Nostalgia & History > Say "Cheese"!!!

How would you liked to have arranged this photo shot? This was Dunsmuir in 1921 when the local SP labor force was rounded up for a group photo. They all arranged themselves around locomotive 2754 and posed for the photographer on the turntable. No colored vests or hardhats in this era. I have to assume the big cheese in charge of this crew is the gentleman on the far right wearing a vest and suit. My how times have changed. And no I wasn't the photographer.

---

"And no I wasn't the photographer..." Lol. Thanks for sharing. Cool shot.

Quite a group!!

Noticed most everyone is wearing some kind of a hat. Think there are only 8 to 10 guys not wearing one.

Great photo! Thanks for posting it!

Re: Hats... Between the cinders and sun (and lack of sunscreen) a good idea back then... Still is today if your family has any history of skin cancers.

Take that photo to modern railroad management and the CEO would shake his head in dismay (mumbling about how that potential PR shot was wasted), the CFO would say they had 80% too much labor, and the Chief Safety Officer would faint in the floor...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/18 21:25 by CSX602.

Whenever I see one of these photos, I'm always amazed at how many people can stand on the running boards without bending the brackets or breaking a mounting bolt.

Great photo, Bob, despite the fact that you were not the photographer.

Wow! I love this photo of the SP roundhouse crews at Dunsmuir. I've been looking at this photo for some time now, hoping to find my Great Grandfather who was working for the SP in Dunsmuir at this time. Some brave men standing up on top of the turntable bridge. Thank you for posting this photo!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/18 20:21 by Superstock.

Here's another view of 2754 in El Paso, Texas December of 1945.
From the Larry Harrison collection, originally the Harold K. Vollrath collection.

---

Great photo Bob. Reminds me of the Alco photo of their shop employees taken on the completion of 844, the last locomotive purchased in that order with assign stating Merry Christmas Union Pacific Railroad from the men at Alco.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

That photo looks like it could have been taken in India.

Amazing photo . . . shows you what size of labour force it took to take trains up and down The Loop when steam was king . . . .

Craig
mcmrailvidoes.com

CSX602 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great photo! Thanks for posting it!
>
> Re: Hats... Between the cinders and sun (and
> lack of sunscreen) a good idea back then...
> Still is today if your family has any history of
> skin cancers.


I worked with a young guy who was promoted to management (45ish years ago). He was advised to start wearing a hat because the men didn't trust anyone who didn't.


>
> Take that photo to modern railroad management and
> the CEO would shake his head in dismay (mumbling
> about how that potential PR shot was wasted)


since PR is not necessary in modern corporations that care nothing about P nor R.


>, the
> CFO would say they had 80% too much labor,



Thinking that all those guys were working on just one locomotive.



> and the
> Chief Safety Officer would faint in the floor...


No, he wouldn't have made it past the operator and his train order hoops or if he did, wouldn't get past this guy https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?18,4575484 on the way to the photo shoot.

TAW

Looks like child labor laws were either non-existent or ignored judging by the looks of the four individuals on the turntable bridge! Think of what courage and/or strength it would have taken to get up there.

Man... that's a LOT of cheese! I always like photos like this. I can only imagine how hard an OSHA man or a modern safety officer would flip his wig over a scene like this...

Lance/199

I'm amazed that in that time and age that they could assemble that many men in the workforce at one time to take such a photo.

CSX602 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great photo! Thanks for posting it!
>
> Re: Hats... Between the cinders and sun (and
> lack of sunscreen) a good idea back then...
> Still is today if your family has any history of
> skin cancers.
>
> Take that photo to modern railroad management and
> the CEO would shake his head in dismay (mumbling
> about how that potential PR shot was wasted), the
> CFO would say they had 80% too much labor, and the
> Chief Safety Officer would faint in the floor...

Yes indeed!
BB

Looks like the engineer had the best seat!

Doc
Henderson NV