CPRR Discussion Group

Found an interesting Youtube video

2009-11-19T12:14:00.001-08:00

From: "Michael Van Tosh" mvantosh@gmail.com

I was looking through Youtube the other day, and I was looking for a certain silent film. I thought I had seen most of Edison's silent films of RR's recorded in the 1890's, but I came across the following one of the SP's "Overland Mail" (which I guess could be any train), capturing a double-headed train around a corner. The film details the number of each locomotive (although I didn't realize that until after), so I looked closely at the tenders and was able to write down the numbers. I remember being told that switching locomotive tenders around was a famous practice of the CP/SP, but I decided to look them up on the roster anyway:

No. 1360: 4-4-0, originally: ?

No. 1779: 4-6-0. originally: ?

Unfortuneately, when I tried to look them up on the rosters, I couldn't find either of them. I saw locomotives numbered 1362-1368, and locomotives numbered 1770-1776, but no engines with these numbers. Does anyone happen to know if they engines were even SP/CP, or were they from another RR, or did I miss something entirely?

The other question I had was about an SP locomotive I saw in a book once, numbered 1008.

However, it is very different from the one listed. The engine is a 4-4-0T, with no tender, a crane attached to the smokebox/pilot, and a small collection of tanks and cylinders under the cab. I own a copy of the book, so I can scan it if you'd like. The engine is simply described as a works pilot, but I have never seen any of pictures of it before. Does the museum have any other resources about it?

—Mike

Location of Tamarack station; Spruce

2009-11-19T01:36:00.000-08:00

From: "Kristine Swigart" kswigart@netzero.net

Where was the Tamarack station between Cisco and Summit stations? Was it before (west) of the current day Troy? Are there any survey and or maps (detailed) of that area with the railroad I have the survey prior to it with proposed railroad? Also where was Spruce? Is that Troy? ...

—Kristine

Broken link

2009-11-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

From: gloria@studentresearchers.org

I just wanted to let you know that ... you have a link ... which seems to now be missing. ...

Iron and Steel Makers Marks on rails

2009-11-14T10:56:00.000-08:00

From: ThomasSwailes@aol.com

I've just come across your very nice website – interested in the old rails in particular.

A month ago I set up a group on the flickr photographers' website for iron and steel rail makers marks. ...

There are quite a few old rail pictures in the flickr group, back to the late nineteenth century, but not as old as the historic iron rails you have in your collections. I had not realised until people started posting pictures to the flickr group that very old rails were still in place on track bed in Canada, USA and Australia. In Australia they seem to have been quite often reused as fenceposts.

In Britain I think almost all old rails were taken up c. 1963, when the rail network was reduced in size with the closure of a lot of supposedly less profitable railway lines. So in the flickr group for example we have a Dorman Long rail of 1922 which is in a museum piece in NE England, whereas there are much older British rolled rails still in their original locations overseas. In the flickr group we have an older British rail in Sweden for example, so the exports were not all transatlantic.

—Tom Swailes from Bollington, Cheshire, England

Locomotive Jupiter's Wheels

2009-11-12T13:23:00.000-08:00

From: JR12348@aol.com

Did the Central Pacific Jupiter 4-4-0 Locomotive have Hi-Rail Wheels or Scale Wheels?

Posters for sale

2009-11-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

Where can I find railroad and other posters for sale?

See the Poster section of the CPRR Museum Exhibits, and the Train Poster section of the CPRR Museum bookshop.

Shaping the West - Stanford University Spatial History Project - A.A. Hart Visualizations

2009-11-02T15:14:00.000-08:00

From: "Spatial History Project" spatialhistory@gmail.com

I wanted to let you know about a new project that the Spatial History Lab at Stanford is working on. They (we) are mapping the locations of Alfred Hart's photos along the CPRR and pairing each with a repeat photograph from the same spot. It's been fascinating thus far to see the changes in the landscape over the ensuing 150 years.

The project is still in progress (winter snows in the mountains will stall further photos during the winter) but we're excited about the contrasts we've seen already.

I wanted to let you all know about the project not only because it seems in line with your interests, but because we would love your input. I'm sure there are details we're missing and whole stories that we've forgotten. If you know anything more about the photos, please do let us know.

The link to the site is: Spatial History Project – A.A. Hart Visualizations.

You can navigate through the photos (we only have the first nine up now, with more to come in the very near future) both spatially and linearly.

Enjoy!

Killeen Hanson
Project Manager, Shaping the West
Spatial History Project
Stanford University

Indians at opening ceremony?

2009-11-01T14:44:00.000-08:00

Were there Native Americans at the joining of the rails ceremony on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah?

CPRR Discussion Group

2009-11-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

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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
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum.
Copyright © 2009, CPRR.org

Camp 21 Sardine Valley

2009-10-31T15:59:00.000-07:00

From: daeppley@comcast.net

Do you have any information on Camp 21 in Sardine Valley north of Stampede Reservoir? Based on the many old beer cans in the area I would guess the camp was operating 1936-37 making it part of the Hobart Mills operation rather than a Boca - Loyalton Railroad operation. The remaining wood foundations look like they may be old railroad cars, not cabins, but the track and wheels are all gone. I can't find any detailed history of the operation of the Railroad or of the camps. The museum list a stereograph of Camp 21, but it is not available on line.

—Dean Eppley, Truckee

Steve Carter prints

2009-10-27T01:15:00.001-07:00

From: "Normand Leduc" nleduc@shaw.ca

I have a couple of signed prints done by Steve Carter of the "Last Spike #44" and "The Hogger's last lock #458" ... was wondering if those would have any historic value?

