"Business in Elk Grove"

"Business in Elk Grove" by Elizabeth Pinkerton, © Elk Grove Citizen Online, March 15, 2012. (Historical Article)

"... But everything changed in 1868 when the Western Division of the Central Pacific Railroad came through to connect Sacramento to Stockton. It does not appear that our early business folks cheered the coming of the railroad. They did not realize how their lives would change even though the railroad missed the little town/crossroads of Elk Grove. In addition to the hotel there was the Castello blacksmith shop, a Chinese washhouse, the Oltman Building, and the first Masonic Lodge building. But to the east in the middle of the Kerr Brothers’ ranches were those gleaming iron rails. The destiny of the town of Elk Grove [California] would be the closing of business doors—or a major move! And, the move is what happened. Central Pacific built a railroad depot on the north side of the tracks, and the Cox Brothers opened a store in the depot. That was all it took, and by 1869, even the post office had moved to the new location. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Route North or South of the Great Salt Lake

From: "Bud Stephens" photographybybud@gmail.com, Budstephens@msn.com

Why was the north route originally chosen instead of the south route around the Great Salt Lake?

—Ralph (Bud) Stephens (N7USC)

How is the transcontinental railroad being used today?

From: "Barbara J. Neagle" bjneagle@interact.ccsd.net

How is the transcontinental railroad being used today?

Was Vice President Schuyler Colfax unable to do railroad work because he was color blind?

From: "Tim Elkington" tim@elkington.net

Was our forebear Schuyler Colfax color blind – and therefore left the Railroads??

We always thought that he was unable to do railway work because he was color blind – and therefore ended up Vice-President!!

He was a great friend of my g/g/father – Daniel Witter of Denver. ...

—Tim

This is me, above.

How did the transcontinental railroad start?

How did the first transcontinental railroad start?

Lewis Metzler Clement Information

From: "Larry Mullaly" lmullaly@jeffnet.org

My wife Alice and I were recently at Stanford University Special Collections and came across a series of letters from LM Clement to CP Surveyor Butler Ives.

These are found in:
Butler Ives Collection
M0097 Timothy Hopkins Transportation Collection 1816-1942, Box 6.
Vol. Hardbound
Letters and Telegrams to Butler Ives

In all there are 14 letters or telegrams from LM Clement to Butler Ives for the period March 1869 to Nov. 16, 1870.

The Ives Collection of letters and telegrams is extensive and deals mostly with Ives activities in surveying the Central Pacific Railroad. There may be references to Clement in these, but I did not have the opportunity to determine this.

I transcribed a few of these (see [below]) and thought these might be of interest to you. Unfortunately we live in Southern Oregon, so only get down to Stanford University every other year or so. ...

—Larry Mullaly

---

LM Clements Correspondence to Butler Ives

Transcribed by Larry Mullaly
Stanford Special Collections
February 27, 2012.

Butler Ives Collection
M0097 Timothy Hopkins Transportation Collection 1816-1942 Box 6

Vol. Hardbound
Letters and Telegrams to Butler Ives

[In all there are 14 letters or telegrams from LM Clement to Butler Ives from March 1869 to Nov. 16, 1870.]

March 1870 B Ives Engineer Southern Pacific RR

Sir,
As soon as you have completed the organization of the Barometrical, Transit and Leveling parties you will proceed to Gilroy by rail.

Gilroy is the initial point of your survey from which you will run the most direct and central line for a Railroad to the mouth of Salinas Valley. Then you will examine all passes for a continuation of the line to Los Angles. In no case run into the San Joaquin Valley unless you receive orders for so doing from proper authority.

The line up Salinas Valley will be a portion of the route and you will endeavor to secure a line so that the greater portion of Salinas Valley will be used. The most direct route should first be examined.

I cannot give you detailed instruction and therefore you will be guided by the above general instructions as to the work. The survey should be made somewhat in detail showing mountain ranges, main peaks, valleys, passes etc.

You can give your transit party time to take topography and make triangulations to the different main features along the line.

If you can purchase provisions along your route it would be better than to haul them along with you.

You will keep me informed as to your whereabouts whenever practicable that I may know how you may be reached, whether by telegraphy, mail, express or otherwise. A report of the progress of your surveys will be expected whenever you are with reasonable reach of mail or express office.

Respectfully yours.

Saml S. Montague E.
For Southern Pacific RR Co. Officers.

LM Clement to Ives
June 28, 1870

"You can in the meantime proceed with your explorations to Los Angeles. Not knowing the position of your parties I cannot of course direct each so as to work to the best advantage and will leave to this matter to you.

… Books pencils, etc. for Phelps go today. You may purchase pack saddles for Phelps. I think you can get them down there as cheap as to send from here.

We have nothing particular here that is new. The Engineer corps generally seem to be in good health. I would like very much to do down but I fear it will be some time yet.

LM Clement.

August 24, 1870

Yours of 20th inst came to hand this day. I am glad to hear from you and regret that you are still suffering from pains in your back and you should be cautions not to expose yourself unnecessarily.

The check for quarteler $6000 and books will leave here to day. We are pretty busy in the office in general work and I am assured you g…

Tomorrow McCloud goes down to layout some work on the SJVRR from Stanislause to Tuolomnme. All the roads have been consolidated and called CPRR.

The Stockton and Visalin RR is in status quo the are waiting for the decision of the courts as to the legislative right of voting money for the use of private parties.

LM Clements

Sept. 16, 1870

Bulter Ives, Esq.

Engineer in Charge of Surveys of SPRR

Dear Sir or Madam:
Your reports of surveys south of Arroyo Grande [on California Coast below San Luis Obispo] received and also several profiles form Mr. Phelps

Today I telegraphed to Mr. Phelps to return to San Juan [Capistrano] with his party, telegraphing you also, that I had done so, and for you to continue your surveys as to heretofore.

You will continue your surveys as per instructions first issued to Los Angles sending report of your surveys as often as possible.

Nothing particularly new here. The fair is going on but I have not visited it.

Steven is improving slowly, the others as well.

Yours, LM Clements.

Original of Telegraph: Western Union Telegraph Company

Sacramento Sept. 16 to Los Angeles.

Butler Ives, Engineer SPRR Santa Barbara

Have ordered Phelps and party to return to San Juan continue your survey as heretofore am sending letter by express today

LM Clement

Oct. 13, 1870

Butler Ives, Los Angeles

Yours is at hand and money has been sent as you desired. Make a rapid reconnaissance to Kern Lake or vicinity as you propose with barometer and two or three men getting what information you can in a short time and report as soon as you reach Kern Lake.

As soon as season will permit will want to make a similar reconnaissance to Forty Yuma. Will send instructions so that you will find them on your return to Los Angeles. I enclose copy letter and map from Mr. Treadwell. They explain themselves. You can best judge whether the information contained there in is of any value. Let us hear from you as often as possible.

LM Clement

October 17, 1870 B. Ives. Esq.
Los Angeles Cal. Dear Sir.

Mr. Montague left here on the 13th for Ogden, but before leaving enquired of Moore in WE Brown’s Office, if money had been sent to you and understanding him to it had, he wrote to you accordingly. I telegraphed you today that it had not been sent, but will be sent by first Express tomorrow.

Mr. Clement has been laid up at his home for nearly a week with both his hands and his face badly burned. By pulling down a mosquito bar over Montis’ bed which had accidentally caught fire.

