Most ticket envelopes are pretty ho-hum, but this one stands out. For one thing, what looks like a mailing label on the front is actually a cellophane window with pictures of the Empire Builder and Western Star locomotives printed on … Continue reading
Here are some pretty envelopes that I photographed at the Minnesota History Center. The first one features an illustration of a North Coast Limited vista-dome that we have previously seen on 1960-1963 timetables and a 1969 booklet. The envelope was … Continue reading
A close look beyond the soothing colors on this envelope reveals an odd combination of flat graphics and photographs. One of the photos shows the Lake Louise train station, which VIA stopped serving in 1990. An apparent date code inside … Continue reading
Dated September, 1975, this ticket envelope looks like a passenger car with stainless steel ribbed siding. Though introduced in 1934, such ribs remained a modern design in the public mind four decades later. Click image to download a 898-KB PDF … Continue reading
This ticket envelope was printed in November, 1961. It was used by a Portlander named Paul Munsell who took the North Coast Limited to Chicago, then an Illinois Central train to Rantoul, Illinois. For some reason, on the return trip, … Continue reading
On the day after Christmas in 1960, Mr. & Mrs. Paul Munsell and a third person took a trip from Portland to Los Angeles, via Martinez, and back. This ticket envelope says they left Portland at 7:45 am, which would … Continue reading
The Rio Grande Prospector and Royal Gorge both ended service in 1967, leaving only three trains still operated by the railroad: the California Zephyr, the Silverton, and the Ski Train. The first two trains are the only trains mentioned on … Continue reading
This undated envelope advertises the Canadian, so it is from 1955 or (since it doesn’t say “the new Canadian) more likely later. It once included tickets for someone named John Vennema, who was staying at the Roosevelt Hotel and departing … Continue reading
With its row of E1 locomotives, this silver ticket envelope seemingly predates the other silver Santa Fe envelope presented here a few months ago, which had F units on the front. Neither envelope is dated, but the art deco script … Continue reading
This envelope seems to be dated 1-67, a time when the railroad had gained a reputation of being anti-passenger. It had reduced service on most routes to at most one train a day, cutting the Shasta Daylight (which is nevertheless … Continue reading
