Steam & Excursion > Steam Files - PRR #11

Today we'll just take a look at and savor an image of a K4s painted by famed artist Grif Teller. This one dates to 1932, in the midst of the depression and is titled "On Time" It's classic PRR at its best, for what more can be said ?  The speed and dependability of the onrushing train, the drama of the weather, four track main line with position light signals conveying safety and efficiency, the mighty engine flying green flags denoting a second section in these financially tough times, the tuscan red varnish trailing behind and the iconic keystone  number plate leaving no doubt as to whose train and railroad this scene belongs to. It might be tough times for Americans and tough weather for the PRR, but looking at this image, adversity will, and is being overcome, and the green flags tell us there are more good things to follow.

That keystone number plate dates back to about September 1927 replacing the 16-3/4" round plates long used by PRR. The 5411 was built by Baldwin in February 1927 and would have come with the older style plate. Most PRR passenger engines had been refitted with the new style by 1930, so at this time it would have been rather new to the public and train watchers trackside. A brilliant PR move really, and one that we mostly take for granted today.

Teller was born Griffith Harold Teller in 1899, and went to work for the Osborn Company in Newark, NJ. Osborn started producing advertising calendars in 1898 and became a world leader in color calendar printing and advertising specialties. In 1927 Teller was assigned the 1928 PRR calendar and it was so well received by PRR that he did every PRR wall calendar from then through the 1942 calendar. PRR's war calendars had a patriotic theme, not done by him, but after the war he did the 1947 to 1953 versions through Osborn. In 1953 Osborn was bought out by a competitor and Teller was laid off. He continued to freelance, and continued with the PRR calendars until 1959. Over the years he produced some outstanding art work.

So lets go back to 1932 and enjoy railroading as it was then, and as the 1932 song by Irving Berlin goes;

"Just around the corner,
there's a rainbow in the sky,
So let's have another cup of coffee,
and let's have another piece of pie."
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/01/25 10:21 by train1275.

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Yeah, that's one of my favorites of his. And Osborne was a giant in the publishing field back then with long roots in the business, it was a very good collaboration with the Pennsy...

JG

And the new company came in and dumped him.

Victot Baird

Posted from Android

Interesting that the train was painted on the interior tracks of the four-track main - usually used for through trains and express, rather than the outside tracks, which had the station platforms.  Better artistically, but a lot of photos seem to show a preference for PRR using the outside tracks to access the lineside stations.