He has suffered a great deal and will probably be confined to the house for a week or two more.

Mr. Steiner is still afflicted with the Rheumatism and has gone to Harbin Springs , Lake Co. to test their curative qualities. I enclose letters fro Flanagan and Sawyer.

Hoping the delay cause by Mr. M’s mistake will give you all a chance to get well rested. With respect to all, I remain

Repectfully Yours,
Frank L. Southack

Telegram Oct. 8 to Los Angeles BI

IS it practicable to make surveys to Kern Lake now. If so how much money will you want to complete outfit. Can you send message to Phelps. Answer.

LM Clement.

Los Angeles, Nov. 16, 1870

Suspend surveys. Report at Sacramento. Sell outfit or bring it back as you think best. Answer.

SS Montague

Transcribed by Larry Mullaly, Stanford Special Collections, February 27, 2012.

"Arizona's first train"

"Arizona's first train" © Maricopa Monitor, March 10, 2012. (Archived Article)

"Editor’s note: This story is not current; it appeared in the Aug. 25, 1939 edition of the Casa Grande Dispatch. ...

The Southern Pacific railroad Arizona extension is now rapidly nearing Gila Bend and as soon as the date for reaching Maricopa can be definitely anticipated the time schedule for this pioneer train will be published for the information of the public but as the number of participants must be necessarily limited to the capacity of the sleeping cars, it will be advisable for any and all to make prior engagements for sleeping car accommodations. Reservations can be secured and any additional information will be cheerfully given upon receipt of communications addressed to F.H. Goodman, G.P.&T. agent Central Pacific Railroad San Francisco, March 1, 1879." [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Travel between Des Moines and Portland OR in about 1905

From: "Janis Williams" jwilliams@phcnw.com

I am researching passenger travel between Des Moines and Portland OR in about 1905. I am a little new to this and see lots of information about the engines themselves, but not about how people rode, especially people who had little money. How cheap could you ride? Would there be a supplement for a sleeper car, for example? What would the experience be for the train rider? Would they need to bring enough money to buy food at water stops?

Any help you can provide to point me in the right direction would be very helpful.

—Janis Williams

Book Review of "Search for Judah’s Gold" by Ralph Orlandella

"After childood of loving trains, Lodi native writes a book on railways" by Branden Wiens, © Lodi News-Sentinel, March 9, 2012. (Book Review)

"... Ralph Orlandella ... authored the novel Search for Judah’s Gold, which deals with ... both real-life history and fictional drama into a compelling tale about a search for lost gold hidden somewhere along the original route of the Central Pacific Railroad. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Lesson plans

Where can I find first transcontinental railroad lesson plans for teachers?

"Railroad adventure takes author to gold country"

"Railroad adventure takes author to gold country" by RICHARD FROST, © Plattsburgh Press-Republican, March 4, 2012. (Travel Article)

" ... All of the so-called 'Big Four' had northern New York connections. Charles Crocker, born in Troy, headed west with the Gold Rush. Along with Mark Hopkins, originally from Henderson in St. Lawrence County, he found it more profitable to 'mine the miners' than mine for gold. Collis Huntington wasn't born in upstate New York, but he had the most pronounced long-term presence here. In pre-Gold Rush days, he owned a store in Oneonta. While labor proceeded on the railroad in the West, he was the person who stayed in the East raising funds. Later in life, he owned Pine Knot, one of the first classic Adirondack Great Camps. We visited the Huntington and Hopkins Hardware Store, originally located on K Street ... Think of this as the progenitor of superstores like Wal-Mart and Target. The fourth member of the group, Leland Stanford, grew up in Watervliet, near Albany. Once upon a time, he sold chestnuts and horseradishes on the family farm. In 1852, he headed west, where he found business success, became president of the Central Pacific Railroad and, in 1861, was elected governor of California. His fortune established Stanford University 'for all the children in California.' ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Railroadiana estate auction of UPRR Auditor Roy Gay's 65 year old collection

Press Release from: "Gail G. Taylor" ggtaylor@tampabay.rr.com

A&S To Auction Extraordinary 65-year Roy Gay Collection Of Railroad Antiques March 10-11 In Waco, TX

The auction includes approximately 2,000 piece single-owner collection of railroadiana

WACO, Texas – There is no more enduring symbol of how the Old West became part of the New World than the American railroad, with its steam-powered "iron horses" that linked East to West. It is the lifelong fascination with early trains and the culture that surrounded them that inspired the late Roy Gay's 65-year collection of railroadiana, which will be auctioned in its entirety on March 10-11. A&S Antique Auction Co., specialists in Western Americana, will conduct the sale of the approximately 2,000-piece single-owner collection at its Waco, Texas gallery, with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com.

"Mr. Gay, who passed away on January 11th of this year, gave his whole working life of 40-plus years to the Union Pacific Railroad. He was an auditor for the company and traveled a three-state region in the course of his job, so that opened all the necessary doors to acquire railroad relics. When a depot closed down, he would know about it and be in a position to buy the pieces he wanted," said A&S's owner Scott Franks.

Roy Gay's collection of lanterns, railroad advertising signs, tableware, tinware, whiskey crocks and literally anything else that would have been part of a train journey from the late 19th- through mid-20th centuries grew to such size that an unusual step was taken.

"This was the worst case of a passionate collector I've ever seen," Franks said with a chuckle. "When he retired, Mr. Gay bought the old railway station at Troup, Texas, and literally had it moved to his East Texas farm. Later, Mr. Gay spent $35,000 to restore the station, which is where he displayed his remarkable collection."

Most of the items Gay collected are from the "golden era" of railroads – the 1880s through middle "teens" – with a smattering of later objects whose timeline ends around the 1970s.

The Waco auction gallery's walls are a spectacle to behold with the massive sub-collection of approximately 160 railroad lanterns now on display. Many of the lanterns have green, ruby and amber colored glass panels; while a few were made with richly hued cobalt-blue glass. Franks noted that most are signal or switch-type lanterns made by Dietz or other manufacturers. Each is marked with the name of an American railroad.

Additionally, there are some very scarce inspectors lanterns with matching IDs on the casing and globe components, and one particularly rare presentation lantern. The grouping also includes many as eight brass firemen's lanterns, which have a distinctive shape and large, rolled handles that prevented the user's hands from getting burned.

"The lanterns will be accessible to every level of collector," said Franks. "Their book values range from $50 to $700 apiece."

Franks predicts crossover competition from antique advertising collectors for the scores of old railroad signs in the Gay collection. Highlights include a beautiful, all-original circa 1890-1930 MKT porcelain sign, conservatively estimated at $2,000-$3,000; and a 36-inch-diameter "buzzsaw" sign, referring to its serrated edges, which advertises Texas Pacific Lines on one side and Missouri Pacific on the other. Franks explained that the sign would be flipped over when a train crossed a state line where one or the other of the companies had jurisdiction.

A vast array of railroad tableware incorporates 200-300 pieces of marked china, including a rare dinner plate for the Great Northern Iron Mountain Route's Sunshine Special, estimate $2,000-$3,000. Other railroad china comes from Missouri Pacific (including service plates), Texas Pacific, MKT, NY Central, Union Pacific and Southern Pacific. Additionally, there is a large assortment of blue china in B&O's historical pattern.

