&NW M-4 class, number two in the (2636 was first). builder: Richmond Locomotive works.  Maybe it was pressed into road service at this time.  In addition to the wheel arrangement, this engine gives a clue to its switching role as you see the footboard on the front bumper of the engine, (instead of the 'cowcatcher' seen on #2519) where a switchman would stand as the engine moved around the yard and assembled the train cars from the yard into a train for a road engine to haul away. 
MassiveIf you've never been in the presence of mighty locomotives such as these, you don't realize how massive they are.  I went to see the Norfolk & Western 1218 arrive in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1989.  I stood at the edge of the ballast of the track along with many other people and had to look almost straight up to see how tall she was.  I've ridden behind the 1218 and the Southern 4501 in passenger cars with the windows down and boy did my face get dirty.  Good times.
Flags and markersNote the flags and marker lamps on the 2519.  The flags are dirty, but don't appear to be white which would denote an "extra" train (not shown in the timetable).  They are likely green, indicating that another section of this train will be following.  The lack of flags or markers on the 2637 suggest that it will not be leaving the yard, and is in fact engaged in switching duties, as noted by Steamin.
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Summer Swimmers: 1942
... Swimming at a Boy Scout camp." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the U.S. Foreign Information Service. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/08/2023 - 3:48pm -

July 1942. "Florence, Alabama. Swimming at a Boy Scout camp." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the U.S. Foreign Information Service. View full size.
Dangers lurkThe lifeguard platform is conspicuously vacant! But the biggest concern, at that time, was polio You got it from swimming in lakes, rivers, and unchlorinated pools, according to belief at that time. My brother got polio, at age 8, in 1941. (He recovered, thank heavens). My mother always swore he caught it by swimming in a notoriously polluted river in my town.
[Entirely possible -- poliovirus is transmitted through contact with you-know-what. Dave]
(The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Boy Scouts, Jack Delano, Kids, Swimming)

Night and Fog: 1941
... Street at night during a fog." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Have a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/11/2018 - 10:46am -

January 1941. "New Bedford, Massachusetts. Street at night during a fog." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Have a nice trip?Those sidewalks must've been tough to navigate. The street seems safer. See ya next fall.
Time MachineIt's probably a good thing that time travel doesn't exist. I'd surely go broke paying to take a walk up and down streets like this and others found on Shorpy.
That SidewalkIs an insurance claim waiting to happen.
Tricky TitleAside from Wagner, Nacht und Nebel (Night and Fog) was a directive issued by Adolf Hitler on 7 December 1941 targeting political activists and resistance "helpers" in World War II to be imprisoned or killed, while the family and the population remained uncertain as to the fate or whereabouts of the Nazi state's alleged offender. Victims who disappeared in these "Night and Fog" actions were never heard from again.
[Best known as the title of Alan Resnais's immortal 1956 documentary. - Dave]
Nights like theseAre the kind that make you glad you're home by the fire.
Delano, on his game. Leaves you with the impression that the world existed in black and white.
Remarkable photographNew Bedford was where my grandfather ended up after arriving here from the Azores as a stowaway circa 1912. It's where my father was born. I've never visited and my father's family had moved to Brooklyn by 1941 but I'd like to think he might have known scenes like this as a kid. 
Hotel NoirWe'll leave a light on for you!
Almost nothing remainsI located the Diana Lodge (198 Middle St.) on the left and the Clarendon House (197 Middle St.) in the 1939 city directory for New Bedford. It appears that the only remaining structure in the photo is the house that was once the Clarendon.
https://goo.gl/maps/GnacaQQD6Mr
(The Gallery, Jack Delano)

Dear Folks: 1943
... Air Service Command. Writing a letter home." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Delano was a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/11/2014 - 2:32pm -

July 1943. "Greenville, South Carolina. Air Service Command. Writing a letter home." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Delano was a geniuswith light, his work always jumps right off the page. What an awesome photo.
Sergeants SuiteI remember the small rooms near the entrance or the staircase in those WW2 era Barracks. They were for the Cadre′, the training staff. There were usually 2 of these, one was occupied by the Senior NCO and the 2nd usually shared by another Sgt and/or a Corporal. The rest of us slept in single bedded, double decked camaraderie in what could lightly be called a Dormitory. 
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, WW2)

Throwing Shade: 1942
... his eyes from the welder's torch." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Git-r-done! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/22/2023 - 6:29pm -

July 1942. "Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Construction of ocean-going barges for the U.S. Army. Welder's helper shading his eyes from the welder's torch." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Git-r-done!Like so many during those war years -- he looks like a kid but is suddenly in a seriously responsible situation.  He's got a great look of determination.
A long way to the ocean.These ocean-going barges constructed in Alabama must be floated down the Tennessee River to the Ohio River, near Paducah, Kentucky; thence down the Ohio to the Mississippi; thence down the Mississippi to the Gulf.  Long-distance solutions like this are some of the necessities of wartime.
I learned some geography todayIt seems impossible that a ship constructed in Alabama would move downstream to the Ohio River -- the same Ohio River that flowed past my house near Pittsburgh. But it's true. 
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, WW2)

Coal Bridge: 1942
... five-ton coal bucket, Milwaukee Western Fuel Co." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Delano Does ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/19/2015 - 1:44pm -

December 1942. "Bridge with five-ton coal bucket, Milwaukee Western Fuel Co." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Delano Does it AgainA very striking composition with the juxtaposition of the stark angles and piled coal in the foreground nicely framing the ghostly apparition of the bridge crane.
Milwaukee-Western Fuel Co.The Milwaukee-Western Fuel Company in 1940 consolidated most of its coal receiving and storage operations to an expanded facility by leasing adjacent Milwaukee Gas Light Company land along the north bank of the Menomonee River, less than a mile northwest of downtown Milwaukee, between North 13th and North 22nd Streets.  The accompanying detail of a photograph taken in 1945 by Milwaukee maritime historian Herman Runge shows what is probably the coal bridge depicted in the OWI image, a Mead-Morrison structure constructed, I believe, in 1915, although my records show it used a ten-ton clam shell.  Milwaukee in the 1870s created a system of canals built south off the Menomonee that handled huge amounts of waterborne grain and especially coal back in the day, now, of course, virtually unused.  The Harley Davidson Museum sits at the confluence of the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers, just east of these canals.
Otherly worldly---another place, another universe, a garden admired by machine people
(The Gallery, Industry & Public Works, Jack Delano)

