MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME
Home

Search Shorpy

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

Search results -- 30 results per page

Off the Rails: 1862
... the Virginia Railway Express . (The Gallery, Civil War, Geo. Barnard, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/21/2012 - 9:17pm -

March 1862. "Manassas, Va. Orange & Alexandria Railroad wrecked by retreating Confederates." Wet plate glass negative by George N. Barnard. View full size. Round and Round She Won't GoThat's the wrecked turntable in the foreground. Puttin' On The RitzThe Gentleman in the top-hat, timepiece in hand, appears to be wondering why his train is late. Abe? Is that you?A little too short and dumpy to be him I think. But that is still one fine stove pipe hat. Question on Date?Confederates weren't in Manassas around that time. They were bottled up in Richmond and Stonewall Jackson was running up and down the valley. Later in the year (August) Jackson got into Manassas and tore up the rail lines. so I wonder if the time or if the place is wrong here? Or if this was just some guerilla action. I Beg To Differbobprobst states that "Confederates weren't in Manassas around that time. They were bottled up in Richmond and Stonewall Jackson was running up and down the valley. Later in the year (August) Jackson got into Manassas and tore up the rail lines. so I wonder if the time or if the place is wrong here?" In fact the Confederate Army held the area around Manassas until March 11, 1862. General Johnson had concentrated the Confederate Army of The Potomac around Centreville, which is north of Manassas, for the army's winter camp for 1861-62. A six mile railroad from Manassas Junction to the Centreville camp was constructed to improve supply to the camp. On March 9, 1862 Johnson ordered his army to withdraw to the Rappahannock, abandoning the Centreville lines and Manassas, and both the Confederate military railway and the Orange & Alexandria where ordered to be destroyed The Union Army occupied Manassas on March 11, 1862. In other words the March 1862 is entirely correct. O&AI grew up in Burke, VA, within a few hundred yards of the former Orange & Alexandria line - close enough to distinctly hear the click-clack of the trains at night through the trees. There's a very interesting site on the history of the Orange & Alexandria here. The O&A tracks are now used by Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, and one of the commuter railways into Washington, the Virginia Railway Express. (The Gallery, Civil War, Geo. Barnard, Railroads)
Chicago: 1901
... 1901 That statue of the soldier is General Logan, the Civil War Officer who worked to have the 30th Day of May honor Military Dead as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 3:36pm -

Chicago circa 1901. "The lakefront from Illinois Central Station." Panorama of two 8x10 glass negatives. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Would you really want to drinkthe "Best Kidney Water on Earth"? StatueThat is one seriously gorgeous statue in the middle of the park. Anyone have any info on that? Perhaps another photo? [It's the Logan Monument.] Thanks, Dave. Love the photos up close! KodaksInteresting that one of the signs says "Kodaks Cameras and Supplies" and not "Kodak Cameras and Supplies." [Shorpy abounds with signs advertising "Kodaks," meaning Kodak cameras. - Dave] Illinois Central Station Are there any pictures of the Illinois Central Station available? I assume that this picture was taken from near the top of the clock tower looking north towards the lakefront. [Also from the DPC:] GrassDoes anyone know how they kept large expanses of grass like this mowed back in 1901? [See this earlier comment.] ObsolesenceIronic that CP Kimball's carriages and harness products would soon be obsolete with the advent of the automobile. Fast forward 110 years, and Kodak just announced they will file Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to digital photography making their own products obsolete. Three agentsFrom the Ministry of Silly Walks, on the west side of the Michigan Avenue, lower left. [Their apparent stance is an optical artifact.] Holy landscaping!That area is filled with trees and concrete walks now! Pollution?It's photos like this that leave me scratching my head whenever people start griping that our air isn't clean enough today. KimballAn interesting piece on the Kimball family if you are so inclined. http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/k/kimball/kimball.htm Kimball TimeOh my! It's K minutes to B o'clock! I better hurry or I'll miss my train. Lakeshore DeltaIf you Google-Maps "901 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60605" you can see that all the Lake Michigan waterfront visible in this photograph was filled-in and is now occupied by the Buckingham Fountain, 6 tennis courts, 16 baseball diamonds, South Columbus Drive, and even South Lakeshore Drive. Henry GeorgeFascinating to find a 5-cent cigar named after Henry George (1839-97), founder of "Georgism" and author of "Progress and Poverty." He proposed the "single tax"--based on the theory that land, and thus rents, should be common property. Given that, shouldn't tobacco products be free? All Gone, Up to a PointEvery building shown here lining the west side of South Michigan Avenue has been demolished and replaced with bigger and usually better buildings - up to the point just beyond the "Studebaker Bros." sign. Then we see three great buildings in a row, all still standing: 1) the first portion of the Congress Hotel (originally the Auditorium Annex, Clinton J. Warren, 1892-1893), 2) the Auditorium Building (Adler & Sullivan, 1887-1889), and 3) the Fine Arts Building (formerly the Studebaker Building, Solon S. Beman, 1884-1885). The slender tower in the distance belongs to the Montgomery Ward Building (Schmidt, Garden & Martin, 1897-1899); it, too, is still standing, but its steep sloping roof was lopped off long ago. Chicago: 1901That statue of the soldier is General Logan, the Civil War Officer who worked to have the 30th Day of May honor Military Dead as "Decoration Day" / "Memorial Day". General LoganWas a focal point of the 1968 demonstrations during the Democratic Convention. Montgomery Ward BuildingAs Michael R says regarding the Montgomery Ward building, "the steep sloping roof was lopped off long ago." Here is a photo showing what is the top of the building today. Current ViewI was fortunate to live in building on site of old Illinois Central Station and have this view of same locale looking north during my two years in Chicago. (Panoramas, Chicago, DPC, Railroads)
Occupied Atlanta: 1864
... Hall in background." From a series of photographs, "War in the West," made by George N. Barnard. Wet-plate glass negative. View ... House when traveling east. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Civil War, Geo. Barnard, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 2:45pm -

1864. Atlanta, Georgia. "Atlanta railroad depot and yard; Trout House and Masonic Hall in background." From a series of photographs, "War in the West," made by George N. Barnard. Wet-plate glass negative. View full size. "Sherman in Atlanta, September-November 1864. After three and a half months of incessant maneuvering and much hard fighting, General Sherman forced Hood to abandon the munitions center of the Confederacy. Sherman remained there, resting his war-worn men and accumulating supplies, for nearly two and a half months. During the occupation, George N. Barnard, official photographer of the Chief Engineer's Office, made the best documentary record of the war in the West; but much of what he photographed was destroyed in the fire that spread from the military facilities blown up at Sherman's departure on November 15." GWTWThis photo was obviously taken before Sherman destroyed Atlanta as his troops were leaving town. This photo of the open space in the yards might have been used as the inspiration for the panoramic scene in "Gone With the Wind" showing the multitudes of the dead and dying Confederate troops, no? [This picture was taken after the Great Fire of September 2, which marked Sherman's arrival in the city. - Dave] View from the skyHere is a bit of a painting of "Atlanta in 1864" by Wilbur G. Kurtz as reproduced in "Yesterday's Atlanta" by Franklin M. Garrett. Your photo appears to be taken from the City Hall (?) building in the top left. The Trout House can clearly be seen in your photo beyond the station and what the legend of the painting calls the City Park. It also says that the building with the sloping roof to the right of the Trout House is the Masonic Hall. The photo and painting don't quite match. The photo shows clear ground in the foreground while the painting shows houses. At the right the photo also shows what appears to be a circular building (locomotive roundhouse?). This can also be seen right at the end of the street in a previous post. This was taken from the right of the painting image looking left with the large Franklin Printing House building clearly visible on the right hand side of the street. The legend of the painting mentions a roundhouse, but doesn't actually seem to show it. What's there now? I dread to think. The Great Fire of Sept. 2, 1864This is an excerpt from "Atlanta and Environs," Vol. 1, by native Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett. More here. By midnight of September 1st most of the troops had left the city. But a few cavalrymen lingered. They had a special assignment. Hood had no idea of leaving behind, in usable condition, ammunition and military stores for the use of his adversary. Shortly after midnight the citizens who had remained in the city were startled by a series of violent explosions from down the Georgia Railroad opposite Oakland Cemetery and the rolling mill. Hood's ammunition trains, consisting of seven locomotives and 81 loaded cars, had been set afire to deny them to the Federals. As the flames reached each car, it exploded with a terrific din. Five hours were occupied in this work of demolition, which also included the rolling mill. Flames shot to a tremendous height and the exploding missiles scattered their red-hot fragments right and left. The earth trembled. Nearby houses rocked like cradles, while on every hand was heard the shattering of window glass and the fall of plastering and loose bricks. Hundreds of people flocked to high places and watched with breathless excitement the volcanic scene on the Georgia Railroad. Fortunately all the citizens in the vicinity of the explosions had been ordered to leave their houses before the work of blowing up the ammunition trains commenced. Every building, for a quarter of a mile around was either torn to pieces or perforated with hundreds of holes by shell fragments. A new day was dawning when the last car let loose, and the last Confederate cavalrymen galloped out McDonough Road (Capitol Avenue) to rejoin Hood's retreating army. Blow-UpIs it possible to enlarge the sign on the rear of the wagon in the center of the photo? Appears to be in sharp focus, but can't quite make out what it says, might be something interesting! HotlantaRemember there were two fires in Atlanta - The Great Fire of Sept 2 - this is the fire in GWTW and was caused when Hood burned up his ammunition trains - The second fire was when Sherman left to March to the Sea on Nov 15 and the Union Army burned 'anything of value' to the Confederates and, well, things got out of hand - From Sherman's Memoirs - About 7 a.m. of November 16th we rode out of Atlanta by the Decatur road, filled by the marching troops and wagons of the Fourteenth Corps; and reaching the hill, just outside of the old rebel works, we naturally paused to look back upon the scenes of our past battles. We stood upon the very ground whereon was fought the bloody battle of July 22d, and could see the copse of wood where McPherson fell. Behind us lay Atlanta, smouldering and in ruins, the black smoke rising high in air, and hanging like a pall over the ruined city. Away off in the distance, on the McDonough road, was the rear of Howard's column, the gun-barrels glistening in the sun, the white-topped wagons stretching away to the south; and right before us the Fourteenth Corps, marching steadily and rapidly, with a cheery look and swinging pace, that made light of the thousand miles that lay between us and Richmond. Some band, by accident, struck up the anthem of "John Brown's soul goes marching on;" the men caught up the strain, and never before or since have I heard the chorus of "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" done with more spirit, or in better harmony of time and place. That ConcertI am currently doing a lot of research on the history of theater in Atlanta. One of my sources states that Sherman attended 17 band concerts in the old Atheneum (noted in the photo) during the Federal occupation. Since the last info appears to be the date of Nov. 8, it seems to be a rough advertisement for one of those concerts. The Atheneum was on the north side of Decatur Street just before the Trout House when traveling east. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Civil War, Geo. Barnard, Railroads)
Bridge Out: 1865
... in Richmond in '65. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Civil War, Railroads, Richmond) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2013 - 1:24pm -