Other food service goods include silver flatware and covered wares marked for dining cars or railroad companies; table linens, 65 railroad-marked sugar tongs, 2-cup pitchers for tea or coffee, creamers, sugar bowls, covered bowls, carafes, pedestaled dessert dishes, and salt and pepper sets.

Every train had a galley where beverages and other liquids were stored in crocks. One- and 2-gallon examples marked with railroad names are part of the Gay collection, as are more than 100 crocks marked for brands of whiskey and other alcoholic beverages; saloons and taverns.

"Right now, whiskey crocks are one of the hottest tickets in the auction market," said Franks. "Mr. Gay's crocks are marked with the name of a person or company, and also, in many cases, the location where the whiskey was distilled. They represent old-time whiskey companies from Texas all the way up to New York. We think collectors are going to really get excited when they see this selection."

Many items kept train passengers occupied on long journeys of a century ago, and nearly all were marked with the names of particular railroads. Among the convenience articles to be auctioned are ashtrays, playing cards (some with an African-American theme), dozens of paper hand fans with advertising, blankets and numerous cast-iron footstools that ladies and children would step onto when boarding a train.

Manly metal from the steam-train era will be front and center on auction day, with such contents as railroad-branded locomotive engine bells, spittoons, and brass railroad locks and keys; plus an extremely rare cast-iron stove made by Hart Mfg. of Louisville, Ky., and embossed with the word "Caboose." Auctioneer Franks, who has handled numerous railroad items over the years, said it is the first of its type he has ever seen.

Framed decorative artworks from train stations of a bygone era are led by a spectacular panoramic, shadowboxed wildlife photo titled "An Elk Lodge in the Jackson Hole Country Reached via the Union Pacific System." Measuring 48 inches wide by 12 inches high, the circa-1920s picture was taken on the Steven N. Leek resort lodge and ranch, an elk refuge in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Leek's Lodge, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was destroyed by fire in 1998.

The auction offering contains many other desirable railroad mementos, such as caps from conductors, inspectors and engineers; railroad passes, railroad station thermometers that advertise train lines and various products, and 75-80 pieces of railroad-marked tinware for use with diesel cans and other containers.

In addition to railroad antiques, the Roy Gay collection includes an extensive selection of early automobilia, 30 to 35 gas pump globes, an 8ft. Mobil Pegasus sign and other advertising; and even a beautiful emerald green 1929 Model A rumble-seat Ford. The car has always been garaged and is drivable.

The March 10-11 auction will be held live at A&S Antique Auctions' gallery, 900 E. Loop 340, Waco, TX 76716, and will start at 10 a.m. Central Time each day. All forms of remote bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone or live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com. For additional information call 254-799-6044 or e-mail asantiques@yahoo.com. Visit the A&S website at www.asauctions.com. View the online catalog at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

How many worked on the railroad? Any women?

From: "Robert Young" areswhy@gmail.com

How many people worked on the transcontinental railroad? Any women? ...

—Robert Young

How far could an engine travel before refueling?

Refuel distance: How far could an engine travel before refueling?

CPRR Discussion Group

Welcome to the CPRR Discussion Group at the Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.

See HOW TO POST to the CPRR Discussion Group.

© 2012 CPRR.org. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the User Agreement which permits personal use web viewing only; no copying; arbitration; no warranty. Only send content intended for publication. Links are not merchant endorsements – caveat emptor. If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate.

CPRR Museum Category Tags:
Transcontinental Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad
Railroads, Trains, Locomotives
History of the American West, Chinese railroad workers
Photography, Photographs, Stereoviews, Stereographs
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Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

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Copyright © 2012, CPRR.org

"Chinaman's chance"

From: GilonPaul@aol.com

I once read about an railroad expression describing the action or danger of lowering one Chinese worker on a rope (instead of the three a basket) to plant a dynamite stick in the vertical surface of a cliff.

The expression described the fact that quite a few such worker were not pulled up in time to avoid being blown up.

Do you know of this expression, if my memory is correct?

—Paul

National History Day Interview

From: "Jeremy Deal" cricket3716@frontier.com

My name is Jeremy Deal and I participate in National History Day. National History Day (NHD) is a nation-wide history competition in which students develop a project about a topic corresponding with an annual theme. This year’s theme is Revolution, Reaction, and Reform in History. My topic is the Transcontinental Railroad. I [have a] few questions which have been unanswered by my research, and I was wondering if you could help me out. I apologize in advance for the long questions, and the comments about them (In parentheses, like this). Thanks again!

1. When the Transcontinental Railroad was completed, it greatly influenced cross-country commerce, trade and travel. During its construction, however, many posters and articles were created saying (I’m paraphrasing) "The Railroad is the key to opening up trade to China, India, and Japan." Throughout my research, however, I have not found any source which reports how much this trade increased after the road was built. (They usually allude to it, and reference it, but no hard facts are given.) My question would be, therefore, How much did the economic trade with Asia and the Indies increase as a direct result of the Transcontinental Railroad? Was freight shipping and passenger travel similarly increased with England, France, and the rest of Europe?

2. "By the time of the completion of the line, the Big Four were reckoned by a government commission to have pocketed $63 million, and to have obtained 9 million acres of land between them, and the owners of the UP were not far behind … " —Christian Wolmar, Blood, Iron, and Gold: How the Railroads Transformed the Road. First of all, I would liked to make sure that this commission actually exists. (I don’t believe it was made up, but its always good to double-check.) Where could I find this commission for myself? It would make a fantastic primary source. My second question: the quote states the amount of money and land the Central Pacific and Union Pacific gained from the government subsidies in building the road. How much did each company profit from the line due to the commerce and trade it received over the next 10 years? 50 years?

3. The Native Americans were obviously a major obstacle in the way of the Union Pacific. I do not believe such records exist, but is there a record of the number of deaths of Union Pacific workers due to Native American raids? Also, I have not been able to find any quotes from a Native American leader or spokesman about the Transcontinental Railroad, and why they did not want it through there land. (Yes, I know WHY – they knew it meant an influx of settlers who would invade their land, thereby ending of their way of life, but this point can be made much better if one hears if from a personal point of view, not the understanding of historians a century later) Do such quotes exist?

4. When the Central Pacific was blasting with black powder, they were averaging a foot of progress a day, correct? When they switched to nitroglycerin, they started averaging 3 feet a day, correct? Is there any record of Central Pacific worker deaths which would show the correlation of nitroglycerin was more volatile and dangerous than black powder? As I understand it, the holes which had to be drilled to fill with the nitroglycerin were smaller than the ones drilled for the black powder. How much smaller were these holes? Now, since the holes for nitroglycerin were smaller, an equal amount of nitroglycerin would last longer than an equal amount of black powder, correct? If equal amounts of black powder and nitroglycerin were purchased, was one substance more expensive than the other? By how much?

5. In your opinion, what is the greatest significance of the Transcontinental Railroad?

6. If America had no transcontinental lines today, would the modern American economy, companies, government, and railroad regulations allow one to be built?

7. In my project, my most drastic fact is how the railroad shortened the trip from New York to San Francisco from 3-6 months to 7 days. (3 [months] being by ship around South America, 6 [months] being the trip cross-country by wagon.) Are there other drastic increases regarding the Transcontinental Railroad?

