Nostalgia & History > Old (1949-50) Photos from Assoc. of American RR (Part 1

When I was a kid of about 11 or 12 years old, I was really interested in railroads, especially the freight trains that rolled through my town on the U.P. branch line......in fact, the train was about the only thing that moved in that little village!

At that time (about 1950), I wrote to the Assoc. of American Railroads and requested more information about railroads. The Assoc. sent me a whole packet of classroom pictures and information booklets about the railroads in the U.S......the information was really designed to serve as a teaching resource for classroom teacher, but I was thrilled to get the package.

So now, about 60+ years later, I have scanned a few of the 50+ prints. They are attached as follows: the railroads and locations are not identified in the photos......it appears to me that the Assoc. air-brushed out the RR names on the engines and rolling stock.

See if you can help me identify what railroad appears in the prints and the possible location that the photos were made.

Photo #1 (AAR print #34 labeled 'Freight Trains on the Road').....possibly in S. California?......my burning questions.....what is that strange steam engine on the side track, or am I just looking at it wrong?

Photo #2 (print #19 - 'Passenger Terminal Facilities').....probably an eastern railroad terminal.

Photo #3 (print #32 - 'The Train Dispatcher').......note: the board in front of the dispatcher identifies the switch sidings as...... Barnesville / Collier / Forsythe / Smarr / Bolingbroke / Lorane / Payne .....that's the best spelling I can offer after scrutinizing the print with a magnifying glass......must be an eastern railroad line.

(cont. next post Part 2)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/14 20:09 by wyemarsh.

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Top photo Woodford, CA in Tehachapi Mnts.
JB

The steam engine is a cab-forward.

That's Southern FT 4112, and the CTC board is the southern end of the Central of Georgia line between Atlanta and Macon.

I agree with Woodford, Ca, and this was on the former Southern Pacific, with SP 6122 another FT leading.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/14 18:50 by ExSPCondr.

ExSPCondr Wrote:
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> I agree with Woodford, Ca, and this was on the
> former Southern Pacific, with SP 6122 another FT
> leading.

The 6122 is an F 3 going by the Dynamic Brake Grids. I do not think there were any FTs on the SP.

Malcolm
New Zealand

The inset with the car wash looks to be a Great Northern observation car?

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> The inset with the car wash looks to be a Great
> Northern observation car?


Yes, looks like a "Coulee" series car off the "Builder".

#2 looks like Florence,SC on the ACL.

Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.

Makes you understand why railroads make so much money now. More freight and less salaries.