April 1865. "Richmond, Va. Ruins of Richmond & Petersburg Railroad bridge." Span over the James River, burned by Confederate troops before the advancing Federal Army. Wet plate negative by Alexander Gardner. View full size. Remains of the supports left of route 60.View Larger Map The Rail Linehere is the Richmond & Petersburg. The brick structure the left is presumably the burned-out paper mill; to the right and behind the photographer was the railroad depot. This is less than a half-mile from the (then and now) State Capitol, but a bit farther because of the need to find a bridge across the James River and Kanawha Canal, that passed between. Well builtWell built, main arterial bridge support, I'm surprised it was never rebuilt for rail use. The Great ConflagrationLooking at this one gets an idea of the mayhem and terror of a city in its death throes. Put this image with the many others taken of the industrial district and put them alongside those of Berlin or Dresden in 1945 and you can barely tell them apart. Although the occupation of Richmond was nowhere near as bad as was expected, the night the Confederate Army abandoned it held as much confusion and fear as any city in history left to hordes of invaders. Besides the columns of troops marching out, the streets were filled with half starved women and children looting government storehouses, unemployed prostitutes (at least temporarily), street urchins, deserters and gangs of released prisoners from the penitentiary stealing from everybody and drinking from the street gutters the whiskey poured out by the provost guards. During all this, munitions dumps were exploding and raining shrapnel all over the place. Several accounts from soldiers leaving the city recall the sight of the burning city and one described it as being "at once, both terrible and sublime". Another compared it to Dante's Inferno. By the grace of God, the yankee "hordes" were not as bad as feared and order was quickly brought to the city. But we have to remember that on that night, the citizens and soldiers (many of whom left loved ones behind) didn't know that. They didn't know that a day later Lincoln would tell the general commanding the occupying troops to "...let them up easy, General, let them up easy." A Couple near the riverDid anyone else notice the couple sitting near the river (approximately 25 feet or so) to the left of the burned out bridge? [Looks like three people. -tterrace.] Re: A Couple Near the RiverIt's very possible that they are paroled Confederate soldiers wondering how to get across so they can go home. Or they could be displaced workers from one of the mills or the Armory. There were a lot of people and soldiers from other parts of the state and other states as well as foreigners cast adrift in Richmond in '65. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Civil War, Railroads, Richmond)
Ghost Coach: 1930
... train crash -- at Quintinshill during the first World War -- I believe more died in the fire afterward than in the impact. 4928 ... other cars would be removed first. In the American Civil War, cars from other railroads were often borrowed to move troops. This ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 7:02pm -

Washington, D.C., or vicinity circa 1915-1930. One of three H&E glass negatives labeled "Car exterior. Washington & Old Dominion R.R." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. The others are here and here. Mail CarThat was a mail car, usually the first car behind the tender car. All Aboard for Petticoat Junction!But where's the rest of the Hooterville Cannonball? Combination CoachThis old gal carried passengers as well as mail and parcels between cities. One great picture and she was probably on her way to the scrap yard. Good EngineeringThis is obviously an OLD car by 1930, built maybe at the turn of the century, yet look at its excellent construction. 6-wheel bogies with elaborate suspension for a smooth ride, the long chassis still straight as an arrow despite its age, lots of elbow room inside with elegant clerestory windows and lots of ventilators. This was the product of a thriving American transportation industry at the top of its game. Pretty butOld coaches are the same this side of the water; lovely to look at and deadly dangerous if there's a crash. There's breakable, splintering, flammable wood, gas lighting in some cases, paraffin or kerosene in others. In Britain's worst train crash -- at Quintinshill during the first World War -- I believe more died in the fire afterward than in the impact. 4928Perhaps this was a mail car or a car with space for freight, but there is also obvious passenger seating in it as well. And if it typically traveled just behind a tender, why would it have that "porch" on its freight end? Cue the Ghostly OrchestraClang, Clang, Clang went the Scary Trolley! Ding, Ding, Ding went the Bell of Death! Zing, Zing, Zing went my heartstrings as we started for Spookington Dell! And this car isA 1908 PRR roster shows this as a Class OK combine (baggage/coach) built in 1900 and owned by the PB&W (the subsidiary of the Pennsy that owned the tracks on the line from Philly to DC). These cars were rebuilt with full vestibules at some point, because there is a diagram for that configuration; obviously this one escaped. Apparently these cars always had steam heat. There were three different subclasses depending on the size of the baggage compartment; this is the smallest, with the 20-foot compartment. The six-wheel trucks show that this is a "heavyweight" steel car. The interior appears to have walkover seats so the car doesn't have to be turned. Platforms (and later vestibules) were typical on baggage cars to allow train crews to pass through while in motion. The Ghost CarI agree with the first description of this car's origins. The car was still on the PRR roster on 1-1-1914, but was gone by 3-1-1916. The lettering couldn't have lasted 14 years. My guess is the photos were taken shortly after sale to the W&OD. Moreover, the truss rods under the center of the car indicate that this was a fully wooden car both when it was constructed and when these photos were taken. Further ResearchI've come across a classification guide which indicates that class O cars are wooden combines. Class PB steel combines in the same guide are only about 10 feet longer, but weigh 50 percent more (120,000 vs. 80,000 pounds). Checking in Ames's book on the W&OD, I see absolutely no evidence that this car was ever used on that line. Passenger operations were electric, with the exception of several 1878/1887 coaches purchased from the Manhattan Electric Rwy which were considerably older in design than this car. The only combines on the roster were either electrics or doodlebugs. My guess is that this car was just passing through. [I think there was probably another reason for taking these photos. - Dave] PilotThis car seems to have a tube pilot on the far truck, which might indicate it was used behind an interurban or box motor in push/pull service. Thoughts on the Mystery CoachChecking Herb Harwood Jr.'s "Rails to the Blue Ridge: The Washington and Old Dominion Railroad, 1847-1968" I find no reference to any ex-Pennsylvania railroad coaches in the company's roster. That being said, I have a couple of ideas. As far as the location of the photograph, the coach appears to be sitting on one leg of a wye, used for turning locomotives or whole trains (given the length of the stub track, just locomotives in this case). According to Hardwood's track map, and assuming this is the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, that leaves four possible locations for this photograph: Bluemont Junction, Herndon, Leesburg, or Bluemont. Given the topography in the background, and having bicycled the W&OD quite a lot, I would suggest the likely location of this to be Bluemont Junction. I have come up with one possible explanation for why this coach never appeared on the company rosters. It is possible that this coach was purchased by the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, but never operated over the line, and simply sat disused in its location pictured. The three-axle trucks indicate to me that the coach is possibly quite heavy, perhaps too heavy to operate on the W&OD's light rails. It certainly would not have been the only instance of a railroad purchasing equipment too heavy for its rails. (In my home province of Ontario, one of the two locomotives of the Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway was found to be too heavy and remained stored during its 11-year career on the railroad). One other possibility that has come to mind is that this is not the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad at all, but rather the Rosslyn Connecting Railroad which branched off the current rail line as it reached the Virginia side of the Potomac, and headed north to Rosslyn. This railroad was a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which would explain the coach. If the photograph was simply labeled (Washington DC area), it is possible that the railroad was misidentified. This, however, is complete conjecture, as I am not even sure whether passenger service was ever operated (or intended to be operated but wasn't) over the Rosslyn Connecting Railroad. [The photos are labeled as indicated in the caption. - Dave] One thing I can say for surethe number designations on the car are most definitely "Pennsy". That font is unmistakable. #4928 Pennsylvania Combination carMy opinions are just that--pity the photographer isn't alive to comment. That said: I disagree with the car going to scrap. The gas light globes are still inside the interior. If it is to be scrapped all the parts to keep for repairing/building other cars would be removed first. In the American Civil War, cars from other railroads were often borrowed to move troops. This inter-rail cooperation worked well-- There are several military grounds near the W&OD RR. Fort Myer, Va. and Camp Auger, near Merrifield, Virginia - off the Dunn Loring RR stop on the W&OD line. Livestock pens were near the one W&OD RR's freight station for the Cavalry horses and or livestock being shipped to and from the more western towns, e.g. Herndon, etc. Military grounds near railroad lines would be Camp A. A.Humphreys aka Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Quantico, Virginia which are off the Alexandria Railyard heading south on the Southern, Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac line. On the Mt. Vernon line, it could have gone by Fort Marcy. It could have easily been sold to Virginia Central Rwy or the Fruit Grower's Express Rwy, for the use of the company's executives or for an occasional run for passengers; e.g. executive use, party, etc. It may be entirely possible that this car never went past the railroad bridge into Virginia. It could have easily been sold to a short line (East Washington, Rwy)and or sitting in the more rural sections of Washington, DC around Ivy City--a connecting yard to Union Station. If memory serves me correctly, Penn RR did invest in the W&OD briefly. This may be of that brief period. A combine, but not for mailThese three pictures show a rail car that once ruled the main line but now has been modified for a lowly afterlife on a forgotten branchline. The car has a 20-foot compartment for freight and express at one end. The pigeonhole box near the roof line being for small packages and company mail moving from station to station. If it were a US Mail compartment, there would have been the mandatory fixtures for bags, pouches, sorting tables and sorting racks - plus there would have been a letter drop slot on the side of the car. The rear section offers walk-over coach seats. We can see this was a mainline car account of the six wheeled trucks, walkway buffers and the three hoses next to the coupler. One hose was for airbrakes, one was a communication line to signal to the engineer by the train crew, and one was for steam heat. The pilot (or cowcatcher to some) on the far end of the car implies some type of push-pull service. If this the W&OD, I believe they had some self-powered "doodlebug" cars and this car could have served as a trailer being pulled along by the power car, until it was time to return and the train was shoved back towards its origin. A procedure quite effective to give the engineer a cramped neck, and the flagman the worry of being on the cutting edge of any grade crossing incident with a car or truck. The flagman usually manned a little peanut whistle powered by the air line that he would signal with as the train approached crossings and stations. The carHere is a link that refers to this car. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Railroads)
Detroit River: 1900
... Dali's "Soft Construction with Baked Beans (Premonition of Civil War)"? Wow This photo is incredible. Very alive This ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 3:18pm -