Joined at the Ship: 1942
... Willingham (right) and E.L. Sparkman." Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. A welder named Sparkman Really? [The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2023 - 11:07am -

July 1942. "Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Construction of ocean-going barges for the U.S. Army on the Tennessee River. A shipfitter and his helper. They are C.R. Willingham (right) and E.L. Sparkman." Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size.
A welder named SparkmanReally?
[The welder is Willingham. - Dave]
The helper of a welder isn't a welder, too?  He's got the cap.
Great title, DaveIf you look to the left of E.L. Sparkman at knee level, there is a rectangular mark drawn in chalk. I assume this is an area to be the cut out.  If you look to the right of C.R. Willingham at calf level there is the same mark, but with an incomplete note "Leave sto".  Does anyone know what was supposed to be left?
A Powerful Spark(man)?A quick virtual visit to Decatur and nearby communities shows big doings for the Sparkman family -- schools, parks and law firms all carrying the electrically charged moniker. Was E.L. the progenitor with the power?
That toolI think is a puller to draw steel plate (or sheet) together, getting a good fit to then weld. I welded for 40 years and I'm guessin'.
(The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Jack Delano, WW2)

US U: 1942
... the gas mask factory." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Too Grim ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/23/2023 - 11:26am -

June 1942. "Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland. Gas demonstration. Gas masks ('Universal' size) reconditioned for civilian defense use at the gas mask factory." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Too GrimThis photo needs some comic relief. It reminds me of this clip.
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, WW2)

Private Alley: 1942
... Saunders stops to say goodbye to his wife." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Occupational ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2018 - 1:11pm -

April 1942. Chicago. "Negro businessmen and women. On his way to play at an afternoon show, bandleader 'Red' Saunders stops to say goodbye to his wife." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Occupational ClassificationIt may seem odd to deem an artist a "businessman," but greats like Duke Ellington and Count Basie would probably have agreed that finance and management skills are fully as essential as musical taste and virtuosity in keeping a band fed, paid, and consistently engaged in entertaining an appreciative public. 
Red SaundersRed (seen earlier here) met his wife, Ella, when she was working as a chorus girl while they were playing the same show in California. They and their two children were the subject of a series of OWI photos taken by Jack Delano in April 1942. Red died in Chicago in 1981, aged 69.
A Red Saunders Playlist
Week Day Blues
Mistreatin' Woman Blues (1951)
Hey Bartender, Buy That Man A Drink (1951)
Boot 'Em Up (1951)
Sugar Bounce (1951)
Hambone (1952)
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano)

Lowell, Massachusetts: 1941
... of Lowell, Massachusetts. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size. Jack Kerouac's Hometown Nice to see ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/06/2009 - 11:22pm -

January 1941. Middlesex Street in the textile mill center of Lowell, Massachusetts. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size.
Jack Kerouac's HometownNice to see this picture of Jack's hometown during a period when he was probably still living there.  Most appropriate for this On The Road 50th Anniversary year - and its big celebration in Lowell.
stacksi always loved those old stacks . . . . . used to see them everywhere.  hard now to believe they were routinely built across the country. to see them now, out of context, is so enigmatic.
These Street Scenes......are often littered with Coca-Cola signs. And in fact there's a beautiful one here on the roof of the building. But it really warms my heart to see the Moxie sign in the lower left corner of this picture.
Great shot for us LowelliansNice followup to the recent Lowell pin boys photo (Les Mis)! Check out the Library of Congress' Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS/HAERS) collection for more photos of the mill buildings (in particular, Boott Mills).
Lowell StacksAwesome pic, i can really put myself there, but a time machine would be better. You can even see the cold in the air, i guess some things never change.
re: MoxieIt's a soda sold only in the Northeast. It's awful, but some people love it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moxie
Moxie is a brand of soda,Moxie is a brand of soda, and the name of my cat.
MoxieFor those of us who live in the plains, what is Moxie?
Moxie is......possibly the most distinctive soft drink in the world. And by distinctive I mean it's an acquired taste for most people. This stuff makes all those "energy/sports" drinks taste like...well...soda pop. Think root beer, on steroids. And then there is that strange, lingering aftertaste. I think it's still pretty hard to find in most areas apart from some small east coast markets, but if you ever get a chance to sample it, try at least three tastes of it before you make up your mind. If the taste doesn't suit you, at least enjoy the wonderful aroma.
More about Moxie...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moxie 
MoxieIt's kind of a cross between Coke, Dr Pepper and Tab. If I remember correctly, it has a bit of a bite. You can still get it in some places. 
BricklayingI realize those are not unusual structures, but looking at the full-size image, it struck me that someone had to lay and mortar all bricks in those tall chimneys by hand.
i presume there's no machine that does such things.
BricksYep.  It's all one great big, cylindrical load-bearing wall.
MoxieI always felt that they took all the good tasting roots to make root beer, and with the nasty, gnarly stuff left over, they'd make Moxie.  It has a serious aftertaste.  And now, for masochists who are dieting, there is Diet Moxie.
The bricks...I love how the near chimney has stripes for 1/2 its length. That's probably just a creative bricklayer realising that one batch in ten of his bricks was darker than the rest, and instead of mixing them together, took the opportunity to make his own mark on the structure.
Lowell Mill stacksWhat a great photo!   The beautiful thing about Kodachrome is that it seems to put a candy coating on even the bleakest scene.  However...I know what's under those brilliant layers of dye.  like my grandfather before me, I worked in one of those god-awful mills in Lowell in the 70's.  I'd rather drown in Moxie than spend another day in a Lowell mill - in any time period!  
MoxieMoxie tastes like motor oil mixed with Lavoris. It's the Guinness Stout of soft drinks.
It's America's oldest soft drink and used to be sold nationally until Coke knocked it out of its USA-wide throne.
The term "moxie" comes from the drink.
Check out the "New England Moxie Congress" website for great information.
I happen to love it and am glad to have friends from Eastern New England who bring cases of it to me here in Central New York. But for some stange reason you can get it at a beer and soda outlet in Bath PA! 
Middlesex StreetI'm sure that's Middlesex Street and the mills in the background were built as the Hamilton Mills.
[Thanks! I updated the caption. Chet's Lunch was at 279 Middlesex. Click below to enlarge. Ad from 1941. - Dave]

