The Milwaukee and Mississippi Rail Road–the earliest predecessor of the Milwaukee Roads–operated its first train in 1850. To celebrate the centennial of that event, the Milwaukee issued this hardbound book in 1950. The book presents the history of the road … Continue reading
I previously presented this little booklet based on photos I took of one in the Minnesota History Center. Now I’ve acquired one of my own. The history center had several copies, one hardbound in orange, one softbound in tan, and … Continue reading
This booklet seems to have been issued solely to extoll the virtues of socialized railroading. While the Canadian Pacific had received capital subsidies, it was operationally profitable. After it was built, the Canadian government continued to subsidize new rail construction, … Continue reading
Written for a more adult audience, this booklet focuses on the benefits provided by the railroads while neglecting to mention or painting over the scandals, controversies, and financial panics brought about by their construction and operation. A series of maps … Continue reading
I noted that yesterday’s booklet was designed to go along with the Railroads at Work booklet, but the former never really mentioned the latter. However, this one–which is labeled “vol. 2”–offers a detailed picture-by-picture explanation of 64 of the photos … Continue reading
This booklet was apparently distributed to teachers to use with the Railroads at Work booklets, which were given to students. This manual is dated 1956, so it goes along with yesterday’s booklet. Click image to download a 33.2-MB PDF of … Continue reading
By 1956, most railroads had nearly completed the replacement of steam with Diesel, so the steam locomotive in yesterday’s booklet has been replaced with three Diesels. It looks like someone took an Xacto knive and removed the steamer, leaving a … Continue reading
The Association of American Railroads published this educational (i.e. propaganda) booklet for school children, but their cover graphic is somewhat strange. What are those trains doing up in the air, flying beside those smokestacks? Why is the sky behind the … Continue reading
This little booklet was given to people viewing B&O’s air-conditioned train on display at the Century of Progress Exposition. The booklet describes each car of the train and the history behind some of those cars and the names applied to … Continue reading
Since the B&O had held a great centennial expo in 1927, it was ready to have a large exhibit at the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition in 1933. Inside the fair’s Travel & Transport Building, the railroad had large dioramas … Continue reading