Circa 1900. "Car ferry 'Transport' entering slip, Detroit River." Railcar steamer on an icy, windy day. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Brrr.Great Photo! Truly captures the feel of winter yet to come. I have to have a cup of cocoa after looking at it! Re:Brrr.My sentiments exactly. It's a great photo of something I hate (Winter). Two thoughts:1. You mean this isn't a Delano? 2. Does this remind anyone else of Dali's "Soft Construction with Baked Beans (Premonition of Civil War)"? WowThis photo is incredible. Very aliveThis photo is very dynamic and alive. Love it. Ferry 'cross the DetroitThe Grand Trunk was still running railroad ferries that looked a whole lot like this, if not this one, across the Detroit River until 1975. I rode on one of these once when I was a kid, because I had an uncle who worked for the line. It was old, loud, shook like hell, and since it was November, was good and cold. Greetings from DetroitYou can almost feel the arctic air and the sting of icy droplets on your face as the wind blows across the water. Definitely not a pix that would be used by the local chamber of commerce. Rib freezing coldFrom 1953 to 1970 I lived on Grosse Ile. In winter the chill from the river would go right through your clothes to your ribs. Yes, there is a reason millions of people live in Southern California. Eek! I'm freezing!Amazing how this photo evokes chills in my bones! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
The R.R. Arch: 1908
... One armed man You may be looking at a veteran of the Civil War. Switch Points The man with the cane just might be working for the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/03/2013 - 4:59pm -

Springfield, Mass., circa 1908. "Massasoit House and R.R. Arch." A variety of hazards for the unwary pedestrian. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. The arch remains...although little else from this photograph still stands. The Massasoit House was torn down in 1926-1929 to build a theater (the Paramount). View Larger Map The bridge is still there and as low as everSeen from the opposite direction, which offers a better view: http://goo.gl/maps/bLnaj Well Stopped Motion.The two gentlemen about to cross the street are caught in mid-step and the horseless carriage, seemingly about to collide with the man with the cane, is only slightly blurred. This photograph must have been exposed at no less than 1/60th per second. Same ThingThis is exactly like Mr. Muckle (the blind man) crossing the street in W.C.. Fields: "It's a Gift". Naturally, all hell breaks loose. I give upWhat is the one armed man in the middle of the street doing with that stick? Blind man walkingAenthal, I think the one-armed man with the white stick is crossing the street. The two moving vehicles approaching him seem to be looking at each other and perhaps talking - I imagine he has been noticed and they are slowing down, ready to stop for him. Likely everyone in town knew him. One armed manYou may be looking at a veteran of the Civil War. Switch PointsThe man with the cane just might be working for the trolley company and is picking out a piece of debris so as not to have the gap in the switch points be fouled. The points are the movable part of the switch that guides the flange of the trolley car wheels. One Armed Man Odds are good that he's merely crossing the street to go to Leopolous' Candy Store and given his apparent age, needs a walking stick. Also, given his apparent age, he might have even lost that arm in the Civil War, although industrial accidents were depressingly common back in those days as well. Early 1908Based on the American flag on the right, this was taken before July 4, 1908 which is when the 46th star was added to the flag. Mini Payday?I'm thinking the one-armed gent with the walking stick has espied a shiny Liberty Head nickel or Barber dime wedged in the trolley tracks and is about to free it. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, Railroads, Streetcars)
Cotton on the Levee: 1903
... de Armes in Spanish times). A Short 38 Years The Civil war had ended only 38 years before. Some of the people in this picture were ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 2:43pm -

New Orleans circa 1903. "Mule teams and the levee." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Behemoth ShipSecond time this ship has shown up on Shorpy and I still can't place her. She is a massive ship for her time, and much different from the Great Lakes freighters we see here frequently. [It's the SS Proteus. - Dave] CapturedA "Porgy and Bess" moment; you get the feeling that any moment great music will erupt. Or not. Jax BreweryThat looks like the Jax (Jackson) Brewery behind the IC freight car. If so, we are facing upriver. The Jax brewery was converted to shops and restaurants many years ago. It's situated on Decatur street across from Jackson square (Plaza de Armes in Spanish times). A Short 38 YearsThe Civil war had ended only 38 years before. Some of the people in this picture were probably born into slavery. FlotsamI'd love to know the story about the stuff floating in the water at the left edge. SS ProteusThinking of that ship got me poking around to read of it's sinking; found here http://www.divehatteras.com/proteus.html The train that traveled northThe Illinois Central train traveled from New Orleans all the way north to Chicago. This is the route all blues artists and African Americans took to leave the south in droves to better lives up north,where there were jobs in countless factories,and better pay than picking cotton. Jackson BreweryYes, that is indeed the Jackson Brewery, and we are looking uptown toward Canal St. As someone commented on the other picture like this, you can also see St. Patrick's Church steeple off in the distance to the right. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, New Orleans, Railroads)
Commuters: 1907
... in this country and only 42 years past the darkness of the civil war! Security I got a kick out of seeing what I think is the long arm ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:07pm -

Chicago circa 1907. "Arriving from the suburbs." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by Hans Behm, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Looks familiarI take the train from Tacoma to Seattle every day for work and if you stood at the top of the stairs, the scene would be identical except for the clothing. Van Buren Street StationThis appears to be Illinois Central's Van Buren Street Station. Still in use today by Metra. The trains are now electrified, but other than that, the station hasn't changed much since 1907. Only a few changesAgree with others about things not changing much. Biggest change that the stairway we're looking down is gone and there's a bridge on the other end of the platform where Jackson crosses the tracks. Art InstituteSide view of Art Institute of Chicago in front of the Montgomery Ward tower. Very familiarIn the 1970s I used to come into this station on the South Shore Line. It looks completely familiar in this photo, and I'm glad to hear from Chuck that it still hasn't changed. 6 North MichiganAt the time of this photo, the tower in the background was the tallest building in Chicago. It was built as the headquarters for Montgomery Ward. South Shore StationVan Buren station on the Illinois Central was shared with the South Shore electric line. I also used to take the IC electric line daily into Chicago in the 1970s. The Van Buren and Randolph Street stations were below ground level -- actually at ground level as it existed before the Great Chicago Fire. That area was built up a level with rubble from the fire. ProgressI never get over the progress made in this country and only 42 years past the darkness of the civil war! SecurityI got a kick out of seeing what I think is the long arm (and high hat) of the law, keeping an eye on everything from the platform on the left. (The Gallery, Chicago, DPC, Railroads)
Timeless Depot: 1906
... Jesse Green (1801-1846) and Martha Ann Wright. During the Civil War he was in the 13th Virginia Light Artillery Company C which fought the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/29/2014 - 5:06pm -

Circa 1906. "Southern Railway station, Knoxville, Tenn." What has four faces but no hands? 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Plastic?That place looks like it's made of Legos. Ahead of its time?Impressive. I didn't know they even had Legos back then. No time, no towerYet still looks like it's made of Legos. Legos?I thought they only had Lincoln Logs back then? I'm UpsetThese stations bug me ever since the wind blew bronze Mercury off the Nashville Union Station tower. WatermarkDave, you kill me sometimes with your brand placement! Well played, sir! Doesn't matterif the trains run on time or not all! Hey, Look!It's the same time it was yesterday! I guess the trains were never late in Knoxville. H C BondurantHenry Clay Bondurant was born in Salem, Virginia on August 9th 1846, the son of Jesse Green (1801-1846) and Martha Ann Wright. During the Civil War he was in the 13th Virginia Light Artillery Company C which fought the Battle of Knoxville. In 1871 he married Almena 'Minnie' Stover. Henry died in 1918. +109Below is the same view from July of 2015. (The Gallery, DPC, Knoxville, Railroads)
Detroit Opera House: 1904
... was formed in May 1906 by Ohio native Henry M. Wright (a Civil War veteran as a member of Co. B, 85th Ohio Volunteers) and John Kay, who was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 10:23pm -

