Archives: Southern Railway Historical Association Photograph Collection: Washington DC

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Southern Railway Historical Association Photograph Collection: Washington DC

Accession P.2003.009

Provenance:

These records are on loan from the Southern Railway Historical Association.

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes for a small fee.  Permission to publish materials from this collection must be obtained from the Director of Library/Archives.

C. Pat Cates and Dick Hillman processed these photographs in 2005-2006.

Size: 1 cubic foot

Description: On August 15, 2003, representatives from the Southern Railway Historical Association and the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History signed an agreement to place the association’s archives in the museum.  Part of the massive collection of materials was photographs that had been taken from the 1930s to the 1990s.  Many of the photographs were official pictures taken by the Southern Railway for publicity and for the company magazine Ties.  These photographs were stored in a variety of containers and had been roughly organized into the various states that were served by the Southern Railway.  There was also a collection of negatives although many had been separated from the original photographs.  There is also evidence of a number of filing systems that had been used by the railroad to identify the photographs.  No information has been found relative to this filing system. In addition to the photographs of the Southern Railway there were a number of photographs from individuals that had been organized into binders with headings such as “Steam Locomotives”, “Diesel Locomotives”, “Depots” as well as under individual cities and states.  All the photographs of this collection have been removed from their original storage containers and placed in acid free envelopes.  The original documentation has been retained with the photographs as well as additional information when it has been found.  Every effort has been made to place the negative with the corresponding photograph.  Researchers should be aware that the negatives are larger than the traditional 35mm format.  A number of museum volunteers and staff have worked in the organization of this collection.

1. Southern Railway Offices

• General Office Building at 15th & K Street 1928, 1950s (27-16) and 1994 (color and b/w photographs)

• Interior photograph of President Harrison Fairfax’s office c1928

• Office of the auditor of disbursements c1907

• Bicentennial Flag in President’s Office

• “I” Street garage with Southern Railway Office in background

• Retiree’s Room September 1949

• Office file cabinet

• Photography gallery and lab—two different photographs

2. Union Station

• “The Southerner” March 28, 1941 (color photograph)

• Interior photographs of restoration work (color postcards 1988)

• Diesel Locomotive No. 2918 southbound from tunnel at Union Station (3-25) includes negative

• Diesel Locomotive No. 2928 southbound from tunnel at Union Station (3-24) includes negative

• Waiting room 1904-1907

• Interior photographs—six different photographs 1950s; includes negatives

• Exterior photographs—six different photographs; includes negatives

3. Trains

• Steam Locomotive No. 1214 with passenger train northbound crossing the Potomac River

• Steam Locomotive No. 1400 with passenger train northbound crossing the Potomac River 1934

• Diesel Locomotive No. 6915 in front of Jefferson Memorial; August 1952 Ties

• Dinette-Coach No. 3103 at Washington Terminal June 4, 1948

• Steam Locomotive No. 1395 with Passenger Train No. 35 emerging from tunnel January 1, 1938

• Steam Locomotive No. 1378 with Passenger Train No. 30 April 1937; F.E. Ardrey, Jr. Collection

4. Historic Structures

• Diesel Locomotive No. 6134 with passenger train near Jefferson Memorial (6-13-I) includes negative; August 1952 Ties

• Jefferson Memorial—two different photographs (6-3-I; 6-4-I)

• Aerial photograph of Jefferson Memorial (6-14-I) includes negative

• National Gallery of Art—two different photographs (6-10-I; 6-11-I) includes negatives

• White House (6-12-I) includes negative

• Headquarters of Daughters of American Revolution (6-1-I) includes negative

• Capitol

5. Events

• Visitors to Tidal Basin during Cherry Blossom Festival (6-5-I)

• Washington Monument with people from Cherry Blossom Festival (6-2-I) includes negative

• Cherry Blossom Festival April 3, 1949 (6-6-I) includes negative.  Note:  also includes color negative C-140

• Retirement of Thomas C. Rich—two different photographs

• “Best Friend” on a parade float

• National Safety Council’s “Award of Honor for Distinguished Service to Safety”—five different photographs; includes negatives; October 1949 Ties

• Training session—four different photographs

• Graham Claytor receiving certificate of cleanliness of dining cars

• Crew members of President Roosevelt’s funeral train make a radio broadcast (30-11) includes negative

• Milton High School (Alpharetta, GA) Class of 1955 inside Jefferson Memorial (6-8-I) includes negative

• Milton High School (Alpharetta, GA) Class of 1955 at Lincoln Memorial (6-9-I) includes negative

• Milton High School (Alpharetta, GA) Class of 1955 at FBI Building (6-7-I)