Lowell MillThat's the Appleton Mill in the background.
MoxieOnly someone who has drunk Moxie can equate it as a death wish! My great-grandfather ran a mill in Lowell and I had my first taste of Moxie as a child there. Of course I hated it and still do, but I keep a bottle in my fridge, for good luck, I guess. Out here on the West Coast no one knows what it is.
Moxie in the WestYou can actually get Moxie in L.A. from Galco's Soda Pop Stop. An Aussie expat, I just love the fact that I can also get Bundaberg ginger beer there too!
It's funny to see that the Moxie sign is larger than the Coke one, although its placement isn't as good, being down the street. It's also interesting to note the similarities such as red/white, and the word "Drink" leading into the logo.
Long Gone [Not]What a wonderful glimpse of the past!  I know this street well.  The shops and stacks are long gone, leaving nothing but an empty lot.
[The buildings are still there. Including a smokestack. Below is a view of the Chet's Lunch address, 279 Middlesex Street. - Dave]
View Larger Map
Match GameThen and Now.
MoxieLUV the Moxie. You can find it in NY State at some Hannaford stores. If you want a good simulation of what it tastes like, put 3-4 dashes of Angostura Bitters in some fresh real Coca-Cola. Angostura is what you taste in Moxie.
it's Gentian root.
(The Gallery, Jack Delano)

For the Duration: 1942
... hours a day." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. NIght shots ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2023 - 6:10pm -

July 1942. "Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Construction of ocean-going barges for the U.S. Army. Work goes on twenty-four hours a day." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
NIght shotsPhenomenal photo.  Good find.
(The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Jack Delano, WW2)

Making the Trains Run: 1942
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano . Locomotive Man A wonderful photo from a time when someone who ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 4:55pm -

December 1942. A young worker at the Chicago & North Western  40th Street shops. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano.
Locomotive ManA wonderful photo from a time when someone who learned a trade got some respect. Even though this young man was dirty, I am sure he was proud to be a locomotive mechanic. Today most people who get dirty are looked down upon even though the rest of society depends on them to keep everything going.      
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Signal Corps: 1942
... a scout car during a field problem." Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Troubleshooting Well, here's the problem: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/03/2023 - 7:34pm -

April 1942. "Fort Riley, Kansas. Signal Corps unit communicating by radio from a scout car during a field problem." Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size.
TroubleshootingWell, here's the problem: it's the low speed fratistat!
M3A1 Scout CarAs close as I can figure, the vehicle is a M3A1 Scout Car, one of 20,918 produced between 1939 and 1944.  This model came with a wider body over the fenders, removal of the rear door, and the addition of a front roller. Internally, the M3A1 had an improved engine and was fitted with a machine gun skate rail.  It was the last of this series of scout cars.

(Technology, The Gallery, Jack Delano, WW2)

Get Back, Jack: 1942
... "Boy Scout camp swimming class." 35mm negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. The jig is up! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/06/2014 - 12:01pm -

July 1942. Florence, Alabama (vicinity). "Boy Scout camp swimming class." 35mm negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
The jig is up!The lad in the foreground anticipates his friends' scorn when they see that, despite his bombast on the bus, his best stroke is the dog paddle.
From the "Old Days"Prehistoric Speedos!
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, Swimming)