Thank you for the help!

—Jeremy Deal

Problems faced transcontinental railroad

Where can I find out about problems faced by the transcontinental railroad?

"Contruction of the Central Pacific Railroad documented in photos"

"Mead B. Kibbey will show some of Hart's CPRR photography during an illustrated talk at the next Sacramento County Historical Society meeting this Tuesday."

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

CPRR Passenger Cars - Color and Style

From: "Jim Ritter" jritter@riteboiler.com

I are trying to model a Central Pacific Railroad Diorama of the Golden Spike era. I are having trouble finding information as to the color that the passenger cars in that time were painted? Any particular style car or manufacturer's brand used by the CP?

Any help will be appreciated, especially colors.

—Jim Ritter

Want Colorado railroad map c. 1916-1918

From: cahada212@satx.rr.com

I am looking to purchase a map (reprint) of Colorado showing the railroads in the early 1900’s (1916-1918). Do you have any suggestions?

—Cheryl

Size of tunnels

What were the dimensions of tunnels?

List of men at Promontory

Where can I find a list of men at the golden spike ceremony where the rails were joined at Promontory Summit, Utah at the completion of the first transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869.

Help with details for writing novel

From: "Karen Mercury" karen@karenmercury.com

I'm writing a novel set in 1868. I need an object that would somehow be stamped with the name of a UP train depot, or somehow indicate where it was used or from, that could possibly be used as a murder weapon. Something small enough to jam under a roof's eaves. I thought of something like this antique railroad tie tongs, marked UP and measuring 24" in size.

Just a depot sign would be too obvious, and probably wouldn't kill anyone anyway. I need something for my characters to figure out. They're in Laramie, Wyoming. I'd like it to lead them back somewhere near Buford, WY. Which station would be closest to Buford?

Thanks so much!!

—Karen Mercury

Training Ivy, May 2012 <-- new series! "How The West Was Done"!
Blowing Off Steam, March 2012
Sure as Shooting
A Good Prospect
Either Ore
Working the Lode

Insider stock trading by members of Congress

"As Congress examines members' trading, an echo from a bygone era" by David S. Hilzenrath, © Washington Post, February 13, 2012. (News Article)

"A construction company working on a huge federally funded project sold stock to members of Congress at discounted prices. The company, Credit Mobilier, hoped to enrich lawmakers and protect itself from damaging legislation ... (The investigation's findings are cited extensively in an 1873 history posted online by the Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.) ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Articles to read

Where can I find articles to read about transcontinental railroad history?

Railroad jobs and employment

What kind of jobs were created as a result of the railroad industry and why?

Old shovel

From: Gregory Anderson

... For several years, I've had an old shovel – real old, iron I think – laying around my property. I pretty much ignored it until recently, when I finally decided to pick it up out of the weeds and give it a closer inspection. The blade is squared, it's cracked, and it's much heavier than a shovel you'd buy today. The two-piece curved part that would normally hold the handle is attached by rivets. There are no obvious manufacturer markings (at least none that I can see), but I would guess it to be of an age that probably makes it either gold-rush or railroad. I can't imagine how else it might have ended up out here. My property in Auburn is located near an old mine (the "Big Giant Quartz Mine") but also is not far from the original rail line. The shovel sits on my front porch now, and since I see it every day, I've gotten more curious about it's origin. Can these old shovels be identified and dated accurately? This area was mostly orchards around the turn of the century, so I suppose it could be just another shovel someone used to plant a tree, but if it's actually a piece of history, I'd really like to know more about it ...

—Greg Anderson

Sierra Nevada Geotourism Project

From: "Lynn Campbell" lcampbell@sierranevada.ca.gov

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy is working on the “Sierra Nevada Geotourism” project, which highlights places to visit in the Sierra Nevada. We would like to do a destination page on the RR history and snow sheds of the Donner Summit area ...

Please take a look at the MapGuide already in place ...

—Lynn Campbell, Mt. Lassen Area Representative, Sierra Nevada Conservancy

Map for the original CPRR route through Newcastle, California

From: randcantrell@surewest.net

I am seeking a copy of the map for the original CPRR route (now abandoned) through Newcastle, California. ...

—Rand Cantrell

Transcontinental telegraph history

Where can I find out about telegraph history?

Amtrak Trip

From: fernando hansen

... I want to make a train trip from Sacramento to a railroad station closest to Promontory, Utah. Can you help me to find an AMTRAK route to make the trip? ...

—Fernando Hansen Kaulen, Santiago, CHILE

"B&O Coach 20 components donated for Central Pacific Coach 29"

"B&O Coach 20 components donated for Central Pacific Coach 29" by Mike Manson, NWPRRHS, Feb 02, 2012. (News)

"The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum has donated the floor assembly and wood beam trucks of B&O 20 to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society. The components will be used to restore Central Pacific Railroad 29 (later NWP 123) at the NWPRRHS facility in Petaluma, CA. ... in Baltimore ... the roundhouse roof collapsed in February 2003. One of the roof truss assemblies fell along the full length of No. 20, crushing the car body." [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Tunnel Zero: "Placer’s surprising rail history ... "

"Placer’s surprising rail history ... " by Gus Thomson, © Auburn Journal, 2/2/12. (News Article)

" ... the 711-foot-long tunnel [in] proximity to the Union Pacific tracks, and more than a mile by foot from the Clipper Gap exit off Interstate 80 ... Tunnel Zero was constructed in 1873 after a trestle built to traverse Clipper Gap’s Deep Gulch proved a trifle to wobbly for the Central Pacific Railroad ... bored through what old-timers call Wildcat Summit between Clipper Gap and Applegate and served the railroad well until it was abandoned during World War II ... [as being] too narrow ... The walls are lined with carved blocks of rock ... from the Penryn quarry of Griffith Griffith ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Two people in Muybridge view No. 728/729

From: "Be-hold" behold@be-hold.com

[In] the Muybridge view No. [728], "Boca and Crossing of the Little Truckee River." The two people in the foreground seem important. Do you know who they are? ...

Unfortunately they are turned away from the camera, though there's a reasonably good profile of the guy on the right (with a stripe on his pants.) Can't tell what they are holding.

—Larry Gottheim

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Note: There seems to be some confusion about view numbering; the question is about the first [#728] image detail below [click each detail view to see the full image]:

Muybridge stereoview #728, detail, "Boca and crossing of the little Truckee from the West. Mount Davidson in the distance."

Muybridge stereoview #729, detail. "Lake Boca, Little Truckee River, looking North."

"Clauston born, died because of rail"

"Clauston born, died because of rail" by James McAndrews Jr., © The Modesto Bee, Feb. 04, 2012. (Article)

"The Central Valley is dotted with towns founded by railroads. These towns became focal points for local farmers who wanted to get their crops to market faster and cheaper. The first wave of these railroad-created towns came in the early 1870s when the Central Pacific Railroad founded a string of towns along its line, including Modesto. In the 1890s, another wave of new towns began. One of them was located midway between Riverbank and Empire — the town of Clauston. On April 14, 1896, Clauston was founded on a parcel of land bought by two businessmen. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

"How the west was railroaded"

"How the west was railroaded" by TONY PERROTTET, © The Australian, February 04, 2012. (Travel Article)

" ... Before the line was completed, New York could be reached from California only by gruelling stagecoach, a steamer around Cape Horn or a slog through the Panama jungle. Suddenly, the epic journey could be achieved in a week. I get a glimpse of that 19th-century excitement in the New York Public Library as I come across a rare memoir, From the Atlantic Surf to the Golden Gate by William L. Humason, who took the first through train from the east coast to San Francisco on May 11. Humason was a Connecticut businessman who had thrilled to frontier stories of Indians, fur trappers and Western explorers since childhood. His account was to provide a fresh vision of the Wild West and I am immediately inspired to make the trip. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

California Newspapers Online

Thanks to Chris Graves for letting us know that the California Digital Newspaper Collection now has searchable 19th century California newspapers online: "A Freely Accessible Repository of Digitized California Newspapers from 1846 to the Present."