The Detroit Opera House circa 1904, starring an electric runabout out front. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Detroit Conservatory MusicWhat, they were too cheap to spring for an "of"? Digital sign againI've noticed that each time we've seen one of those "digital" signs it's been on or in front of a large theater, opera house or concert hall, the type of venue you'd expect the upper classes, rather than the hoi-polloi, to frequent. My speculation: it's something used to signal carriages for their ritzy patrons. Below: this one compared to ones at Philadelphia's Nixon Theatre and Academy of Music. Update: Thanks to TomHe for confirming my speculation. High Bridge?Look in the window of the Pennsylvania Lines shop. Is the picture on the easel that of the High Bridge of recent memory? [Unfortunately, no. - tterrace] Videochas PicThat's Horseshoe Curve, near Altoona, PA Makes My Heart SingWhat a lovely building! I was born in the wrong era. I come to Shorpy everyday and I'm never disappointed with the photos here. I would hope this building is still standing. I absolutely love the honeycomb glass transom at the entrance door. I wish buildings of today had the details of old world craftsmanship. Sigh. [Demolished 1966. - tterrace] What is that thang?Sharp eyes as usual from tterrace, but I can't make out just how this configuration of three identical sets of light-bulb "dots" could be lit to form letters or numbers. The mysterious device's Academy of Music installation, at right, appears to include some kind of identifying signage on the end of the clapboard base beneath it. Dave, is your highest-res tiff file of this photo sufficiently clear to read that information? [Not clear enough on the full LOC tiff, unfortunately. - tterrace] Pennsylvania LinesThe Pennsylvania Railroad was a late arrival in Detroit, not gaining a direct entrance there until 1922, and then only by trackage rights on the Ann Arbor, Pere Marquette and Wabash Railroads. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad was chartered in 1854 to build a line from Fort Wayne to the Straits of Mackinaw through Grand Rapids. It became part of the Pennsylvania Lines in 1869. It too had no direct connection to Detroit, relying on a connection with the Wabash in Ft. Wayne to get to the Motor City. Identify car?Great picture! Can anyone identify that nifty little car? The proverbial needleConcerning identifying the automobile, unless it was built by a select few makers, I doubt it can be positively identified. During this period there were around a thousand automobile manufacturers in America alone. What we do know is that it's an early brass era runabout with tiller steering, semi-eliptical leaf springs at each corner, and wooden spoked wheels. That should narrow it down to about 50 manufacturers, some of which existed for only a few years. Re: The proverbial needleI think I have identified the car. It's an AJAX ELECTRIC. I have attached a photo from an advertisement from 1903, for visual comparison. [Here they are together. Among other differences, note the absence of front leaf springs. - tterrace] Wright & KayThe jewelry firm of Wright & Kay (big sign atop building) was formed in May 1906 by Ohio native Henry M. Wright (a Civil War veteran as a member of Co. B, 85th Ohio Volunteers) and John Kay, who was born in Scotland. They were jewelers, opticians, importers and dealers in watches, clocks, diamonds, marble statuary, silver and plated ware and fine stationery, and they manufactured watches and other products under their own name. Recently some Wright, Kay & Company watches were auctioned at Christie's. About that haystackMy first thought when I looked at the full-size image was Studebaker. After further research the answer will have to be no, they were building a Runabout with very similar bodywork and proportions in that era but it had major mechanical differences from this machine. As BradL said, this was a time when literally hundreds of companies ranging from blacksmiths, to buggy shops, to established manufacturers of sewing machines and other mechanical equipment, all took a fling at the automobile. MysterymobileI'm almost certain it's a Waverly Runabout, built in Indianapolis. I have a current-day photo but it's somebody's property. Note its steering is via a front tiller whereas the Studebaker has its tiller on the side. Re: Digital sign againA carriage call indeed. Picture below shows numbers lit. WaverleyDon Struke has it, I found a vintage Waverley advertisement that certainly seems to match the mystery car closely. HorsesCalm and unaware that they were about to be unemployed in very short time. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Performing Arts)
Eads Bridge: 1901
... Eads Mr Eads owned a shipyard at the time of the Civil War. He is well known for having built a fleet of war ships that patrolled the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/22/2017 - 1:41pm -

"Eads Bridge over the Mississippi at St. Louis, Missouri, 1901." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Eads todayNote the arch and modern riverboat in the background. StoneworkI live in Illinois, about 20 miles from this bridge. The stones to build this bridge were taken from the Fort de Chartres in Prarie du Rocher. The Fort fell into disrepair (it never saw a battle) so while it was deteriorating, the stones were moved west to build the bridge. The Mississippi river flowing downstream"We rounded St Louis, and headed for the coast, when we picked up Chuck Berry in a little row boat... Seeing the river and that bridge reminded me of that old Rainmakers song! The only thing missing is the arch, and the Cardinals! James Buchanan EadsMr Eads owned a shipyard at the time of the Civil War. He is well known for having built a fleet of war ships that patrolled the Mississippi River. There is a lot more interesting info about him on Wikipedia. I'm working on a museum in Western Tenn (Discovery Park of America), where we will be building a 50-foot interior section (replica) of one of his war boats. Re: Eads todayThe boat beyond the the bridge is the Admiral, a historic fixture in St. Louis for years. It was scrapped in July. See more here. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads, St. Louis)
Vicksburg Panorama: 1909
... how much of the construction along the waterfront is post-war. Vicksburg experienced quite a boom in population growth between 1860 and ... Falls City are buildings in disrepair, could they be civil war casualties? [From 50 years earlier? That's fire damage. - Dave] ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/25/2014 - 11:33am -

The Mississippi River circa 1909. "Vicksburg waterfront." A panorama made from three 8x10 glass negatives (the widest image, pixel-wise, that Shorpy has ever posted -- be sure to scroll all the way over to the right). The nine-story skyscraper is the First National Bank. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. PanoramaI know of one panorama William Henry Jackson composed for Leadville, CO, although I don't know if it was while he worked for DPC. His "stitching" technique involved three large prints on easels, which he re-photographed. I found the process documented in a series of photos in the Denver Public Library. Chinese groceryWhat a fascinating image. An unexpected surprise was the "Quong Yulin & Co." grocery, a few blocks away from "Sol. Fried" store. Wikipedia currently lists Vicksburg at less than 1 percent Asian. Vicksburg's 165-year old Synagogue now has just 20 members. I wonder how much of the construction along the waterfront is post-war. Vicksburg experienced quite a boom in population growth between 1860 and 1870. Earlier components?I seem to recall parts of this (great) panorama as previous Shorpy photos. Can someone post links to them? [One photo. Our Search box would take you here. Waiting in the wings, there is at least one other version of this scene taken the same day, for a total of three. - Dave] Remarkable detailThis is a remarkable image. I wonder if Detroit Publishing produced any more of these stitched multi-image panoramas. [Click the "Panoramas" link above the photo. The stitching is all done by me, and Photoshop. - Dave] No Horseless CarriagesTypically photos of this vintage display horse & buggies AND early automobiles. Was Vicksburg behind the times or could it be the photo pre-dates 1909? Either way, this a facinating snapshot of a moment in time along the Mississippi River. [The First National Bank building was completed in 1907. - Dave] Seek and you shall findWay on the right, a Coca-Cola sign. [Actually there are three. - Dave] Very DirtyAn amazing photo. The thing I am thinking about is that all the ladies seem to be wearing long white dresses and the streets appear to be all dirt. Their clothing must have gotten filthy in a very short time from simply walking the streets. I am also loving the Steam Boat Exchange Saloon, I wonder what curious sights were beyond those doors ?? Merchants DespatchWell weathered. Above the Falls Cityare buildings in disrepair, could they be civil war casualties? [From 50 years earlier? That's fire damage. - Dave] Coca-Cola and VicksburgVicksburg was home to the Biedenharn Candy Company, the first bottler of Coca-Cola. Although the drink was created in 1886, it was sold mainly at druggists and soda fountains. Biedenharn started bottling the drink in 1894. Did the channel change?I notice from the satellite view that the channel fronting most of the city is now the Yazoo River, not that there is much of a waterfront left. Such a channel change is something that General U.S. Grant unsuccessfully tried to engineer in 1862-1863, but it looks like nature finally did what 19th Century military engineering could not, as nature always does. Many of these buildings remainHaving lived in Vicksburg, I can tell you that while a number of the buildings shown along the Mississippi riverfront have been torn down and replaced, still, many of the buildings pictured in this panorama are still there, being re-purposed with new businesses and tenants through the years. On Washington Street, the street the First National Bank building is on (still there, its main floor used still as a bank with professional offices on the other floors), many of these buildings still remain. You'll notice the many steeples and cupolas on the skyline. Going from left to right, the first steeple is that of Christ Episcopal Church (still there); the two-storied brick building with the cupola right on the river (with train cars pictured in front) is the old L&N Railroad Depot, now a Visitor Center. Atop the hill, the building with columns on all sides and the cupola on top is the old Warren County Courthouse (built in the late 1850s), now the Old Courthouse Historical Museum. Right across the street from the Old Courthuse, you see the "steeple" of the City Jail. Past the First National Bank Building, going east up the hill is the tower of the Carroll Hotel (a picture of which was posted on Shorpy several years ago -- The Carroll was torn down sometime in the late '40s or early '50s). The church that is pictured was St. Paul's Catholic, destroyed in the early 1950s when a tornado did a lot of damage as well as killing a number of people. A new church was built on the site in the 1950s. The squareish tower is the top of the Army Corps of Engineers headquarters, now used as the HQ of the Mississippi River Commission. The tall steeple at the left is Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. At the extreme left, the top two floors of the light-colored brick building (another skyscraper of five stories!) was a popular department store known as The Valley, which did business until sometime in the late 1970s or early '80s. The building has been converted into condos. At this time, the downtown streets of Vicksburg were not dirt but were paved with brick. The streets going east, up the bluffs from the river were (and still are) paved with cobblestones in order that vehicles can get some traction going up and down. When I started driving as a teenager in the 1960s, I was told that if you could learn to drive on the hilly streets of Vicksburg -- in a car with a standard transmission -- you could drive anywhere! Alice Used to be FrankThe sternwheel packet Alice B Miller, seen here to the right, was built in 1904 at Jefferson, Indiana, as the Frank B. Hayne. She became Alice in 1908 and met her demise by fire in Vicksburg in 1915. Source: University of Wisconsin LaCrosse, Murphy Library. Superb, engrossing imageFascinating - rewards hours of scrutiny! Just wanted to say a sincere thank you for putting this one together and sharing it with us. Depot at VicksburgThis view shows the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad (Y&MV) depot, not the L&N. Great panos!Thanks for the link to the panoramas you've stitched. I now have to look forward to hours in the time machine. (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads, Vicksburg)
Railroad Bank: 1903
... business proved to be the more profitable and survived the Civil War and the Depression before eventually being absorbed in a series of mergers ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2021 - 3:25pm -

Augusta, Georgia, 1903. "Georgia Railroad Bank, Seventh and Broad Streets." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. My hometownIn "downtown" Augusta, there was a bank on the corner of Seventh and Broad Street from the 1830s until 2015! In 1967, sadly a large (sky scraper) building was erected to replace the beautifully designed bank pictured above. In 2015, Wells Fargo closed its branch (which was housed in the "skyscraper" built in '67). In 1916, Augusta had a horrible fire that burned much of the town. However, the bank pictured in 1903 survived. My great grandfather took several photographs of the aftermath of the fire and floods through the years. He was a pediatrician in Augusta. His doctor's office was in the Lamar building on Broad Street. The Lamar building still stands today. I wish we still had the old glass plate negatives from the photographs he took. Long historyThe Georgia Railroad and Banking Company (it did both) was chartered way back in the 1830s, making it one of the earliest railroads in the US. Over time the banking side of the business proved to be the more profitable and survived the Civil War and the Depression before eventually being absorbed in a series of mergers beginning in 1986. Today the parent company is Wells Fargo. The railroad also has disappeared in the usual run of corporate mergers, with CSX now controlling what is left of their old lines. Homeless bank person?Is that a pioneer homeless fellow between the columns at the corner? Must be one of the first! He has a hat, and bundles, but no shopping cart or tent. Wonder what his story really is. [Um, that's a nursemaid with two baby carriages. - Dave] History of the Bank and Buildingshttps://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/georgia-ra... I'll Huff and I'll PuffBut it's gonna take more than a gust a wind to blow that august Augusta building down! (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Cadillac: 1908
... Those are solid frame types that you saw mostly during the Civil War. Given the condition of the car, I'd bet that it's an old link and pin ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 1:01pm -