Jacked: 1942
... get the spare out of the trunk? Medium-format negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. RIP: 1942 Delano ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2013 - 2:19pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Jacking up a car on the repair tracks at an Illinois Central Railroad yard." Someone get the spare out of the trunk? Medium-format negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
RIP: 1942Delano caught it on one of the RIP tracks. Repair In Place.
Treble MemoryI believe both wheels shared a common axe. So  to make a change he needs another jack. Quiz time: why were the outer rims tapered?
[That axe never stops sharpening. - Dave]
Doh!When they told him to go get a Duff he thought they meant Beer.
Not just trucking aroundThere probably is another jack out of view to the left.  He'll be removing the whole truck (both axes...er...axles and all 4 wheels).  If he was just removing one pair of whhels he'd have to support the truck somehow instead of the frame of the car.
Don't Damage the FinishWe first saw a track jack and Texas toothpick back here. I don't quite understand the padding that seems to be sitting on the business end of the jack. 
Tapered wheelsTapered wheels keep the wheels centered on the rails and allow for the different distances each wheel travels when going around curves since they have a solid connection via the axle to the opposite wheel. In an ideal world the flanges should never touch the rails in reality they do however.
Wheel taperWheel taper is 2 degrees 50 minutes.  The taper is designed to keep the flanges off the rail heads and to eliminate hunting. The wheels are pressed onto the axles. This particular car has 33 inch wheels and plain bearings.  It would be another 20 years before roller bearings were in widespread use on freight cars. 
That guy has some "get up and go"Now that's what I call a faith-based initiative!
That JackThat jack is very similar to the ones my father had stored in his garage. He used a couple to jack up the front and back porches on his house (for long term stability). He called them "house" jacks, and I'm sure they are still doing their jobs 60 years after installation!
Trucks and solid axles. With the solid friction bearing axles as in this pictured truck. The truck needs to be disassembled to replace a wheel set (2 wheels and axle). The paper between the jack and steel body is to reduce slipping of the steel on steel surface. 
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Götterdämmerung: 1942
... Railroad locomotive shops." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Franklin ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2015 - 12:51pm -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Repair and overhauling in the Chicago & North Western Railroad locomotive shops." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Franklin BoosterLooking in the lower left corner of the photo, the item on the cart is a Franklin Booster.  These were mounted usually on the rear truck of larger steam engines and provided extra tractive effort at lower speeds.  The SP 4449 has one.
Flooring:  bricks or wood blocks?The flooring may be wood blocks set on end, rather than bricks or stone blocks.  I've seen this in another roundhouse, the reasons for using wood were (a) absorb oil, rather than providing a very slippery surface for oil spills, (b) less chance of damaging a part if it were dropped.
GötterdämmerungI see what you did there... :)
Twilight of the GodsWhen exactly does the fat lady sing?
Wood blocksDuring the late 1920's and early 1930's my father was the engineer who was in charge of the Brooklyn Bridge. He told me that the bridge was paved with wooden blocks set on end very much like the railroad shop in the picture. . When the blocks became worn they were picked up and turned over. Relatively light weight, non-slippery and durable.
Wrong TitleAlas, Götterdämmerung is an ending.  A better title might be: "Nacht und Nebel" or Night and Fog.
[Twilight of the Gods = the fast-approaching final days of the huge steam locomotives which up to this point  had ruled the rails unchallenged. -tterrace]
Various AppliancesA poster below already pointed out the booster engine on the closest track.  Good call; I had no idea what it was.  The cylinders on the floor to the right of the booster are interesting.  I want to say that they're compressed air reservoirs, but they appear to be way too long, so I have no idea.
Lead and trailing trucks are being worked on tracks 2 and 3.  There's a 2-wheel pony (leading) truck on track two that is flipped over.  To the right of that is a 4-wheel trailing truck off a 2-8-4.  The trailing truck on track 3 that the guy is welding inside is off an H Class 4-8-4, pictured many times on Shorpy.  Neither locomotive is in the picture.  Perhaps if we turned the other way?  The picture looking the other direction is on here someplace.
Great Delano exhibit in Chicago going on nowJust visited the Jack Delano "Railroaders" exhibit at the Chicago History Museum.  The exhibit focuses on the people who insured that America's WWII railroad supply lines ran efficiently and at full capacity.  Great photos (black and white AND COLOR!) of dozens of railroaders, from top management down to the gofers.  Terrific insights into the dispatching and maintenance of the trains and great stories of the folks and families who depended on railroading as a livelihood.  Lots of train photos, too.  If you are a fan of Jack Delano's art or a fan of mid-20th century railroading, don't miss this exhibit. It runs through the end of January 2016.
(The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Buffalo Soldiers: 1942
... of "Buffalo Soldiers" fame. Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. The original super troopers When the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2023 - 3:33pm -

April 1942. "Fort Riley, Kansas. G troop of the 10th Cavalry brigade." The African-American regiment of "Buffalo Soldiers" fame. Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size.
The original super troopers When the youngest of these men were born in 1920, there were 20 million horses in the US. By the time this photo was taken that number was halved due to motorized transport. Most if not all calvary recruits had never ridden a horse, and training was an unbelievable ordeal on their internal organs and lower extremities. 
(The Gallery, Horses, Jack Delano, WW2)

The Fog of War: 1942
... smokescreen during a field problem." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the U.S. Foreign Information Service/Office of War Information. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/04/2023 - 4:07pm -

April 1942. "Fort Riley, Kansas. Training of Negro units and white units. Soldier of a cavalry rifle unit going through smokescreen during a field problem." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the U.S. Foreign Information Service/Office of War Information. View full size.
Taken very seriouslyPoison gas killed an estimated 91,000 people during World War I, so there was plenty of reason to fear and train for it in World War II. Despite the rare humorous poster below, this was no laughing matter.
In 1925, the League of Nations adopted the Geneva Protocol, which banned the use of chemical or biological agents in warfare--but it did not prohibit further development or stockpiling of them. During World War II, the battlefield prohibition mostly held--but there were the Nazi concentration camps.
During a basic training exercise in 1970, I had to walk around a room full of tear gas, then remove my mask some time before being let out. This was to show that masks worked, and that gas worked if you weren't wearing one. But the war we were pointing toward featured napalm and Agent Orange, for which gas masks provided poor protection.
Shades of the Great WarWith the doughboy (M1917) helmet and the gas mask.
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, WW2)

Westbound Freight: 1943
... and Santa Fe Railroad." Medium-format safety negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Why the War ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 6:08pm -