For example, here are California Newspaper articles about the Central Pacific Railroad from 1860-1869.

The project uses Veridian software for digitized newspapers.

A story

From: "Chris Graves" caliron@cwnet.com

This would be a gory, human interest venture. Here is a partial of it:

James Harvey Strobridge, Superintendent of Construction of the CPRR is often thought of as "The One-Eyed Bossy Man" of the Chinese, a tyrant perhaps, and one given to cursing without cause.

To counter this image, consider the following:

James Harvey Strobridge came to California aboard the ship "Orpheus," arriving in San Francisco on July 8, 1849. On board with him was George Washington Meacham, a 22 year-old gold seeker. Mr. Meacham had poor luck in finding gold; in 1852 he returned to New Jersey to marry his sweetheart, Phoebe Craiger. This couple eventually returned to California, where they had one child, a girl, named Laura Ida Meacham, born June 9, 1855 in Moraga Valley.

The new family moved to Humboldt County, Nevada, homesteading some land on the Applegate Trail. In 1868 Mr. Meacham built the Humboldt House, adjacent to the CPRR grade.

Laura Ida Meacham attended college at Mills Seminary in Oakland in 1878, while there she met Samuel Hooker (Whitmarsh) Strobridge [see below], the adopted son of James Harvey Strobridge. They married in San Francisco in 1884.

Samuel Hooker (Whitmarsh) Strobridge was the adopted son of James Harvey Strobridge and his wife, Maria (Keating) Strobridge. That adoption took place in Auburn, California in May, 1865, when the CPRR arrived at that place.

Samuel Hooker Whitmarsh was the child of Samuel H. Whitmarsh and his second wife, Hannah Conover, that marriage taking place in May, 1862. Hannah died sometime prior to 1865.

Samuel H. Whitmarsh was the Station Agent for the California Stagecoach Co. in Auburn. Upon arrival of the CPRR, in May, 1865, the California Stagecoach Co. closed its office in Auburn, and Mr. Whitmarsh became unemployed; this unemployment caused him to become despondent, and he shot himself in the eye and through and head on June 7, 1865.

James Harvey Strobridge adopted the Whitmarsh child and his half sister, Julia Conover. Samuel Hooker Whitmarsh then was known as Samuel Hooker Strobridge.

The link? Samuel Hooker (Whitmarsh) Strobridge married Laura Ida Meacham, she the daughter of the fellow passenger of James Harvey Strobridge on the "Orpheus" back in 1849. Sam Strobridge was 21 and Laura Ida was 29 at the marriage in 1883. Sam became ill in November, 1885, and died in Oakland, he was only 25.

Laura Ida Stobridge never remarried, she died in 1932 at age 76. She is buried next to her husband and children in the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland.

CPRR Discussion Group

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CPRR Museum Category Tags:
Transcontinental Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad
Railroads, Trains, Locomotives
History of the American West, Chinese railroad workers
Photography, Photographs, Stereoviews, Stereographs
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
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Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.
Copyright © 2012, CPRR.org

SPRR Station List, 1889

From: "Bruce Cooper" BCC@CPRR.org

Six page complete station list of the SPRR in 1889. The source is pages 254 to 259 of the volume Over the Range to the Golden Gate by Stanley Wood published by R.R. Donnelly & Sons, Publishers. Chicago, 1889.

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Southern Pacific Railroad Train Stations, 1889

Courtesy of the Bruce C. Cooper Collection.

MEC and B&ML trains at Burnham Jct., 1955 image

From: "Kent Loudon" nkloudon@verizon.net

... I was the photographer of the 1955 image of MEC and B&ML trains at Burnham Jct. ...

I was 15 years old at the time! My parents had a summer home in Tenants Harbor, near Rockland. On that day I hitchhiked (a kid could do that back then!) to Belfast to ride the B&ML train. I continued on a MEC train to Bangor, and returned to Rockland by bus. The photo was taken on Kodachrome ASA/ISO 10 film using a (completely manual) Kodak “Pony” camera.

N Kent Loudon
142 1/2 West End Av
Somerville, NJ 08876

Chuck Sweet R.I.P.

From: "Chris Graves" caliron@cwnet.com

Sorry to report that Chuck Sweet, age 62, passed away in Ogden, Utah on Friday, January 20, 2012.

Chuck was the volunteer fireman on the 119 and Jupiter at Golden Spike, he participated in two History Channels and was also involved with the American Experience re: the Transcontinental Railroad.

Chuck was a good historian, his collection of railroad memoribilia was second to none.

He will be missed.

—gjg

How did bad weather affect workers?

How did bad weather affect workers?

How fast did the first train travel?

How fast did the first train travel?

Timeline of the first transcontinental railroad

Where can I find a timeline of the transcontinental railroad?

Largest obstacle faced in building the first transcontinental railroad?

What was the largest obstacle faced in building the first transcontinental railroad?

Plans for Common Standard No. 18 Combination Depot

From: "Randy Ruiz" randy@aaaarch.com

An acquaintance owns the Esparto depot. It is a Common Standard No. 18 combination depot similar to depots in Livermore, Danville, Walnut Creek, Benicia, etc. Does anyone have any drawings of this, or similar No. 18 depots that they might be willing to share? Mountain View had reconstructed one such depot some time ago. They must have had some drawings upon which to base their work?

AAA
Randolph R. Ruiz, San Francisco, CA

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Two Story Combination Depot #18

One Story Combination Depot #23
Courtesy of the Southern Pacific Engineering collection at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland.

Romanian translation of Eastward to Promontory

Our thanks to Alexander Ovsov of Web Geek Science for volunteering to do for us a Romanian translation of our web page Eastward to Promontory by Becky Winter.

Chinese and Charles Savage

From: "Todd Shallat" tshalla@boisestate.edu

Thank you for the opportunity to ask a question.

In Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler's Photographing the Frontier and again in Bradely Richard's biography of Charles Savage, historian say that the Chinese workers were spooked by Savage's camera. As the Chinese workers were position the rail, according to this story, someone yelled, "Now's the time, Charlie! Take a shot!" Allegedly the workers dropped their tools and scattered.

Could this possibly have any basis in fact? ...

—Todd Shallat, Center for Idaho History and Politics

Makeup of a CPRR express train around 1885

From: "Malcolm Easton" mceaston@sbcglobal.net

I am researching the makeup of a CPRR express train around 1885. Would there be a place on the train for a passenger to write into a diary? ...

—Malcolm

Photos from J. B. Silvis of my family (Burton)

From: "Steve Burton" steve@reunionplanner.com

I found these photos about my family photos. I thought you might like to add them to your website. You can see I have front and back scans.

