Category: Railroading

Storefront Railroad Ticket Office

Image: source and photographer not identified; may be a Union Pacific publicity photo.

In addition to ticket counters at railroad depots some had walk-in offices in major cities where customers could make travel plans and purchase tickets. In 1939 this one in Long Beach, California was typical.

Image and excerpt below from Hollywood’s Garden of Allah novels, by Martin Turnbull on facebook.com.

“I do love coming across a striking night photo, and this one is a prime example. This one is of a Union Pacific railroad ticket office sandwiched between a Florsheim shoe store and a drug store. It was at 144 Pine Ave in Long Beach, which Union Pacific moved into on October 1, 1939, so I’m assuming this photo was taken some time after that. They took the trouble to include ‘The Progressive’ in their signage – I wonder if that was part of their company motto? And I especially love the silhouetted lettering above the window: ‘Road of The Streamliners and The Challengers.’ “

Red Ball model railroad kits

Image: Red Ball kit components.

Marvel Dale Newton “launched Red Ball Ltd. in 1939. Early catalogs list his address as 2303 Hyde Park Blvd, LA. The company was the ‘M. Dale Newton Company’ and it appears that ‘Red Ball HO Trains’ was the brand name of the product.”

“…Newton did not invent HO scale but he was certainly in the group of pioneering manufacturers. He knew a good thing and how to improve on it when he saw it. The early kits were rolling stock with printed cardboard sides, wood frames and metal or plastic parts and cast metal trucks.”

“Although the detail castings were among the best in the industry, Red Ball was famous for the car sides. It is easy to dismiss a ‘cardboard’ part as being simplistic and inaccurate. Nothing could be further from the truth. M. Dale Newton’s expertise in the printing field must have driven his passion for quality.”

Excerpts and image from https://www.oldmodelkits.com/blog/plastic-model-kit-history/red-ball-ltd-pioneer-ho-kit-manufacture-since-1939/?fbclid=IwAR1nehUeWmoP3bc3AZr8VnCS454TeIUgkqAqZ2U1zttul2GJQCoLktYJHxI .

See the link for a detailed history of the company and many more photos.

First Santa Fe revenue train at the new Los Angeles Union Station

20may07_3751

Image: from SBRHS facebook page (link below). Photo by T. Nixon.

On this day 81 years ago, Santa Fe 3751 made history as it led the first revenue passenger train into Union Station Los Angeles.
T. Nixon was on hand that morning in 1939 to capture the young, 12-year-old locomotive lead Train No. 1, “The Scout,” into the newly built station that had its grand opening just four days prior.
Near the end of her career with the Santa Fe, 3751 became a regular at Union Station as it pulled trains in and out Los Angeles. With your support, these two icons of Southern California will continue to meet many more times to come.
Learn more about how you can help by visiting www.sbrhs.org .

Image and text from the San Bernardino Historical Society facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SantaFe3751/photos/a.101943704305/10158477835134306/?type=3&theater

 

After its revenue producing days were over, this locomotive was placed on display in San Bernardino, California. Decades later it was restored to operating condition by the SBRHS and is used for public appearances and special excursion trains.