Detroit circa 1908. "Cadillac Motor Car Company." Cradle of the tailfin. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The Origin of CadillacHow many "Shorpy-ers" know that the Cadillac Motor Company came out of the second failed attempt by Henry Ford to start Ford Motor Company? Cadillacbuilt the plant in 1905 (before GM ownership). Cadillac left the plant in 1920 for the Clark Street plant in Southwest Detroit. Westcott paper has occupied the building since then. Broken windowsUntended broken windows on the face of the building where such classy automobiles were made? Tsk, tsk. Railroad DepotThe wooden platforms, baggage carts, and barely visible tip of a station sign indicate that this is the Michigan Central's Woodward Avenue station, 5.7 miles from its downtown Detroit terminal. This is the approximate location of the present-day Detroit Amtrak station. Cadillac styleI'd harbored a secret wish to drive a Cadillac all my life. In 2006 my husband bought me a gently used CTS with all the bells and whistles. What a joy to drive. It makes me happy to see the building where this American icon of style and luxury was first fabricated. Thank you, Shorpy! Get a horse!A bit of irony that the only vehicle in sight (I do not count the rail cars) is a horse-drawn runabout. Standard of the WorldHenry Leland's first Cadillac plant was at 450 Amsterdam near Cass Avenue. Leland had replaced Henry Ford as the head of the Henry Ford Automobile Company. Leland changed the name of the company to the Cadillac Motor Car Company. The "ard Ave" seen on the station sign indicates the Woodward Avenue station on the Michigan Central Railroad tracks, which passed near the plant. Woodward is one block east of Cass and was a wider thoroughfare than Cass. Today's Amtrak station is nearby. The plant burned down in April 1904 and was rebuilt in just 67 days. As mentioned, portions of the rebuilt plant survive. I worked for Cadillac for twenty-nine years at the Clark Street and nearby Scotten Avenue facilities. My favorite early Cadillac Model name was the Osceola. Present Day New Center AreaI know where this is but would never have known it was the home of Cadillac. The Burroughs/Unisys and General Motors Buildings are also nearby. My boss has a really cool painting of an orange streetcar passing in front of the Michigan Central Depot and when I commented that I liked it to a 50+ year-old co-worker all she said is "my husband would know what that building is" and of course I told her. So much history is lost on my hometown/suburban inhabitants. Thanks Shorpy! Actually a pressed steel truckThe railway truck (bogie) under the NYC&HR box car is actually a Fox patent pressed steel truck. It was considered a modern heavy duty truck for the time period. Given the size of the car it would be from the 1900 era. Earlier cars would have been shorter and narrower, note the two behind it. The earlier solid trucks of the 1860-70s would have been wood beam with pedestal journals. Solid Frame TrucksThe bogies on that early New York Central & Hudson River (later New York Central) boxcar are ancient! Those are solid frame types that you saw mostly during the Civil War. Given the condition of the car, I'd bet that it's an old link and pin coupling type that was converted. I also don't expect it survived long, since the solid frame bogies were obsoleted around this time. They had a tendency to fracture and cause derailments. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, Factories, Railroads)
High Bridge Depot: 1907
... suspension bridge. But that project got cancelled by the Civil War. (And that's probably a good thing, since I don't think suspension bridges ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/06/2012 - 4:14pm -

Circa 1907. "High Bridge station, High Bridge, Kentucky." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The spur best not takenDon't think I want to be switched onto that spur to the left. I wonder if there was originally an incline to move materials up the mountain? High on High BridgeOne of the barely remembered memories I have of University of Kentucky college life in the early 70s was walking out on High Bridge at night while, well, pretty darn high. Apparently, this was a popular stunt. Four or five of us thought this would be a good idea at the time. Until the train lights and whistle kicked in. Thanks to Shorpy for getting me thinking of how a God knows how many car freight train blowing past you at night and close enough to reach out and touch feels like from the late winter of early 1973. Mr. White HatJust had a brilliant idea. Never Saw This BeforeIf you go to High Bridge, KY on Google Earth, there is a full three dimensional rendition of the present-day bridge. No station, though. Signal smorgasbordA train crew would have to be alert to the various signals on display here. On the depot, above the bay window are the signals that alert the crew that train orders from the dispatcher need to be received. Across the tracks between the depot and turnout is a block signal that informs a train crew about what is ahead of them, or possibly informs them if they are to take siding here. And just to the right of the bridge is a Ball type of signal that may be part of the regular block signal system or one that assures the train crew that all is well on the bridge, or it is one that stops all trains if activated by a maintenance crew that would have work to perform on the bridge. Why the NameBuilt to cross Stating the Obvious Creek. Stay behind the yellow line!As an Amtrak agent for 23 years, I can say with certainty that standing as close to the track as possible while a train approaches is an obsession with the public. I've had several hundred people standing on a platform while a train was bearing down, all pressing each other as close to the tracks as they could. It scares employees to death, especially engineers. They would not be able to stop if someone fell off the curb, and then everybody would get to see how sausage is made. You just hope and pray that if it ever happens, it won't be a child. The towersAs you might have guessed, originally this was planned to be a Roebling suspension bridge. But that project got cancelled by the Civil War. (And that's probably a good thing, since I don't think suspension bridges of that era were very good for railroads.) [More here.] High Bridge SignWhat are the two numbers on the sides of the High Bridge sign? One reads "CIN 100.3" and the other reads "CHA 234.8." Thanks. [Distances to Cincinnati, Ohio and Chattanooga, Tennessee.] Pedestrians Welcome?There's a gent who appears to be heading onto the span. If not a RR employee, I wonder if the bridge was open to pedestrians to cross. My gut tells me the RR wouldn't allow it, but the deck seems wider than need be, and could those be pedestrian hand ropes on the left edge? Re: Pedestrians WelcomeIt wasn't unheard of for pedestrians to legally cross on railroad bridges. If there wasn't a nearby road or footbridge then the railroad would allow it. They'd often provide a walkway alongside the tracks for this purpose. In fact in some they still do. The CPR bridge here in Saskatoon has a pedestrian walkway that's used by university students to cross the South Saskatchewan River. It was designed for that purpose back in 1909. Re: Signal smorgasbordThe white signal posing as Mr. Hat's brilliant idea is in fact a Hall or Banjo signal. Another can be seen on the other end of the bridge. Most likely this is part of a block signal system or possibly a block protecting only the bridge. The signal to the left appears to be part of an interlocking plant, rods for the switch and a point lock can be seen to the left. And of course the signal on the station is in fact a train order signal. The mishmash of train control here is great and typical of the time. Two namesThis station has two names. When the agent communicates with the dispatcher or other stations using Morse or voice, his station name is "KR". KR would also be used on train orders, clearance cards, and anything else affecting train movements. What's that short post with the number 103.2 on it? A mile post with a cross arm and insulators on it? (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
Working Horses of Hoboken: 1910
... before the advent of modern lumbermills after the Civil War; ditto the large plate glass windows. I won't go too deeply into a ... Street." (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Horses, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 4:35pm -

Hoboken, New Jersey, circa 1910. "Holland America docks." Lefthand section of a three-part panorama. There are, as we like to say, many interesting details here. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. TimelessExcept for the boxcars, it looks more like 1810 than 1910. Two HPIt's amazing what you can transport with two horsepower. We forget that these days, with our 300 HP four-wheel-drive grocery-getters. 5th StreetThe Holland-America Line had a facility at the base of 5th Street in Hoboken. In the upper right above the Campbell Store sign in the photo, a structure can be seen behind the trees. In the satellite image below, on old school can be seen near 5th Street near the waterfront which resembles that structure. This may have been the location of the photograph. A lot of horsing aroundHopefully the white horses hauling the covered wagon don't know what "Abattoir" means! No IronyThe "Model Abattoir." GeometryThere must be a practical reason for the irregular shape of the building at the left, I know there must. Re: Geometry I'm not sure what the purpose of building the place like that was, tterrace, but it sure would have made hanging pictures on that back wall difficult. Note the awnings on that sloped wall, just beneath the overhanging roof. Dig those Mansard RoofsThe odd shaped building on the left looks like it was built somewhere else. Note that it rests on timber cribbing and not a foundation. My guess is that this building once rested on a wharf or pier. Similar structures can be seen in this Shorpy photo. The awnings are awesome, it is amazing how much effort was put in to enhancing such a prosaic structure. Anyone living in the garrets of the two mansard roofed homes would have had quite a view of the daily comings and goings. Awnings and other period detailsI believe awnings were important to block the sunlight on summer days to keep structures cool. Architecturally, I'd date the Holland-American building itself as relatively recent, probably since the turn of that century. That's due to the large windows and the absence of a brick arched header (the headers are probably iron/steel beams.) Compare to the older Campbell Storage building that has more typical arched headers and smaller, round-topped windows. Also the Campbell building has a shallow sloped gable roof, vs the flat roof on Holland-American. Edit: A later shot shows the Holland-American building also has a shallow sloped roof, but that's obscured by the architecture. The fact that there's a small piece of a sign on that strange building on the left supports the idea this was a part of a structure moved here from elsewhere. What I don't understand is the sloped right-hand wall. I agree with Pdxrailtransit this could have been part of a wharf building. Seems I've seen sloped sides on such buildings, but I don't know why they were constructed that way. In the back is a Merchants Dispatch Transportation reefer. If you look closely at the bottom of the car, you can see 3 stripes. On the Yahoo EarlyRail group, we had quite a discussion on the colors of those stripes, trying to understand/project how B&W films responds to different colors, contemporary advertising and paint/textual records. All-in-all, a great shot, full of interesting details. The only surviving buildingI can find is the one visible over the top of the house on the right. It's now part of Stevens Institute of Technology and may have been then. The other end of it is on the NE corner of 6th & River Streets. The RR tracks in the pic run in about the same area that Frank Sinatra Drive does now. House on the HillThe building behind the trees at top right is "Stevens Castle," home of Edwin Stevens, founder of Stevens Institute of Technology. It was torn down in 1959. The odd shaped buildingI would guess that funny shaped building was once part of some other structure but was detached and moved for some reason. Note the Orphaned "M" on the top left of it, part of it is cut off and the building seems to have had a new back attached. The boxcars and the wiresNo technology existed in 1810 that would have called for hanging wires from poles, except, perhaps, a clothesline. I would also suggest that the wealth of stockade fences would have been prohibitively expensive before the advent of modern lumbermills after the Civil War; ditto the large plate glass windows. I won't go too deeply into a stylistic analysis of the mansard-roofed houses, but they are a Victorian style, not any of the styles that would have been seen in 1810. I lived in one in Connecticut in the early '90s that was very similar. I recently looked it up. Zillow says it was built in 1873. Rock solid rock wallA portion of the rock retaining wall shown on the left side of this photo still survives next to the sidewalk along Frank Sinatra Drive. Hoboken Shore RRThe "tipsy building" is the office of the Hoboken Shore RR, formerly Hoboken Manufacturers' RR. Those are the company's tracks, and the small building behind it right up next to the brick pier building is their freight house. In some of the other 1905 and 1908 photos looking east you can read the sign on it. Others have figured out that the tipsy building was a part of the older, wooden 5th Street pier structure. The RR must have bought just that bit and sawed it off and mounted it on the cribbing when the new one was built sometime between 1905 and 1908! I've seen a Hoboken phone book from the period that lists the HS RR office as being at "the foot of 5th Street." (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Horses, Railroads)
Strangers on a Train: 1928
... to think the elderly gentleman on the left might be a Civil War vet--and the Navy man might serve in WWII. Next stop.... Next stop, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 12:03pm -