Lolla Burton was born 1870
Sadie Burton was born 1873 both in Indiana.

This family lived in Elkhorn, Douglas County, Nebraska in 1875. Elkhorn is close to Omaha so I think these photos were taken in Nebraska [by photographer J. B. Silvis, the Union Pacific's nomadic photographer, in his photo rail car].

Any comments will be welcome.

—Steve Burton

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Emigrant Gap Hotel/Allen Hotel/Woodmen Lodge/Bright Lodge

From: "Carol Guida" jguida@pacbell.net

My husband and I recently purchased the Emigrant Gap Hotel – Annex as our family lodge. Since we purchased the property from the bank we are still trying to piece it's history together. We have been in contact with a friend of Leona Bright (an owner from the 60's we believe) and have a bit of the history.

What we are trying to find out is – was our site (not our annex of course since it was built in the early 1900's) on the Dutch Flat/Donner Lake Wagon Road? And - if so, should we be able to locate some kind of marker? Emigrant Gap has been changed so many times - the railroad, highway 40, highway 80 – there is little left here.

If you can help us find out if we were on the wagon road and how to look for signs of it - that would be great. Also – we have only been able to locate a very few historic photos of our town. If you can refer us to someplace to look for more – that would be great. ...

—Carol Guida

"Queen Victoria and Queen Anne leave their mark in Sonoma"

"Queen Victoria and Queen Anne leave their mark in Sonoma" by George McKale, © Sonoma Valley Sun, January 5, 2012. (Article – architecture)

" ... While on a river boat in Sacramento in 1855, Ida Pfeiffer writes in A Lady’s Journal Round the World, 'The men, one and all, showed the utmost attention and politeness to our sex. Old or young, rich or poor, well or ill-dressed, every women was treated with respect and kindness. ... '
... The architecture of the Victorian era became very popular as people were tired of simplistic residential designs and intrigued by the new highly decorative features of this period. ... A consumer economy was created by the Industrial Revolution ... The First Transcontinental Railroad ... accelerated west coast desires for Victorian era architecture. Pre-cut architectural pieces manufactured in the east were now available en masse in the west. Consumers no longer had to wait for boats to make the long journey by sea. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

African American transcontinental railroad workers

Where can I find out about black Union Pacific Railroad workers?

Grandpa built the relica of UPRR Locomotive #119

From: "Dale Johnson" dalerjohnson@cox.net, dale@bejconsultinggroup.com

My grand father, Charles D. Russell, worked for the UP for some 40 years. He started as a boiler maker back in the early 1900's. He was asked to come and help build the replica of #119. I was wondering if you may have a roster of volunteers that worked on the building of [the replica of UPRR locomotive] #119.

Thank you for any help or direction you can point me to.

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Locomotive #23

Verso: "1969
Chuck built the proud end of engine to the first gold ring. Also the stack and the fancy stuff around the bell."

Rock drill

From: "Bill Oudegeest" bill@donnersummithistoricalsociety.org

I am working on some articles about the CPRR particularly Tunnel 6, the San Mateo (first locomotive over the Summit), the Sacramento (the engine for the shaft house), etc.

I would like to locate a star drill bit such as used by the Chinese to bore holes for black powder while building the Sierra tunnels.

Does anyone have any where I can look? ...

—Bill Oudegeest, Donner Summit Historical Society, Donner Summit, CA

Number of railyard workers?

What was the number of railyard workers at the railroad's height of operation?

CPRR Discussion Group

Welcome to the CPRR Discussion Group at the Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.

See HOW TO POST to the CPRR Discussion Group.

© 2012 CPRR.org. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the User Agreement which permits personal use web viewing only; no copying; arbitration; no warranty. Only send content intended for publication. Links are not merchant endorsements – caveat emptor. If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate.

CPRR Museum Category Tags:
Transcontinental Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad
Railroads, Trains, Locomotives
History of the American West, Chinese railroad workers
Photography, Photographs, Stereoviews, Stereographs
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

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Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.
Copyright © 2012, CPRR.org

Correction: David Porter Mansion in San Francisco

From: "Thomas Carey" tcarey@sfpl.org

I love your site, and find it very helpful when responding to our [library] patrons. I wanted to point out a small error (and, a common one) in the key to the large Muybridge photograph.

General (Commodore?) David Porter never owned this mansion; David Porter, a San Francisco liquor merchant, did. See a few lines on Porter here, left page, bottom.

Again, thanks for your good work, and for making your collections available to us "out there."

Tom Carey
Librarian, San Francisco History Center
San Francisco Public Library

"Rocklin once had its own Chinatown"

"Rocklin once had its own Chinatown" by Gary Day, © Placer Herald, 12/21/11. (Article)

" ... By 1870, U.S. Census records show that 21 of the railroad’s 14,000 Chinese construction workers had settled in Rocklin [California]. In 1876, Rocklin’s Chinatown consisted of 25 shanties located northwest of Rocklin’s railroad roundhouse at the corner of Granite Street (now Rocklin Road) and Front Street. Some Chinese grew and sold vegetables ... Some worked at the roundhouse, while others worked as domestics ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

"The Iron Horse," a classic 1924 John Ford silent film

"The Iron Horse, a classic 1924 John Ford film with important scenes shot in the Santa Clarita Valley, was added ... to the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress. ... tells the story of an Illinois man who must find a short route over a mountain range to unite the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads at Promontory ... "

Available on DVD.

Old brass railroad keys

From: "Michael Orange" michael_orange@bellsouth.net

I wanted to see if you had a place to put a link. railroadkeys.com is a site for buying and selling vintage railroad antiques. ...

—Michael

First locomotive over Donner Summit

From: "Bill Oudegeest" bill@donnersummithistoricalsociety.org

I am doing an article about the first locomotive over Donner Summit and would like to know if anyone knows where I can find a picture of the Baldwin locomotive, the San Mateo or a picture of a like locomotive. ...

—Bill Oudegeest

CP snowplow #9

From: "Kyle Wyatt" kylekwyatt@gmail.com

I tripped across this drawing of Central Pacific snowplow #9 on line, from a French book from 1907 [on the subject of railroad engineering, Exploitation Technique des Chemins de Fer by Louis Galine, Paris, Vve C. Dunod] – matched the drawing to an original CP drawing in the CSRM collection. I added the feet and inches conversions of the French metric.

The book link is here, drawing on page 666 (680 in the PDF).