March 1943. "Chillicothe, Illinois. Changing crews and cabooses of a westbound freight along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad." Medium-format safety negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
Why the War Information Office?Jack Delano seemed to specialize in photo's of railroads (and this one in particular) during WWII.  But why?  
Historic revelationMy dad started in Chillicothe, Il for the Santa Fe in 1939 as a switchman, by 1943 he was in Britain with the American army railway division headed to France after D-Day.  Even as cold as it looks in this photo I am sure he would rather have been in Illinois.
Lighter Than AirAnother wonderful railroad scene.  You can almost feel the chill.  It's hard to tell from this angle, but the fourth and fifth cars in front of the cabin, (caboose to you non-Pennsy fans), look very much like helium cars.
These fairly rare cars were used by the U.S. Navy to ship helium gas for their "Blimp" fleet.  They consisted of multiple horizontal tanks on a specialized flat car.  Their use was discontinued shortly after the war so they really date the photo.
He's a good photographer!Man, that Jack Delano had an eye for a photo.
Helium tank carsHelium tank cars were in use at least into the 70's. It is used in a variety industrial and medical applications. The U.S. had the monopoly on helium which was drawn from natural gas drilled in Texas.
Why Photograph RailroadsWWII honed logistics to a science. We had never fought a war of such magnitude, and documenting the inner workings of the nation as it converted to war production was valuable for tactical reasons. Virtually everything needed by a modern industrial nation and military had to move incredible distances in a short time. Railroads were the only long-distance, all-weather, heavy-duty transportation system available and they hauled everything from staples to Sherman tanks. Trucks were used, but with a national 35mph speed limit, plus gas and tire rationing, cross-country haulage as we take it for granted now was limited.  
As propaganda, these photos showed our enemies we could make guns and butter at the same time. And in the end, our ability to out-produce and move supplies ultimately secured victory.  
I believe the Office of War Information grew directly out of the Farm Home Administration photo project, where Delano had worked during the Depression. He was simply on assignment (he really wasn't railfan as we know them now, although his work is still very much appreciated and respected by us) when he took these photos. He later wrote a book "The Iron Horse at War" showcasing his cross-country wartime rail travels,  in black and white photos. 
It's not well known, but railroads also had an agenda in publicizing these photos. The War Powers act allows the government to nationalize and operate critical infrastructure (like the railroads) during a national emergency — this occurred after the US entered WWI, and the resulting United States Railroad Administration is still cited as an example of government ineptitude to this day. Railroads wanted to avoid this at all costs and made no secret of the fact they were doing twice the work with half the equipment they had in 1917 at every opportunity.    
AT&SF Ry It was the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, not AT&SF Railroad.  The Office of War Information seems to have consistently mangled this particular bit of information.
that looks a lot like thethat looks a lot like the shot from "Days of Heaven" 
Tramp?I find it interesting that there is a man with his valise standing on the right of way.  I suspect he was going to hitch a ride.
On the Road AgainNot a tramp — that's likely the conductor waiting at trackside. The waycar (caboose) is carrying marker lamps, so technically this is now a train. The switcher has completed its shove and come to a full stop, so it’s safe for the man on the ground to climb aboard. He's bent over slightly and has his right hand around the handle, so I'm guessing he's picking up his bag. 
While a crew would work between division point terminals roughly 100 or so miles apart, they could be on duty up to 16 continuous hours during this era (very common during the war with the volume of traffic and shortages of manpower). Crews would be away from their home terminal for several days, so they carried everything they needed in a small suitcase or "grip" in railroad slang. 
I believe waycars were still assigned to conductors at this time (that's why they would be changed), so he and the rear brakeman would live in the car until they got home. 
The talented Mr. DelanoI was intrigued to learn, via Wikipedia, that Jack Delano was also a classical composer of some note, including an early experimenter with electronic music techniques. Also a film director. And related by marriage to Ben Shahn.
He was born in Ukraine (birth name Ovcharov), and grew up in Pennsylvania. (Shorpy's capsule biography of him is not quite accurate: he was 9 when his family emigrated, well before the Depression.) For the last fifty years of his long life (1914-1997) he lived in Puerto Rico, where he made use of local folk material in his ballet and choral compositions. 
Helper AssignmentSince the picture was labeled as Chillicothe, it would most likely be that we are seeing the helper engine coupling onto a westbound Santa Fe train that is about to climb Edelstein Hill.  After the shove up the hill, the helper and crew would back down from Edelstein to the Chillicothe Yard.  This line is double tracked. Besides the engine crew, the helper would have carried a flagman (brakeman).  That is my take on this picture. An excellent exposure and composition.
USRA locomotive designs were classics"the resulting United States Railroad Administration is still cited as an example of government ineptitude to this day"
Oh?  Perhaps in rabidly pro-corporate and anti-government circles, but aside from the Ayn Randies many people recognized that the USRA delivered some classic locomotive designs, as well as promoting coordinated planning.  Railroad management was rarely cooperative unless colluding to screw their customers.  And not just a turn of the century thing, either  -  look at the crooks that looted the Penn-Central years later.
Helper serviceThe caption is probably correct.  Almost assuredly the locomotive is changing cabooses or making some sort of switching move on the rear of the train. The caboose looks like an old wooden style so a helper locomotive would have to be cut in ahead of it.  Also, if it were a helper, the markers would have to be placed on the rear of that locomotive, not the rear of the caboose.    
Caboose changeSeason's greetings from Germany. It certainly is a change of caboose. The switcher in the picture had just taken off the old caboose - a Sante Fé with number 1860 - and crew, while having pushed the new caboose coupled to its front and dropped off the new crew there in the coldness. Now the switcher again has returned only with the now-empty new caboose - A.T.S.F. 1743. The last of the three crew members picks up his bags and climbs aboard while the switcher puts into reverse and is ready to leave. I am the proud owner of Delanos picture book with the above information.
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Vanishing Point: 1943
... Santa Fe between Belen and Gallup, New Mexico." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Curious There ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/15/2013 - 12:32pm -

March 1943. "On the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe between Belen and Gallup, New Mexico." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size.
CuriousThere looks like a slight amount of motion in the foreground; I wonder if  Delano shot from the back of a moving train.
Jack strikes again!Another great photo from the The Man!
On a Clear DayYou can see forever.
Singing the praises of Shorpy railroad photosLove Shorpy's railroad photos. This one brings to mind the Johnny Mercer song "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe." It won an Oscar when introduced by Judy Garland in The Harvey Girls.
Do you hear that whistle down the line?
I figure that it's engine number forty-nine
She's the only one that'll sound that way
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe.
Not from a moving trainBased on the telephone pole spacing, there is a maximum of 500 feet between the headlamp and Delano's lens. By railroad standards, that's tailgating.
Following train is stopped.The smoke is blowing toward the photographer. If the following train were actually moving, the smoke would be in a trail behind the train, rather than moving ahead of it.
Crosswinds"The smoke is blowing toward the photographer. If the following train were actually moving, the smoke would be in a trail behind the train"
Not if there's a crosswind.
Also, in my opinion his perspective is too low to be standing on the caboose platform. I believe the most likely explanation is that Delano's train is in the siding, and he has stepped off the train for this photo.
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Anomie Farm: 1941
... Near Sterlingville, New York." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Hobbies: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2019 - 2:39pm -