"Southern Railway, interior of car," circa 1928 in or near Washington, D.C. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. GenerationsInteresting to think the elderly gentleman on the left might be a Civil War vet--and the Navy man might serve in WWII. Next stop....Next stop, Willoughby.... Human TransitThe good old days - enough room to stretch out, windows you could open, ample storage space. This is what we lost to the airlines. Private momentsThose seats weren't all that comfortable, and there was no AC in the summer, but you didn't have idiots babbling on cellphones. (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Railroads)
Lemont Depot: 1902
... took them almost 100 years to start recovering from The War. The track structure is showing signs of modern evolution. Six-hole ... joint between rails. In earlier Shorpy photos from the Civil War era, two-hole joint bars were in use. But, the track engineers had ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:56pm -

Lemont, Illinois, circa 1902. "Station of the Chicago & Alton R.R. Taken from Canal Street." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. LemiddleLemont seems to be lemiddle between Chicago and St. Louis. Not sure though why the sign puts a period after Lemont. [A common practice of the time. There are many examples here, such as this one. - tterrace] Clergymen and DepotsThe depot is unusual in that, although the semaphore train order signal means this is a telegraph office, it has no bay window, which is where the operator sat with his apparatus. Notice that although a modest depot, it is constructed of stone. A similar-sized depot down South would almost certainly have been wooden, despite the potential problems with humidity and termites. Southern railroads were so poor (or their Yankee owners were so cheap). It really took them almost 100 years to start recovering from The War. The track structure is showing signs of modern evolution. Six-hole joint bars of a design that is basically still in use today. The longer the bar, the more holes for bolts, the stronger the joint between rails. In earlier Shorpy photos from the Civil War era, two-hole joint bars were in use. But, the track engineers had not yet discovered the advantage of alternating the direction of the bolts. They're all facing the same way. And no tie plates or anchors yet, either. And notice the old clergyman standing on the platform. He HAS to be an Episcopalian. That's an "Anglican collar" he's wearing. An "RC collar" had the black band around the outside of the white band, with a gap in the front. And, his overall dress doesn't appear to me to fit the usual RC style, especially the derby. Anglican clergymen are notorious train buffs, especially about steam engines. He doesn't have any baggage, so he's probably just down there to watch trains. The great BBC series, "Yes, Prime Minister" had an episode in which Sir Humphrey (Nigel Hawthorne) urged a candidate for bishop upon the PM, because even though he doubted the divinity of Christ, he LOVED steam engines. Church in the DistanceThe existing Lemont Station at 101 Main is the village’s first depot, dating from 1858. The station, built by the Chicago and Alton Railroad, was essential to the postcanal development of the Lemont Historic District. According to Ira J. Bach and Susan Wolfson in their book, A Guide to Chicago Train Stations, Present and Past, the Lemont depot is the oldest surviving masonry depot in the Chicago area It appears as if the church that is shown in the distance is also still standing on E Illinois St near State St. Still there!Those buildings must have been built to last! View Larger Map Lincoln's Funeral Train passed hereThis is the oldest station in the Chicago commuter rail system (Metra). It was in use when Lincoln's funeral train passed in 1865 (info from Metra historical records). Roman collars and train wrecksSome Catholic priests wear that kind of collar. There's no doctrinal significance to the variations. Derby hat: no doctrinal significance there either. A. H. Malan (1852-1928) was an English clergyman who documented a great deal of the Great Western Railway's broad gauge days with his camera. Those rail joints have bond wires on them. Automatic block signals, or an interlocking, or switch indicators? I worked on a manual block railroad years ago, and we had a wreck that was mitigated by switch indicators. These are signals governed by the position of switches. Two freights were opposing each other on the single track main. When the first freight passed the switch indicator, it dropped the signal in front the second. They still collided, but it wasn't as bad. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Bonus Tracks: 1906
... buildings owned and managed by the Alonzo Ogilvie Bliss, a civil war veteran of the Tenth New York Calvary. Newspaper ads neglected to mention ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 11:14am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1906-1910. "Switch yards, Union Station." The third and final part of our panorama. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Pano put togetherFor your viewing pleasure. Click here to see pano Hover your mouse over the image for a menu to download the full sized picture. A Room With a ViewThe Penhurst Apartment, your Haven of Rest, conveniently located near public transportation. Refrigerated StorageLooks to be some sort of heat exchanger over on the right. Ammonia chiller, maybe. VestigesWhile the Penhurst is gone (tracks for Metro's Red Line run where it used to be), the stone bollards and wrought iron railing along First Street survive: View Larger Map Plenty Light & Hot WaterThe Penhurst Apartments was one of about a dozen apartment buildings owned and managed by the Alonzo Ogilvie Bliss, a civil war veteran of the Tenth New York Calvary. Newspaper ads neglected to mention the noise and smoke of the adjacent rail yard. Rent in 1906 was $20 for a four room apartment. Today's picture would not quite be the same as H street N.E. now passes over the rail yard. At the time of the photo, H street passed through a long tunnel underneath the yard, as several of the streets to the north still do. The Penhurst Apartments were located at 48 H St. N.E. so that gives a pretty good alignment for where the H street bridge is now. An intermodal transport center and public parking structure now covers this portion of the yard. Developments rights have recently been sold for all the remaining airspace above the rails. Classified Ads, Washington Post, Jun 28, 1919 The Penhurst, Apartment 30 - Two or more rooms, furnished or unfurnished; south front; plenty light and hot water. Washington Post, Jan 5, 1920 Penhurst Apartments Burn Lives of dwellers in the 22 apartments in the Penhurst, 48 H street northeast, were imperiled yesterday when a fire originating in the elevator shaft spread to all floors of the Building, cutting off escape of a number of tenants by the stairway. Damage is estimated at $20,000. When the fire first started the emergency hose was brought into use, but failed to function, and before the fire apparatus arrived on the first alarm the flames had gained such headway that two additional alarms bringing out thirteen additional fire companies were sent in. ... Tallest Building in the USAI think I spot the Washington Monument poking its head over the Government Printing Office on the right side of the frame. At the time of this photo, the Washington Monument (169m) still held the title of the tallest building in the United States, holding off a challenge from Philadelphia's City Hall (opened 1901) by just 2 meters. EquipmentThe heat exchanger mentioned below may have been used to cool compressed air which was used to operate the many switch machines that move the "points" -- a favored method used by the Pennsylvania Railroad in its larger terminals. Ammonia was also injected into the compressed air to help prevent freezing. Washington Union Station was opened on October 27, 1908, so these photographs probably date very near to that date. A Stitch in Time...Here's the whole panorama stitched together larger: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/414627/union-station-pano.jpg Re: Shorpy LandmarksTo the left of the Government Printing Office is the tall thin spire of the Metropolitan Methodist Church. (The Gallery, D.C., DPC, Railroads)
Mourning McKinley: 1901
... to figure it out--I was born there in 1950. Dating to the Civil War era, the hospital moved in the 1950s to larger quarters in Northeast. The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/03/2021 - 10:29am -