This is a good source for old books on railroading:
www.archive.org

—Kyle K Wyatt

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Snowplow CP #9 - Exploitation Technique des Chemins de Fer, Galine, 1907, p.666

"Little workshop produces a Leviathan"

"Little workshop produces a Leviathan" by Dave Gathman, © Courier News, December 20, 2011. (News Article)

" ... earth-moving contractor Dave Kloke decided to combine his ironworking ability with his longtime fascination for Abraham Lincoln. So he began to build an almost-exact copy of an 1860s locomotive named the Leviathan ... Forty-five feet long and weighing 88,000 pounds (including its bright-red fuel-and water-carrying tender), this is “Leviathan 63,” a reproduction of a Central Pacific Railroad locomotive of the same name that was built in 1868. The Leviathan was a sister of the historic steam engine Jupiter ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

"Transportation History of the Transcontinental Railroad"

"Transportation History of the Transcontinental Railroad" by Freight Capital. (Article)

"Before the Transcontinental Railroad system was built, it cost $1,000 to travel from one end of the country to the other. Compared to 2002 U.S. dollars, the value of that would be $19,380. After the railroad was built, that would drop to $100, or $1,940. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

DVD: "The Hidden Wonder of the World"

"The Hidden Wonder of the World." Produced by Bill George, Nimbus Films, 2011. (American train Video Reviews evaluation of 35 minute Video DVD)

" ... the level of cinematography is very high quality. Fantastic aerial photography gives some spectacular overviews of different areas. From the Sacramento cityscape, to the wilds of the Sierra Nevada Mountains ... Chris Graves is a Transcontinental historian. Knowledgeable and congenial, he acts as a guide. Mr. Graves knows the former railroad well. We will walk the old roadbed with him, and Bill George. Together, they explore some sections of the original roadbed, and tunnels, on the former Central Pacific Railroad. ... " [More]

DVD is $15.95 from Nimbus Films, 4520 Shari Way, Granite Bay, CA 95746.

[Courtesy G. J. "Chris" Graves.]

"Pacific Railroad Surveys" - Stabilization/Restoration

From: "Craig Kent" ckent323@verizon.net

I am seeking information about stabilization/restoration of the map volume for the Pacific Railroad Surveys.

I have collected a complete Congress set (as well as a few Senate volumes) of the Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, Volumes I-XII.

Some of the volumes are in very good shape others are not. Unfortunately, the volume in worst condition is the map volume.

I know very little about manuscript conservation/restoration and am trying to understand if the map volume can be stabilized/restored and what cost might be involved.

Many of the maps are brittle and torn; all are suffering from the poor paper used. I have read that deacidification is at least one step required.

While I am sure an accurate assessment would require examination of the manuscript, I would appreciate it if there is any advice or references you can offer to companies or persons who can competently do stabilization/restoration work on this volume it would be appreciated.

—Craig Kent

Grandpa Thomas Flinders

From: "Launa Herrmann" marlin@xmission.com

I have a question I do not know how to find out if this is true, or where I might find lists of people that worked on the rail.

Did they take the rail through the lake or do they mean that the rail went from Wyoming to Salt Lake?

Below you see what was written about my grandfather, now I would like to know if this is really how it worked.

Dad left for Green River, Wyoming to work with the Rail Road. He wrote he wanted her to marry her while he was still 23 years old. He worked on the Rail Road from Wyoming through the Great Salt Lake to Tooele. Carrie's father said Tom Flinders walked through the lake just for Carrie.

When it was written I am not sure it is just in the family story I would think most likely 50 plus years ago or more. Grandpa is Thomas Flinders born 17 Dec 1878 in England died 31 Jan 1947 in Salt Lake City. He married in 1901 so he must of worked like 1899 or 1900 because he didn't work the railroad after they were married. They said he walked through the lake as is written below. It seemed to me at one time a rr did go through the Great SL, would this of been what they ment that he worked on that. I'm sorry I do not know more about the rr. I would love any thing about what he did or when or where I could find more information about his life at this time.

Is there anyplace to find list of workers, what they did, etc.?

Thank you for any direction you can give me.

—Launa Herrmann

CPRR Shareholders

Who were the original owners of the Central Pacific Railroad Company?

Land Grants: "Huge swath of Nevada desert targeted for minerals"

"Huge swath of Nevada desert targeted for minerals" by MARTIN GRIFFITH, © Associated Press, 12/10/2011. (News Article)

"A huge swath of northern Nevada high desert, a non-contiguous stretch about the size of Rhode Island ... purchased 483,000 acres of land, as well as mineral rights to another 800,000 acres, for $31 million from Pico Holdings Inc. of La Jolla, Calif. With 85 percent of Nevada owned by the government, the 1.28 million acres—stretching along Interstate 80 from Reno to the Utah line—involved in the transaction represents 12 percent of privately-owned land in the state ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

USGS Contour Maps

From: jimvincent1@yahoo.com

Can I get a topographic map of the first transcontinental railroad with latitude and longitude marks?

Union Pacific Railroad’s 150th anniversary, 2012

"Union Pacific steam locomotive [on] a nine-state tour to celebrate Union Pacific Railroad’s 150th anniversary, which is being marked in 2012."

CPRR Discussion Group

Welcome to the CPRR Discussion Group at the Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.

See HOW TO POST to the CPRR Discussion Group.

© 2011 CPRR.org. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the User Agreement which permits personal use web viewing only; no copying; arbitration; no warranty. Only send content intended for publication. Links are not merchant endorsements – caveat emptor. If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate.

CPRR Museum Category Tags:
Transcontinental Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad
Railroads, Trains, Locomotives
History of the American West, Chinese railroad workers
Photography, Photographs, Stereoviews, Stereographs
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

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Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.
Copyright © 2011, CPRR.org

Historical Photographs - Earliest railroad photo/photographer?

From: Two23@aol.com

For the past year I've been using historical lenses (e.g. pre-Civil War) and a c.1885 tailboard camera [i.e. "1885 Watson & Son tailboard camera and 1855 George Wood meniscus lens using ISO 25 film"]. I shoot mostly railroad photos with this gear. I'm a member of Center for Railroad Photography & Art. I've been trying to figure out two things:

(1) What was the first railroad photo?

(2) Who was the first railroad photographer?

I think the answer to the second question is Edouard Baldus, who began photographing railroads in 1855. If you have any insight, I'd appreciate hearing it.

I'm also interested in buying a book of the photos in the Lightfoot Collection. I like these very much and find them interesting. If such a book exists, do you sell it?

—Kent Staubus, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Visiting Historical CPRR sites

From: "Karl Moellmer" karlmoellmer@frontier.com
cc: "John Moellmer" jmoellmer@q.com

My brother and I are considering a road trip from Ogden to Sacramento next summer. The purpose of the trip will be to visit as many transcontinental railroad sites as possible. We'll visit Promontory and the museums in Ogden, Carson City and Sacramento, but we also want to visit all the fills, cuts, tunnels and trestles sites to which we can gain access. Do you know of a "tour guide" or any similar document(s) that would help us plan our trip? Please reply to both me and my brother.

—Karl Moellmer

Buffalo Hunting

Did passengers on the Central Pacific Railroad shoot buffalo out the windows of the train?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

To understand the history and significance of the first Thanksgiving in November, 1623 read the journal of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford. The Mayflower Compact set up a commune at the Plymouth Bay Colony with equal collective ownership, hence destroyed all incentive and half the Pilgrims starved to death. This disastrous socialist experiment was successfully replaced with capitalist individual farm plots on their plantation according to Bradford so that the Pilgrims would be incentivized by benefiting from their own individual efforts, and with farming knowledge learned from the local Indians, food became abundant leading to the first Thanksgiving celebration and subsequent success of the colony.

Southern Railway is not the Southern Pacific Railroad

From: "pswanson" zeropen@comcast.net

I have several vintage photos of steam engines labeled "Southern" with several different numbers ranging from 325 to 1349. Is this the same railway company as Southern Pacific? Other photos I have seen of "Southern Pacific" engines have both Southern and Pacific written on them. Are they two separate entities? ...