August 1941. "The family of Mr. Dan Sampson, father of 11 children. The Sampsons are moving out of their small unproductive farm in the Pine Camp expansion area to a 240-acre dairy farm in South Rutland, N.Y., obtained through the New York Defense Relocation Corporation. Near Sterlingville, New York." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Hobbies: noneThat's one thing television eventually did--it gave the grown folks something to do besides making more viewers.
Curlers in your hairWith regard to the young lady in curlers underneath the deer-head-with-bicycle-handlebars, I recall my dad, when he would see a woman with curlers interviewed on national TV, speculating on what event could be more important than appearing on national TV, that she would keep her curlers in her hair.  In like manner, I wonder why this young lady does not take out her curlers and do something to her hair (like her older sister on the right), with the photographer in their house and all. And doesn’t she know she’ll be appearing on Shorpy in 78 years?
Sampsons' ElevenWell, the farm may not have been productive, but Mr. and Mrs. Sampson sure were.
Not smilingThe family doesn't seem to be welcoming the camera very much.  It reminds me of something my grandmother told me about some distant relatives I thought I might like to get to know; "they are poor, but proud".  She was warning me that I'd get the bum's rush very quickly if I gave the slightest "air of superiority", and I wonder if this family really doesn't appreciate being known as the recipient of charity in this regard.
Where's #11?I count ten.  Either one's under the table or mom's expecting again.
Deer HeadThe absolute saddest example of taxidermy ever.
Conceptual ArtThe deer seems to have tangled with a Picasso bull.
Grapes of WhateverThere's an entire Steinbeck novel written in the face of that little girl in the foreground. 
This lad is not in on the fixYep, I like the boy in the foreground who seems unimpressed by Delano's stage directions.
The girl in front doesn't seem to be fully on board either.
We might call this picture "fake news" now.
Father of 11Maybe #11 left home.  
1940 CensusIn the 1940 Census for Wilna, Jefferson County, New York:
Dan Sampson age 47, Lila 36, William 16, Warren 15, Mabel 14, Dorothy 12, Frank 11, Don 10, Charles 8, Charlotte 7, Clara 6, Edward 5, and Lila Jr. 2.
Those black dots on the wallare flies.
Moved out because of Fort DrumThe Pine Camp mentioned is now Fort Drum, one of the largest Army bases in New York.  The military installation was set up as part of the massive military build up prior to the USA entering WWII. South Rutland is now called Tylerville, and the other place mentioned, Sterlingville, was also devoured by the new base. They may not have been so happy having the family farm taken away from them despite the optimistic commentary from the photographer, who, as a government employee, felt obligated to put a positive spin on things -- well, at least in the commentary.
"Pine Camp expansion area"Now known as Fort Drum.   
My National Guard unit used to go there in early May for annual training (and wake up the residents by firing artillery at 2 AM.)  In one week in the field we saw snow, rain, sun, dust, mosquitoes and mud.  The commander said, "This is good training!"  Our response cannot be printed here (and was probably anatomically impossible).
That thing in the deer's antlersI'm thinking less "bicycle handlebars" and more "bow for a bow saw, missing the blade"
That deer's seen better days.
Well DocumentedPerhaps the Sampsons had had enough of being photographed. They were visited in 1937 by photographer Arthur Rothstein.
Then were visited by Jack Delano twice in 1941, first in August, and after they'd moved to their new farm in October.
Dan and his wife Lila would ultimately have 13 children. The couple both died in 1960.
Different genreI'm thinking more Stephen King than Steinbeck.
Gifts of ShorpySorry, but I have to "pipe-in" here.  Having always liked Shorpy from first discovery, never considering why, I just realized an important ingredient (yes, slow learner).  I don't know if Dave planned it this way from the beginning or if it was just good luck, however, while enjoying comments on this photo (and others) it became apparent that each comment gives us an added perspective to think about or learn.  Each comment tells a short story.  Dave could have started a site with just old photos that he found intetesting.  But no, some (hidden?) genius decided to allow viewer participation through the ability to enhance the photos with comments.  Well done Mr. Dave! (and any others behind the scenes).
Anomie Farm?I had to google "anomie". Isn't that just a bit unkind? 
[The title of this post is a literary pun. - Dave]
OK. Looks more like the Clover side of things than the Napoleon side, though.
We have a winnerMrs Sampson is indeed pregnant. Alonzo S Sampson will be born Nov 30, 1941.
She's not thereCount again. Mrs. Sampson is not in the picture, only "The family of Mr. Dan Sampson" which likely only includes his 11 children pictured.
[Mrs. Sampson is the tired-looking lady in the doorway. - Dave]
Grapes Of Some ...Eiger, yours is the comment of the day.  I noticed that too, but throwing Steinbeck in there is so fitting!
Could anyone maintain an appetite while that mounted deer was in the room?!  It's rotting on the wall.
Very odd energy in the room, with the lack of eye contact.  What do they all know but aren't saying?
Sad storyThe family grew to 15 children, seven of whom succumbed to lung cancer. Eldest daughter Mabel believed the cancer was caused by bug spray applied by the military to the area prior to the family's removal. The last living child is in her 70s.
No, the family did not want their photo taken. They were not in curlers or a housedress because they were "trashy" as some have joked, but because it was early in the morning. They objected to being photographed but the three men talked them into it.
Information from the chapter "Heartache on the Homefront" from Dave Shampine’s book “Remembering the North Country: Tales of Time Gone By.”
Stone Cold GangstaBoy in the foreground seems to be doing something boys his age have been known to do; photobombing this event with a finger gesture (making the "Anomie" title even more apropos). His older brother in onto him.
Something is Not Rotten in New YorkNot so sure the deer head is rotting. There is something hanging from the deer's right-side antler that makes it look like the right ear is rotting. But it seems the "rot" is really what's hanging. Could be a bottle brush (after all, it is/was a dairy farm).
And flies in August on an upstate NY dairy farm isn't too surprising, especially in a farmhouse without air conditioning.
(The Gallery, Agriculture, Jack Delano, Kids)