Washington, D.C. "View from Randall School of H Street S.W., between Half & First Streets, in 1901 showing coal yard and old homes near railroad station. Houses have McKinley memorials. Portrait of President William McKinley draped in black is visible on the house on the left. A flag is at half mast on the right." Along with at least two other McKinley portraits. 8x10 inch glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. Oddly lonelySuch a stark contrast exists between the pretty house with delicate embellishments casting lacy shadows -- the two older folk porch sitting on an early autumn afternoon; the younger woman dressed like an Old West frontier female standing by, arms crossed; the hatted child playing at the edge of the sidewalk -- and the rest of the landscape, which appears suspended in a dusty, lonely languor. McKinley's destinyThe assassination of William McKinley made Theodore Roosevelt President at the age of 42. When TR became Vice President earlier that same year, his friend Charles G. Washburn remarked: "I would not like to be in McKinley's shoes. He has a man of destiny behind him." Buffalo / DallasI was 7 when President Kennedy died. I never hear mention of Dallas without thinking of his assassination. I've always wondered, did people who were alive when McKinley died have similar associations with Buffalo, where he was assassinated? TRElsewhere in the city, "that damned cowboy" Teddy Roosevelt has just become the new President. All the houses with TepeesI had always assumed that the little turrets, or cones on the corners of houses were purely for appearance. I wonder whether they also played a structural purpose since more than two dozen of them are visible in the picture. McKinley's DeathWhen he died President McKinley was widely and deeply mourned. The trappings of official and Victorian mourning with black crape and formal mourning attire were everywhere. But so also were touching demonstrations by simple people throughout the country where public assemblies and special services in churches were held. The route of his funeral train was lined by ordinary working class people standing shoulder to shoulder with the well off and powerful. People placed coins and flowers on the train tracks and kept the flattened remnants as mementos. At almost every stage of the journey local bands appeared playing the hymn "Nearer My God to Thee," a popular hymn and Mr. McKinley's favorite long before it became associated with the Titanic disaster. McKinley was a deeply religious man and according to popular legend (disputed) his last words were from the opening verse of the hymn. Here is a link to some rare film footage of the official ceremonies and funeral procession. https://youtu.be/gTQrpsZ3tQA LOCIs that the Library of Congress in the distance on the left? Ballast = coalI believe we're looking at a coal dealer. Note that some of the bays are divided so the coal can be sorted as to lump size and possibly some choice Anthracite in there. Seems to be a small cart-ramp extending over yet more bays below. Displaying FlagsFlags are flown at half mast aboard ships. On land they are flown at half staff. Jefferson BuildingThe partially visible large building in the upper left of the image is southeast corner of the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, which was completed four years before the image was taken. Lehigh ValleyThe elevated rail arrangement and piles of ballast in the center-right of the photo remind me of all the comments and speculations last week with regard to Earth Movers: 1901. Building IDI'm curious about the complex of large white (at least in this picture) buildings in the upper right. Can we identify that? It's on the MapGoats of Venus has indeed got it right. [As does the photo caption, which calls it a coal yard - Dave] A look at a 1904 Sanborn Fire Insurance map shows this to be the Allegheny Coal Co. The map clearly shows the hard and soft coal trestles as well as the other structures on the site. Even more fascinating, it matches up perfectly with the houses in the image (facing H Street) and accurately shows their construction, with the pink color representing brick and yellow being frame. Even the 2-story frame porch on the house in the foreground is shown on the map as well as the split brick and frame construction of the first house around the corner on Half Street. Building ID FoundAfter much sleuthing, including trying to get the right perspective using old DC maps, I can positively identify the large white building in the upper right as being the “old” Providence Hospital located at the time at 2nd & D Streets SE on Capitol Hill (see the image in the plaque below). I’m a bit embarrassed it took me so long to figure it out--I was born there in 1950. Dating to the Civil War era, the hospital moved in the 1950s to larger quarters in Northeast. The buildings in the photo were razed and site became Providence Park, which still exists today. Incidentally, a number of previously published Shorpy photos were taken around the same time frame from the roof of the hospital, including several pointed back in the general direction of the Randall School—the reverse of where we’re looking from in the photo above. The fall of a sparrowThe prominent group of structures at 2 o'clock is the old Providence Hospital complex. It's a park now. (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Railroads)
Bustling Boonton: 1900
... those apocryphal cockroaches that would survive a nuclear war would be dining off them. Still around, although no longer made in ... powering a bit of a hipster influx these days. The Civil War monument at right still stands; and the legacy of the Delaware, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/25/2017 - 10:54am -

Circa 1901. "Railroad tracks and trestle at Boonton, New Jersey." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Nice prototypeThe trestle is great, but I love the turntable. What a project for a modeler! Ruins persist.You can see some snaps of what the round table and trestle look like today, here: Trestle and Turntable PushTurntable is of the Armstrong style still used even in recent installations, i.e. Great Smoky Mountains Railway in Bryson City, NC. Siding ending on the trestle is certainly unusual. Summer PlatesAnyone else remember Boontonware? My high school cafeteria was stocked full with it, not to mention our summer home. Incredibly sturdy plastic dishes. My dad used to joke that those apocryphal cockroaches that would survive a nuclear war would be dining off them. Still around, although no longer made in Boonton, New Jersey, but a few hundred miles away in Ashtabula, Ohio. Work in ProgressThe track is under construction. The trestle to the left is temporary, and is in the process of being filled in. The cars on the temporary trestle are delivering the material for the fill. Sellers TurntableThe turntable was built by William Sellers and Company of Philadelphia. Well built and easy to use, properly maintained they last a long time. They were widely exported to countries like Japan and Australia. My depot still has one, although it's currently out of use. Down the line at Kiama the 60' Sellers turntable is still used to turn the loco when the picnic train is steam hauled. Even though they're known as "Armstrong" tables, if the loco is properly balanced they can easily be turned by one person. A contemporary description is here. Also GoneThe toothed leaves silhouetted at the top of the photo look to be American Chestnut, just a few years before the blight that was to wipe them out was introduced. Boonton ReservoirThe hill is still there, the town at the north end of the Boonton reservoir, so-called, a practice area for student pilots in the 50s, with an island to work at circling in a wind and nobody on the ground to annoy with the air work overhead. Still an old, old placeWhile the frame structures have mostly vanished, the number of very old buildings still in use is striking... actually powering a bit of a hipster influx these days. The Civil War monument at right still stands; and the legacy of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western infrastructure is seen today in commuter and freight traffic, plus the shops of the Morristown & Erie Railroad, a relatively young shortline, which undertakes refurbishment on historic stock as a sideline. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
A Dark Chapter, in Color
... Great Work It's amazing how the fact that all Civil War photography was black and white makes the era seem less real. I have seen ... 
 
Posted by Fredric Falcon - 09/20/2011 - 1:22pm -

Maybe seeing a scene from the slavery era in color will remind us of how very real those times were. Here's my concept of how this scene might have looked. Up above...I love the trompe l'oeil. Great WorkIt's amazing how the fact that all Civil War photography was black and white makes the era seem less real. I have seen CW pictures which were hand-painted in the 19th century, and they still have that unreal look, not at all like modern colorization. May I have permission to use this image in our local Civil War Roundtable newsletter? Beautiful work!Seems very real; especially the stained and moldy wood and brick sidings; North facing I suspect. Having lived in Atlanta for many years, I think the dirt streets might be a touch more orange in color due the red clay so ever present in Georgia. Great job! Amazing!I agree completely. When you look at old black and white photographs it's hard to believe we are seeing scenes from the past that were once completely real and colorful and full of life. It's like seeing an old movie; one tends to believe that "old timers" lived in black and white only, or that their presence is in some level unreal, as false and fictitious as the strange grayscale we see on the scene. But things change dramatically when you see the same scene in full color! Suddenly the old, impersonal buildings and streets come to life, speaking to the viewer of a circumstance and a period of time that, its antiqueness notwhistanding, is as real as our current cotidianity. The bizarre, Kafkaesque scene becomes human again; the buildings stop being props or mere silhouettes and become the work of men; and the ads and messages painted on their walls speak again of the reality current when the photo was taken. We are transported in time; our eyes are privileged to see a scene that had not been truly seen by anyone in over 140 years. You see the scene and wonder: how different will things be 140 years from now? How our great-grandchildren react when they see a plain, two-dimensional image of our era? will they be awed by the simple little facts of daily life captured in that image, will they have the same sentiment of longing we experience at seeing this old relics of a bygone past? What more to say? An excellent job, definitely blends artistic ability with technological improvements. Thank you very much for sharing it with us! Seems so immediateExceptional work again, Fredric. The well chosen colors make the past seem so much more immediate, to color-accustomed eyes. (Before photography, did anyone dream in black and white?) You know what they say --"Those who do not remember the pastel are condemned to repeat it." ThanksPalm Springs John, I never considered that the street dirt should be clay-colored. I've changed it and replace the photo with the upgraded version. Is this more accurate? Too much red? I don't live in the South, so let me know if it's accurate yet. Mike Brown, sure you can use this photo in your newsletter, if it's OK with Dave. I'd like to see it when it's published. Is there any way I can? Thanks for your comments. Newsletter> Mike Brown, sure you can use this photo in your > newsletter, if it's OK with Dave. I'd like to > see it when it's published. Is there any way I can? Most of our members get it in PDF form, so it'll be easy. E-mail your address to wb2jwd@htva.net, and I'll be happy to send it along. A marvelous job with a tough image.Nicely done. Georgia dirt is nearly impossible to colorize (at least for me). It comes in all sorts of shades from bright red to orange to brown – and it changes color based on moisture and heat. At times – like in the dry fall months when this was taken – it dries to a very light –almost white - brown (like baked clay). In reality, the signs and wood would have been nearly devoid of pigment. By the summer of 1864 the south – poor in the best of times – had been existing under the most severe privation and these buildings had been neither painted nor whitewashed in many years. The wood would have been a dark, weathered grey. The brick building at the far right is the Concert Hall, and it sat right up against the main line of the railroads. Years of steam and southern humidity would have made the 365-days-a-year of heavy smoke and pine soot penetrate every crevice of the masonry. The mildew is a nice touch. (I really don’t mean to be critical at all; you’ve done a marvelous job with a tough image.) (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Colorized Photos)
Steelhenge: 1908
... or portions thereof. I wonder if some old locos of about Civil War era sacrificed the wheelsets as they met their demise. Seems Like (Not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/05/2016 - 6:01pm -

Circa 1908. "Steel ingots, Homestead Steel Works, Homestead, Pennsylvania." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The cars are more interesting than the ingots.Ingots of this shape are usually referred to as "slabs". This shape is the first stage of plate and other flat goods. These appear to be "top poured" from their frothy appearance. More interesting though are the slab cars. They have inside bearings like most locomotive pony trucks. Steel mills have long reused rail equipment or portions thereof. I wonder if some old locos of about Civil War era sacrificed the wheelsets as they met their demise. Seems Like (Not Quite So) Old TimesWhen I was a kid riding the B&O back in the 50's and early 60's, a very similar sight would greet me as I passed through the steel mills near Pittsburgh. At night the ingots would glow red/orange in the dark, each one a little brighter than the one in front. It might have been my imagination, but I swear I could feel the heat through the glass. (The Gallery, DPC, Industry & Public Works, Railroads)
The General: 1964
... train called the General #3 (yes, the General from the civil war), and that was it. I fell in love with trains. This photo was taken by me ... 
 