—P. Swanson

Nitroglycerin bottles

From: "Montgomery Pollack" Monty@hpr.com

I own a motion picture prop house in Los Angeles, CA. and we are working on a film right now that takes place in 1872 and there is a scene where some nitroglycerin bottles are being delivered and unpacked. It is our job to supply the period correct bottles for this scene. Do you have any pictures of what a nitroglycerin bottle looked like or if it even came in a bottle when they were using it to build the railroads. ...

—Montgomery Pollack, Vice President, The Hand Prop Room LP

Questions

From: "Tonya Dooley" dtdooley@frontiernet.net

1. How much would a train ride cost in the 1870's, and what would be included with that price of ticket?

2. How would the people eat and sleep on a train in the 1870's?

3. In the 1870's what land would be for sale along the train ride, and what would be the advantages for settling on this land?

4. What exciting towns and cities would have been seen on a train ride from Omaha, Nebraska to California?

5. What landscape and animals would people see along the train ride starting from Omaha, Nebraska and ending in California?

6. What would be some significant places on a train ride starting in Omaha, Nebraska, and ending in California?

7. How long would it take to get from Omaha, Nebraska to California without the train? ...

"Donner Pass Route Gets Added to Train Simulator 2012"

"Donner Pass Route Gets Added to Train Simulator 2012." © Gamers Daily News, 11/18/2011. (News Article – Windows Software)

"Railsimulator.com Ltd is pleased to announce the Donner Pass: Southern Pacific add-on for RailWorks 3: Train Simulator 2012 will be available Thursday, November 24 [2011] ... This challenging route puts you at the controls of Southern Pacific diesels in the early-1990s ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

News from Transcontinental Chautauqua

From: "Chris Graves" caliron@cwnet.com

Being the rail/historical fans you are, the following most likely will be of interest. As to the film, the historical challenges in the first draft have been corrected. I do think you will like it!

—GJ Chris Graves, NewCastle, MP32, AltaCal'a

Click to see Transcontinental Railroad Chautauqua News and Information about ... the documentary film, "The Hidden Wonder of the World; the Transcontinental Railroad Today from Sacramento to Donner Summit."

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Artwork of John MacQuarrie courtesy of Chris Graves.

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"On October 7, 1867, after Tunnel 6 was holed through and before the first locomotive went through, Federal Rail Inspectors reported the following:"

... The crest of the Sierra is pierced by a tunnel 1659 feet in length, 16 by 20 feet, through the hardest kind of blue granite, and the line opens on the slope facing the east upon the precipitous side of a high granite peak, ... and is a wonderful achievement in Railroad Engineering. ... The laborers on the tunnel have been principally Chinese. They worked in gangs of three shifts of eight hours each per day laboring steadily day and night during the storms of one of the severest winters ever known in California, upon the summit of the highest mountain range in the United States and at an elevation greater by several hundred feet than the top of Mount Washington. The drilling is done entirely by hand laborer. Drilling machines were tried, but proved a failure.

A trip West before the railroad

Where can I find information about a trip West before the railroad?

UPRR yellow passenger cars

From: "Robert Anderson" rha90272@mac.com

I am involved with model railroading, and have passenger cars like the one shown below. Where can I get more information about the years these cars were used, and the routes they were used on? ...

—Bob Anderson

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UP Madison passenger car

USGS California Historic Topo Maps Online

"More than 13,000 online maps provide historic view of state" by Agustin Armendariz, © California Watch, November 9, 2011. (News Article)

"This week, the U.S. Geological Survey added 13,688 historical California topographic maps to its online archive, hundreds of which date back to the 1800s. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Railroad ties per mile

From: "Donna Munro" creationsbydonna@shaw.ca

How many rail ties are in an average mile of standard gauge (4' 8 1/2") track?

—Donna Munro

"Hell on Wheels" TV show

The new fictional "Hell on Wheels" TV series about building the Union Pacific Railroad premieres Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 10/9c on AMC.

CPRR Discussion Group

Welcome to the CPRR Discussion Group at the Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.

See HOW TO POST to the CPRR Discussion Group.

© 2011 CPRR.org. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the User Agreement which permits personal use web viewing only; no copying; arbitration; no warranty. Only send content intended for publication. Links are not merchant endorsements – caveat emptor. If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate.

CPRR Museum Category Tags:
Transcontinental Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad
Railroads, Trains, Locomotives
History of the American West, Chinese railroad workers
Photography, Photographs, Stereoviews, Stereographs
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

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Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.
Copyright © 2011, CPRR.org

Food on the transcontinental railroad

From: "Madi Wickens" madi.wickens@yahoo.com

What kind of meals were served on the transcontinental railroad in the mid-1880's?

Deaths during railroad construction

From: "Karen Zahm" thezahmmer@yahoo.com

I'm looking for information on deaths that occurred during the construction of the railroad. Numbers, causes, safety hazards that were ignored, any narrative information would be great.

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Workplace fatalities since 1933. Courtesy Peter Risdon's Weblog.

Charles Faxon Densel, CPRR locomotive engineer, 1870's

From: "Terri Hildreth" tleeh1@aol.com

I am researching my great-grandfather, Charles Faxon DENSEL, who was an engineer for Central Pacific. I have four logs (or diaries) of his that are dated 1873, 1874, 1877, and 1878. The small, 4” x 5” leather bound booklets that are pre-printed with the following information: Engineer [name]; Month of _____, 187__; From; To; Miles Run; No. of Engine; No. of Cars; Kind of Train; Fireman [name]; Cords of Wood; boxes of Coal; and [a blank column for notes].

In these logs, he detailed his runs in Utah from Ogden to Toano, Promontory, Bovine, Terrace, Kelton, Blue Creek, and occasionally as far as Wells, NV. He also makes a series of notes in the back of the logs of names of various men and dollar amounts. Sometime in 1870-80, he moved to Tracy Minnesota where he continued his railroading career making runs from Winona to Mankato SD. There he was the secretary and/or treasurer for his local Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, so I’m guessing the names & amounts in the Utah logs were related to similar activities there.

Because I am compiling a family history, I am trying to find out how one became an Engineer during the 1870s and about how long it might have taken. My g-grandfather was originally from Marshalltown, Iowa and somehow ended up in Ogden, and I’m trying to make the connection. What kind of skills or daily activities were involved in being and Engineer? Was there an average pay scale for the position?

CF notes at least three types of trains he drove during the Utah time-period: Yard, Freight, and something he calls ‘lite’. I not sure what ‘lite’ indicates unless it means something like truckers who ‘dead-head’ empty from one place to another. I’m assuming a ‘Yard’ engine is some kind of switching engine at the round house – can someone confirm that? Are there specific types of engines that would be recognizable during this time period? I have a picture of one of his engines in Minnesota later on (maybe 1895-1900 or so), but I’d like to include photos or drawings of the type of equipment he might have been using at this time period as well. What kind of freight would he have been hauling? I think there would have been items such as building supplies and, given the area, mining supplies, but would there have also been luxury items being shipped to the West Coast on these trains as well?

Finally, can anyone recommend sources I might access to further help in my research? I found a nice article, Rails East to Promontory – The Utah Stations at nps.gov that gives a listing of the stations along the Ogden – Wells route and photos of several of those site locations, but anything else (print or on-line) that anyone could suggest would be nice. ... —Terri Hildreth