—Normand Leduc

Old rail from Russia

2009-10-27T01:09:00.001-07:00

From: "Tyurin Sergey" vniist@mail.ru

I am from Russia. I found the place where the rail, shown in attachment situated. This is very interesting place. We have here old railroad with different marks on the rails. Rail which is in attachment only one of them. For example we have a rail which marked " UNION D N.T.K. 1887" ...

—Sergey

Emigrant "Local" Baggage Tags

2009-10-24T23:46:00.000-07:00

From: "Jason Sanford" parkcitybranch@yahoo.com

I have seen some CPRR baggage tags that are marked "local" and some "Emigrant" and "Local." What constituted a local train on the CPRR? Where there specific local trains that ran on a daily basis between designated stations? Does anyone happen to know when the "Emigrant" tags were no longer used? Thanks.

—Jason

History of train conductor hats

2009-10-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

From: "Richard Russell" richardrussell1203@sbcglobal.net

Were can I find information on the history of train conductor hats?

—Rich Russell

Searching for travel guide from 1870s - Southern Pacific RR Co. - Los Angeles to San Francisco

2009-10-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

From: "Brenda Reed" brendawestonwv@hotmail.com

I was thrilled to find your publication The Pacific [Tourist] by Henry T. [Williams].

I am writing a story set in 1877 that places my characters on a train from Los Angeles to the state line between Utah and Wyoming. I'd like for everything to be as accurate as possible ... do you know of any guide written in the era for the trip from Los Angeles to San [Francisco]?

Thank you so much for all your work in preserving RR history. I am old enough to remember traveling from Wichita to Philadelphia on an "old-fashioned" train with dining car and sleepers. It was a trip never to be forgotten.

—Brenda Reed

John Leroy Minchin

2009-10-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

From: "Jeff" jzeeburg@yahoo.com

Looking for information on someone who I think either worked for the CPRR or the SP.

A google search has turned up nothing, maybe someone in your group can help me?

John Leroy Minchin. I'm trying to find out about this person. I'm a railroad collector and have a railroad "presentation" lantern that was given to JOHN LEROY MINCHIN with a date of 1886 on it. Can you help me? Thanks.

Donner Summit Virtual Reality

2009-10-12T23:42:00.001-07:00

From: "Howard Goldbaum" goldbaum@unr.edu

Five-node spherical virtual-reality scene which explores the Summit Tunnel in detail, including its vertical construction shaft (view full-screen for best effect).

Howard Goldbaum
All Around Nevada
Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism MS 310
University of Nevada
Reno, NV

How much were the Chinese paid?

2009-10-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

How much were the Chinese paid as workers on the transcontinental railroad?

Wilson Committee Report & Credit Mobilier

2009-10-12T16:43:00.001-07:00

Is the transcription that you have online the full and complete report which Jeremiah M. Wilson delivered to Congress on February 21, 1873? If not, do you know where I could view the full report?

Irish workers on the Union Pacific RR

2009-10-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

From: "Kim Pearson" sixpearsons@nc.rr.com

We are doing a report on the Transcontinental RR. We are finding a lot of information about the Chinese immigrants that worked on the RR; however, we can find very little information about the Irish immigrants that worked for the Union Pacific RR. Can you give us some direction?

—Kim Pearson

Glassware used in the dining cars for drinks

2009-10-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

From: McKeever@comcast.net

I am looking for a set of fine drinking glasses they used in the dining cars in the 1930's and 1940's. And also in the Presidents dining car.

—Darlene Kelly

CPRR Discussion Group

2009-10-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

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"Unique Crocker Family Stories Come to Light in Exhibition"

2009-09-27T23:31:00.000-07:00

"A new exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum pays tribute to the Museum’s founders and shares the stories of philanthropy, eccentricity and high style that made the Crockers the epitome of the Gilded Age. Breathtaking jewelry, dramatic gowns, china, furniture, personal letters, paintings and photographs tell the lesser-known side of the Crocker family’s story in Treasures, Curiosities and Secrets: The Crockers and the Gilded Age, opening November 6. ... More than 75 objects will be on display to tell the story of California’s premier early art patrons, Edwin Bryant and Margaret Crocker, and the era in which they lived. The exhibit also encompasses the lives and mementos of their children, including the notorious Aimée Crocker, who became an international social success, receiving widespread press for her dramatic costumes, travels to the Far East, extensive tattoos and five controversial marriages, twice to Russian nobility. Edwin Bryant and Margaret Crocker settled in Sacramento in 1852 and worked as merchants until Edwin was appointed to the California Supreme Court in 1863. Seven months later, Edwin left the bench to serve as legal counsel for the Central Pacific Railroad Company, which ultimately made him a millionaire. ... A paralytic stoke in June 1869 forced Edwin to retire but allowed him and his family to pursue other interests, including commissioning an art gallery ... Overseas for the next three years, the Crockers purchased more than 700 paintings and 1,300 drawings that became the core of their museum ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

BEWARE FAKE RAILROAD BADGES PURCHASED ON EBAY

2009-09-26T06:47:00.000-07:00

From: "Jackson" stonewall.summer@wavecable.com

I recently purchased a Sacramento Northern Railway Special Agent badge #1 ... on eBay. I personally had never met the seller but communicated with him via email previously. After I purchased the item I was provided information the badge was a fake and the manufacturer was located. The manufacturer confirmed they made the badge(s) approximately one month previous and it was sold to [eBay seller]. The seller ... did refund my money. The manufacturing company was not aware of how the buyer was going to use it. The manufacturer did tell me they notified eBay. ...

When I showed a photo of the ... Spokane Portland Seattle Railway Special Agent badge ... it was also identified as a fake purchased by the same.

Native Americans

2009-09-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

How did the railroad make the lives of the Indians life hard?

Note: The hostilities with the plains Indians was with the Union Pacific Railroad. (The Indians and the Central Pacific Railroad got along together very well.)