Posted by paulPaulsBest - 01/18/2010 - 3:03pm -

My family and my dogs are my life, but my love is steam trains. My dad took me as a child on my first train ride on the steam train called the General #3 (yes, the General from the civil war), and that was it. I fell in love with trains. This photo was taken by me as a child. View full size. Nifty!What a lovely angle for this train. It looks like its ready for its starring role in a Western! Nifty! It was a great trip, I go to ride in it when I was a kid. That's where I fell in love with steam trains. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Railroads)
General #3: 1964
... train called the General #3 (yes, the General from the civil war), and that was it. I fell in love with trains. This photo was taken by me ... 
 
Posted by paulPaulsBest - 01/15/2010 - 9:12am -

My family and my dogs are my life, but my love is steam trains. My dad took me as a child on my first train ride on the steam train called the General #3 (yes, the General from the civil war), and that was it. I fell in love with trains. This photo was taken by me as a child. View full size. The GeneralMy grandfather, who retired in 1955, was a railway engineer for Canadian Pacific and your photo reminded me of his tie clip of the General that he always wore. He told me that he bought it while visiting relatives in Pennsylvania in the 1920s, and I now have it in a shadow box along with his railway watch and a few photos of my grandparents. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Railroads)
Illinois Central: 1942
... that has been applied to every steam locomotive since the Civil War. With no moving parts, it takes steam from the boiler (the pipe connection ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/21/2014 - 12:40pm -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Engine taking on coal at an Illinois Central Railroad yard." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. PartsThis is apparently a switching locomotive, as indicated by the sandbox (sometimes called a dome) atop the boiler in front of the cab, with it's sand delivery pipe running down the side of the firebox to deliver dry sand to the top of the rail behind the rear driving wheels for additional traction when starting to move a heavy cut of cars. Illinois Central locomotives, such as this one, had very commodious cabs. Small windows in the front wall of the cab, directly behind the sandbox, are to allow the engineer, and fireman, to see the color of the smoke as it is expelled out the stack - information important to maintaining the proper, efficient operation of the locomotive. The three parallel pipes running out of the picture to the right, from below the engineers position in the cab, are air brake control lines. The "broken grate" firebox (the bottom of which is indicated by the double row of rivets just below the air brake lines) is above the driving wheels, indicating that this engine was designed about two decades before this portrait. The gadget on the side of the boiler, directly below the sandbox is the injector. A simple, inexpensive, reliable, and miraculous device under the control of the engineer, that has been applied to every steam locomotive since the Civil War. With no moving parts, it takes steam from the boiler (the pipe connection at the top), sucks water from the tender (the connection below, that runs diagonally below the cab), and forces that water forward (the pipe to the right) into the boiler! This locomotive also has been equipped with a canvas awning above the engineers window (now, rolled up). This enables the engineer to stick his head out and look back, during inclement weather, to see signals during switching movements. Recently rebuilt 3600 class 2-10-0 locomotiveThe IC constructed 15 2-10-0 locomotives which were numbered from 3610 to 3624 over a period from 1939 to 1941. These were big engines that were pieced together from salvaged 2-8-2 and 2-10-2 locomotives. The lack of a trailing truck under the cab makes this an engine unsuited for much switching work as the trailing truck helps guide the drivers thru curves and switches. (The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Hoboken Public Bath: 1905
... from Catskill to Albany. Pressed into service during the Civil War, she became known as the Union Army's "greyhound" (not to be confused with ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2017 - 10:44am -

1905. "Holland America line piers, Hoboken, N.J." Points of interest include the Hoboken Public Bath at center and S.S. Potsdam. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The steamboatat the upper right is the William F. Romer, launched in June 1881 by the Skinner Shipbuilding & Drydock Company at Baltimore for the Weems Steamboat Company as the Mason L. Weems. It operated between Baltimore and Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock River in the passenger and freight trade, one of the largest and fastest in that trade at the time. In 1890 Weems sold the vessel to Romer & Tremer Steamboat Company which had taken over the Cornell Steamboat Company route between Rondout and New York City on the Hudson and was renamed Willliam F. Romer. In 1899 Romer & Tremer sold out to the Central Hudson Steamboat Company and the Romer entered that firm's employment. It ran until the fall of 1918 when laid up at Newburgh. In 1920 the vessel was dismantled there and its hull sold to a brick manufacturer at Eavesport who intended to use the hull as a dock facing. That was never done, and the Romer's remains can still be seen there. The Potsdam, built at Hamburg in 1900 by Blohm & Voss, became the Stockholm of the Swedish-American line in 1915 and was converted into the Norwegian whale factory ship Solglimt in 1928 and served as such until seized by Germany in 1940 and transferred to the German Navy, renamed Sonderburg. It was sunk as a blockade ship at Cherbourg, France, 29 June 1944 and destroyed by British bombing soon after. Its remains were raised in 1947 and broken up at England. Remains of the DayThe remains of the William F. Romer can barely be seen at low tide in the cove formed by Eves Point at the end of Emerick Road, on the west bank of the Hudson (now part of Bristol Beach State Park), just over a mile up river from the Village of Saugerties. More visible is the better known M. Martin (1863-1918, scrapped 1920), named for Milton Martin, a prosperous Hudson merchant and banker. She was built at Jersey City for the Romer & Tremper Steamboat Company to run day passengers and freight from Catskill to Albany. Pressed into service during the Civil War, she became known as the Union Army's "greyhound" (not to be confused with the Union troop transport Greyhound, which was sunk by a Confederate "coal torpedo"). She served as General Grant's personal dispatch boat on the Chesapeake Bay, and carried messages and troops across the bay and river. Early in 1865 the Confederate peace commissioners, led by the Vice-President of the Confederacy Alexander H. Stephens, were quartered for several days as guests (without guards) on board the M. Martin at City Point, while they waited to negotiate terms of peace with someone that President Lincoln would designate for what became known as the Hampton Roads Conference. The conference, which ended in failure, was held on the River Queen and the Union was represented by Lincoln himself. Click on the photo to enlarge. SS Potsdam sailed from RotterdamThe "NASM" on the flag you see on the mast stands for "Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij" or "Netherlands-American Steamship Company", the original Dutch name for the company. Like many other passenger ship lines, it was assimilated by the cruise line Borg -- Carnival Cruise Lines -- and continues zombie like as the "Holland America Line". The ship itself ended up being scuttled in the Cherbourg harbor by the Germans in 1944. NABISCOOver yonder across the North River (well, ok, Hudson River), is the Uneeda Biscuit bakery on the west side of Manhattan. Uneeda Biscuit later became part of National Biscuit Company, aka NABISCO. The Oar WeathervaneThis image is rich in salubrious period nautical detail. The bowsprits in the right foreground belong to Hudson River Sloops, of which the late Pete Seeger's Clearwater is a replica. These sailed up and down the Hudson carrying bluestone, hay for the city's horses, and, especially, bricks from the many brickworks of the Hudson valley. The steam yacht in the left foreground has beautiful flowing lines and a clipper bow. Modern yachts are clu8nky in comparison! The second building has a charming weathervane shaped like an oar. It must be a rowing club! The Uneeda Biscuit factory on the Manhattan shore in the left background later became part of Nabisco. Uneeda biscuits, which lasted until about a decade ago, were like thick matzos or unsalted saltines; basically "hardtack". Among other things, they could be used to make a truly excellent poultry stuffing. The real prize might be the side-wheel steamboat in the right background. Can't make out her entire name: Looks like William F. Bower or Rower. Have not been able to find a reference. The pier to which the S.S. Potsdam is tied has some sort of cargo rigging strung between heavy poles. It would be interesting to learn how this worked! Wireless Technology The Potsdam's wireless antenna was strung from the stack to aft. State of the art for its day. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC, Railroads)
Burned Out: 1942
... junk dealer." Photo by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. Been on its legs all day That stove ... stuff was lost to WWII scrap drives - Revolutionary & Civil War cannons from innumerable city parks, statues, plaques, monuments, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/10/2013 - 10:56pm -

May 1942. "Washington, D.C. Scrap salvage campaign, Victory Program. 'Old Ironside' is written on this stove found in warehouse of wholesale junk dealer." Photo by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. Been on its legs all dayThat stove could almost be either an embryonic, primitive robot taking a hard-earned rest, or a small atomic bomb, complete with radiation warning device above the company's name. It is certainly a most striking design. Old IronsidesIt looks as though Ironsides might be saying, "I'm going to sit down and rest for just a minute. Be right with you." Wehrle FactoryThat stove was manufactured in my hometown. I've read in several locations that it was the largest stove factory in the world at points in time. The factory itself sat on land that was part of the Newark Earthwork Complex, and was razed in 2010. IronyIronic in that, the shapes of these Iron stoves in their original form are not so different than the shapes and forms that many of them were probably melted into, during their process of transformation, that started with their collection for the Victory Program, and ended in the various munitions that required such shapes. Ironic Indeed. Sorry, I couldn't help it. I just saw the puns lying there hours ago, and nobody had posted anything yet. So I decided to do so based upon that being the first thing that came to mind in seeing the shapes in this image. Good!More deaths on the railroads of yesteryear were caused by this thing than by anything else. Fan of FansThe fan is a "roller coaster" oscillator. It moves up and down in addition to side to side. They are very rare today and are worth several thousand dollars to collectors. Some rare antique electric fans can go for $15 to $20k. It makes you wonder how many were melted down during the wartime scrap drives. CrackedThe stove so reminds me of Humpty Dumpty after he fell off the wall! Stoves weren't the only thingA lot of stuff was lost to WWII scrap drives - Revolutionary & Civil War cannons from innumerable city parks, statues, plaques, monuments, early locomotives, early ships, untold historical artifacts, even a lot of the big classic cars of the 1930s like Duesenbergs and Pierce-Arrows. Anything and everything made of aluminum, bronze, brass, tin, iron and steel was melted down for the war effort. A scrap drive todayIf we had a wartime scrap drive today, I suspect we would be in trouble. Our tanks and bullets would have to be made of plastic. (The Gallery, D.C., Marjory Collins, WW2)
« first‹ prev1 [2]
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.