40th Street Shops: 1942
... & North Western R.R." Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size. Locomotive Breath Looks like they are taking ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2017 - 11:43am -

        Back to the days of the blacksmith: The only tools seen here are two hammers, a wrench and a broom.
December 1942. "Working on a locomotive at the 40th Street Shops, Chicago & North Western R.R." Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size.
Locomotive BreathLooks like they are taking off the smokebox door to get ready to reflue the engine.  One of the dirtiest job a boilermaker can have.  Nasty!
Three menAm I correct in assuming that there are three men visible in this photo: the one standing on the ground, looking up; the one on the smokebox lying on his side in front of the chimney, reaching upwards; and the partially visible man in front of the smokebox door, back to us, face unseen, right arm raised and holding what looks like a 2x4.  And I think I see two brooms: one on the locomotive, and one on the wooden platform in front of it.
And a BUDA jackAnd I still use that tool today. I have a few old BUDA's my wife found at a yard sale 15 years ago. She paid $5 a piece because they were to heavy for the lady to put them back in the garage. I've jacked up many houses with them . They are over 100 years old, and work like new. Old tools rule.
ColorI'm surprised to see this is a Kodachrome.  It could have been a B & W had it not been for the rust color of the chimney.
MemoriesThis was my grandfather's job on the Pennsylvania for many years (1906-1939). His official title was blacksmith, although he did metal fabrication and repair as well. Thanks for this picture.
The job's done.I think they're putting the smokebox front sheet back on the engine, rather than taking it off. They've finished whatever job they were doing. Notice the newly installed smokestack. Also note that that the engine has the relatively uncommon Young valve gear.
When Kodachrome = SepiaGreat photo.  Oddly it appeals to my sense of smell; I imagine the smell of soot and machinery.
Full view of the loco hereActually the #1647, her sister. Nice looking loco, although it's hard to find a really ugly 4-6-2.  Interesting that there's a disc wheel on the center driver axle with spoked wheels in front and behind.  Can't recall seeing that before.
I see one hammerOn the running board of the locomotive. A ball peen by the looks. The "hammer" on the floor in the foreground is, to my eyes, a B&O. It was used to drive pins or bolts out of an assembly.  They are made in many sizes, both single and double ended. The doubles are usually different sizes on each end. They are used the same way a punch or drift  would be except you have long handle to keep your hands away from an errant swing of the sledge. The large double ended ones resemble the spike mauls the gandy dancers used so I always thought that is where the B&O came from.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)

All the Jars: 1941
... exhausted after indulging the whims of FSA photographer Jack Delano. View full size. OK, Jack If you want these jars outside, YOU ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/11/2019 - 3:00pm -

October 1941. Greene County, Georgia. "Canned goods made by Doc and Julia Miller, Farm Security Administration clients with 1,000 jars of fruit, vegetables, etc. they have put up for the winter." Yet another farm family exhausted after indulging the whims of FSA photographer Jack Delano. View full size.
OK, JackIf you want these jars outside, YOU move them!
Dave's comment is too kindThe more I see of Delano's work here at Shorpy, the more I get bad vibes from him. His editorializing is just a tad ... off.
["Editorializing"? Please explain. - Dave]
Reminds meOf an old joke. A farmer was asked by his city relatives what they did with all the fruit and vegetables they had gathered. The answer is quite puzzling to learners of English! He replied "We eat what we can, and what we can't we can!"
UncannyWhat purpose could those shelving units / display racks have served other than as props for the photos?  The people certainly couldn’t have stored their canned food like that, out in the open, in the sun.  Can anyone illuminate?
[The photographer had them move all those jars (and shelves) into the yard for this shot. As implied by the photo caption! - Dave]
I honestly did not believe he would make them go to all that trouble, especially after all the work they'd already done!
Unhappy FamilyNone of the people in this family looks very happy. Probably because they had to haul all of these jars out for the display and when Mr. Delano was done taking pictures, they had to haul them all back inside.
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, Rural America)

Switchman Dan: 1943
... Harbor Belt Line railyard." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size. Kodachrome! "Give me the nice bright colors" ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 9:29am -

February 1943. "Daniel Senise throwing a switch in an Indiana Harbor Belt Line railyard." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. View full size.
Kodachrome!"Give me the nice bright colors" ... I can almost feel the chill in the air on this one! Kudos to Paul Simon, Kodak and Dave, of course, naturally.
KudosDon't forget the Jack Delano in the kudos, that's a magnificent picture.
And wow, Kodachrome is just in a class by itself, isn't it?
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Beat Me Daddy: 1942
... on Indiana Avenue. Chicago, Illinois." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Foreign Information Service of the U.S. Office of Coordinator of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/24/2023 - 10:48am -

April 1942. "Mr. Oliver Coleman, drummer, looking over some music scores in the study of his apartment on Indiana Avenue. Chicago, Illinois." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Foreign Information Service of the U.S. Office of Coordinator of Information. View full size.
Appropriate photographerBesides his photographic work, Jack Delano was a composer of some note, particularly after he first visited Puerto Rico a year before he photographed Mr. Coleman. (Delano moved to Puerto Rico permanently after the war.) He wrote for solo voice, chorus, chamber ensembles, electronic instruments, and orchestras, often using Puerto Rican materials. He developed a close relationship with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, founded under the influence of Pablo Casals in 1958.
Drummers in apartmentsThe other tenants love 'em! 
TSHA | Coleman, Oliver - Texas State Historical Association
Beat Me Daddy... Eight to the Bar!
Pedigree"Jazz drummer Oliver Coleman was born in Beaumont, Texas, in 1914. Coleman was considered one of the leading drummers and successful percussion teachers in Chicago."
"Solid Mama"Oliver Coleman was the drummer for the Earl Hines Orchestra in the late 1930s and can be heard on a number of sides, including versions of “Hines Rhythm,” “Ridin' a Riff,” “Solid Mama,” and “Goodnight, Sweet Dreams, Goodnight,” with the latter showing off his driving style to best advantage.
-- Texas State Historical Association
The Man Beats a Mean Boogie WoogieYeah go man go!
Jumpin' Jack Special Recorded in New York, September 1946
Dorothy Donegan on piano accompanied by Carl "Flat Top" Wilson on bass and Oliver Coleman on drums.
Oliver Coleman recordings online: 1938-1956Jazz Online includes 31 recordings on which Coleman is credited as Drums.
Enjoy!
http://www.jazz-on-line.com/pageinterrogation.php?keymatrix=&keylabel=&k...
(The Gallery, Chicago, Music)

