In 1927, Canadian National issued a series of postcards that featured recipes that supposedly “made the CNR dining car service popular.” Since 1927 was also the year that CN put Canada’s first 4-8-4 locomotives in service, the cards have a … Continue reading
Here are two linen-era postcards distributed by the Milwaukee Road. The first shows a heavily (and not very accurately) colorized image of Yellowstone Falls and Canyon. Did people really dress like that when they visited national parks in 1940? Park … Continue reading
This postcard isn’t particularly pretty, but it shows the “new shops” opened by the Rock Island in (the caption says) East Moline, Illinois. Actually, the shops are in Silvis Illinois, which is next to East Moline and both are part … Continue reading
I previously noted that GM artists first made a “foundation drawing” of each class of locomotive and then painted color schemes over that drawing. However, it is apparent from the data cards presented yesterday that multiple foundation drawings were made … Continue reading
The Monon — also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railroad — was a small railroad but it offered three passenger trains a day in 1951. The Hoosier and the Tippecanoe went between Chicago and Indianapolis while the Thoroughbred … Continue reading
This postcard says that it shows the eastbound San Francisco-Chicago Express climbing “Soldiers Summit.” The back spells it “Soldiers’ Summit,” but the modern-day spelling is “Soldier Summit.” The grade is so steep that five steam locomotives are required to haul … Continue reading
The Painted Desert Inn, located in the Petrified Forest National Monument (now a national park), is another example of Fred Harvey moving away from its roots serving rail travelers and towards serving auto travelers. The inn was located close to … Continue reading
In an effort to keep its restaurant mix current with the times, Fred Harvey began operating the Old Spinning Wheel, a popular restaurant in Hinsdale, a suburb of Chicago, in 1954. The photo on the cover of this menu doesn’t … Continue reading
Completed in 1939, Los Angeles Union Station is known as the “last of the great railway stations.” It is also the last station to be built with a Fred Harvey restaurant. This menu’s cover photo is credited to Leo L. … Continue reading
Designed by Colorado architect Isaac Rapp in what became known as the Pueblo Revival style and opened in 1922, the La Fonda (which means “the inn” in Spanish) helped inspire the city of Santa Fe to pass a 1957 ordinance … Continue reading