Gym Taps: 1942
... the gymnasium at Iowa State College." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the U.S. Office of the Coordinator of Information. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/14/2023 - 10:40am -

May 1942. Ames, Iowa. "Tap dancing class in the gymnasium at Iowa State College." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the U.S. Office of the Coordinator of Information. View full size.
Wait a gosh darn minute!We were always told, "NO street shoes on the gym floor!"  That was what "Sock Hops" were all about.  I should think tap shoes, which the lady in the foreground has on, wouldn't be allowed.
(The Gallery, Dance, Jack Delano, Pretty Girls)

Study Buddy: 1942
... at Iowa State College." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Dreaming of flights and a life too short In ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/14/2023 - 1:38pm -

May 1942. Ames, Iowa. "Sophomore Doris Clausen of Boone, Iowa, in a physiology class at Iowa State College." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size.
Dreaming of flights and a life too shortIn 1944 (soon after her graduation) Doris Clausen married a fellow Boone County native, Wylie "Moon" Mullen, who would later graduate from the State University of Iowa (now U of I) College of Medicine. In addition to raising four children, Doris and Wylie bought an airport near Joliet, learned to fly small aircraft, and each received commercial, private and helicopter licenses. She died in 1966 (at age 43) near Hammond, Indiana, while working as a pilot. She was taking "Champagne Tony" Lema, a professional golfer and the winner of the 1964 British Open, his wife, and her co-pilot, from the Firestone tournament in Akron to the Lincolnshire Open. Ironically, the plane crash-landed on a golf course; witnesses said an engine cut out in midair. Her husband lived another 40 years as a doctor, then philanthropist, until his death in 2006.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/330439635/?clipping_id=106217159&fcfTok... 
Bone of ContentionI always hated it when the teacher stood over me while I was trying to study.
(The Gallery, Bizarre, Education, Schools, Jack Delano)

The Experiment: 1942
... department at Iowa State College." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the U.S. Office of the Coordinator of Information. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/14/2023 - 1:10pm -

May 1942. Ames, Iowa. "Conducting diet and nutrition experiments on rats in the animal laboratory of the home economics department at Iowa State College." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the U.S. Office of the Coordinator of Information. View full size.
(The Gallery, Animals, Education, Schools, Jack Delano)

Defense Window: 1942
... defense bonds to Swedish farmers." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. What Happens ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/19/2023 - 12:28pm -

April 1942. "Swedish postmaster in a small Minnesota town selling defense bonds to Swedish farmers." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
What Happens In Minnesota Stays In MinnesotaThat fourth guy is a Norwegian imposter!
Too close for comfortEspecially the hulking lad breathing down the youngster's neck. I recall from childhood that such lack of physical distancing between strangers was tolerated and even the norm in some circumstances. Such uninvited closeness, in a present day  North American society queue up, would undoubtedly result in instantaneous verbal chastisement towards the perpetrator, I know it would from me.
[I suspect the bunching up was at the photographer's request. - Dave]
40 years laterI had one of those savings bonds thanks to a grandfather.  He paid I guess $17.50 for a $25 bond, and when it matured in the 80s it was worth about $75.
Physical spaceYes, I'm certain the tight lineup was the photographer's request. This is a bunch of Scandinavian Minnesotans after all.
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, WW2)

2:23: 1941
... 1941. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. Soothsayer's Recompense Paging Giorgio de Chirico ... ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2012 - 11:07pm -

Ayer Mill clock tower, Lawrence, Massachusetts. January 1941. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano.
Soothsayer's RecompensePaging Giorgio de Chirico ... 
pig...Throw a pink pig up near that smoke stack and you've got a Pink Floyd album cover...
Coming from the Northeast, it's interesting to see the mills when they were actually in use as opposed to their current states of disrepair or hip, urban renewal.
great blog, by the way.
Steel Mill photographs ?I have a request how about some steel mill photos? If anyone has any please post.
If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.
Mark Twain
What interests me mostare those old wooden bodied box cars of the now defunct New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad sitting on the company's siding.
Many of these old time railroad cars were still in use well into the 1960's.
"The New Haven",  as it was commonly known, spent a good portion of its more than century of existence in derelict bankruptcy and trusteeship.
Keeping equipment in good shape, other than motive power,
was often something that was sacrificed in the name of financial savings.
The New Haven was also a target of corporate takeovers and such by people like tycoon J.P. Morgan.
I would love to know the history of that old passenger/baggage "combine" car sitting in the foreground. It is also of wooden bodied construction with open platforms and vestibules. At this point in its life, it seems to have been downgraded to a "boarding car", "maintenance-of-way" or work equipment. This was the fate that many old railroad passenger cars met before they were eventually retired or scrapped.
Hello JackDe Chirico, indeed. The photographers on these pages were not only technically knowledgeable, but were real artists.
I've known about well-known names like Walker Evans for ages, but Delano is a pleasant discovery for me.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Factories, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Syndicate content  Shorpy.com is a vintage photography site featuring thousands of high-definition images. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago. Contact us | Privacy policy | Accessibility Statement | Site © 2024 Shorpy Inc.