Opening Hours
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Rare Books
Rare Books
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Image not available
Rare Books
This collection of railroad ephemera, photographs, prints and posters concerns only streamliner trains--the wind-resistant, "streamlined" designs first appearing on major U.S. railroads in 1934 and peaking in the glamour years of the American streamliner, late 1930s to 1955. The sleek, fast trains were promoted for their speed, luxury and comfort compared to older, heavyweight steam locomotives. The bulk of the collection is composed of passenger brochures, with especially extensive files on Union Pacific; Southern Pacific; New York Central; Chicago, Burlington and Quincy ("the Burlington"); and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe ("the Santa Fe") railroads. There are also many materials on Amtrak (formed in 1971), and foreign railroads, particularly in Canada, Europe and Japan. Besides brochures, other printed materials include: manufacturer's pamphlets, employee newsletters, press releases, blueprints of railcars, copies of U.S. Patent Office design applications, menus, lounge car stationery, baggage stickers and other items. The photographs are mostly railroad-issued 8 x 10-inch prints showing train exteriors and richly designed dining cars, lounge cars, sleeping cabins and domed observation cars. There are also many high-quality small-format photographs made by Leslie Merrill and other amateur photographers, 1938 to 1960s. The prints and posters mostly consist of promotions for U.S. railroads, with several notable pre-World War II posters for European railroads. An important section of the collection covers early streamlining experiments of the late-19th century: Samuel R. Calthrop's "air-resisting" train of 1865; Frederick U. Adams's "Windsplitter" of 1893; Joe V. Meigs' "Meigs Elevated Railway" monorail in 1880s Boston; and William Riley McKeen Jr.'s aerodynamic McKeen Motor Car of the 1900s. In addition to railroad history, other topics of social and cultural historical interest are: Depictions of African Americans and Native Americans in mass-marketed train travel brochures. There are many examples that reflect American cultural and class stereotypes in the early- to mid-20th century. History of food and drink: See numerous dining car and beverage menus (not always noted in container list). History of advertising, graphic design and typography represented in 20th-century railroad print advertising.
646607
Image not available
Rare Books
This collection of railroad ephemera, photographs, prints and posters concerns only streamliner trains--the wind-resistant, "streamlined" designs first appearing on major U.S. railroads in 1934 and peaking in the glamour years of the American streamliner, late 1930s to 1955. The sleek, fast trains were promoted for their speed, luxury and comfort compared to older, heavyweight steam locomotives. The bulk of the collection is composed of passenger brochures, with especially extensive files on Union Pacific; Southern Pacific; New York Central; Chicago, Burlington and Quincy ("the Burlington"); and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe ("the Santa Fe") railroads. There are also many materials on Amtrak (formed in 1971), and foreign railroads, particularly in Canada, Europe and Japan. Besides brochures, other printed materials include: manufacturer's pamphlets, employee newsletters, press releases, blueprints of railcars, copies of U.S. Patent Office design applications, menus, lounge car stationery, baggage stickers and other items. The photographs are mostly railroad-issued 8 x 10-inch prints showing train exteriors and richly designed dining cars, lounge cars, sleeping cabins and domed observation cars. There are also many high-quality small-format photographs made by Leslie Merrill and other amateur photographers, 1938 to 1960s. The prints and posters mostly consist of promotions for U.S. railroads, with several notable pre-World War II posters for European railroads. An important section of the collection covers early streamlining experiments of the late-19th century: Samuel R. Calthrop's "air-resisting" train of 1865; Frederick U. Adams's "Windsplitter" of 1893; Joe V. Meigs' "Meigs Elevated Railway" monorail in 1880s Boston; and William Riley McKeen Jr.'s aerodynamic McKeen Motor Car of the 1900s. In addition to railroad history, other topics of social and cultural historical interest are: Depictions of African Americans and Native Americans in mass-marketed train travel brochures. There are many examples that reflect American cultural and class stereotypes in the early- to mid-20th century. History of food and drink: See numerous dining car and beverage menus (not always noted in container list). History of advertising, graphic design and typography represented in 20th-century railroad print advertising.
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Rare Books
Includes materials on: Frederick U. Adams, and his "Windsplitter." Built by B&O in Baltimore, and patented in early 1893. Smooth and continuous exterior surfaces. Includes photographs and copies of patent documents for "Railway Car And Train" with drawings and text (1893). Also materials on "Air and Atmosphere Cars"; Thomas McBride's "Observatory Cars" (1891); E.Y. Robbins Cylindrical Iron and Steel Safety Car pamphlet (copy) and photograph (1888); David G. Weems -"Needle Point" locomotive drawings and photographs; patent applications by W.B. Jupp (1927, Car Body), Charles H. Davis (1897, Electric-Railway Car), George J. Capewell (1900, Railway-Car Body); pamphlet and clippings on Sir Henry Bessemer.
646607
Image not available
Rare Books
Assorted articles, letters, diagrams, drawings, photographs, rosters about the McKeen Motor Cars and the company that built them. McKeen was superintendent of motive power for Union Pacific and in 1905, designed a gasoline-powered motor car for short branch lines. In 1908 the McKeen Motor Car Co. was formed, creating "streamlined" cars for various railroads. Includes copy of patent application for McKeen's design (1907). [This is probably the M-10 model]; blueprint of cross section and side view of McKeen Car no. 7 (June 4, 1912); color snapshots of McKeen's former house in Santa Barbara, Ca. (2005); spiral bound booklet - "Virginia & Truckee Railway, McKeen Motor Car No. 2, Restoration Feasibility Investigation." Prepared for the Nevada State Railroad Museum by Stephen E. Drew. Published by Friends of the Nevada State Railroad Museum (1997). Illustrations, drawings, plans.
646607
Image not available
Rare Books
Joseph "Joe" V. Meigs of Lowell, Massachusetts submitted an application in 1884 to patent a steam-powered, "post-supported" elevated monorail train intended for rapid transit use in Boston. Materials include: U.S. Patent Office report. Joe V. Meigs. "Railway" drawings and specifications (18 p., 1885); "General (George) Stark's Report, Meigs Elevated Railway, Eighteenth Annual Report of the Massachusetts Railroad Commissioners." (1887); "A Condensed Review of Rapid Transit and the Meigs Elevated Railway, Prepared For The Legislature of 1888" by the Meigs Co. (1888); "Rapid Transit Made Plain; Interrogations propounded by a Member of the Legislature to Capt. Joe V. Meigs, And By Him Answered." Testimony with drawings (1894); prospectus titled "Complements of Meigs Elevated Railway Construction Co...." Inside, "An Account of Progress." (1886); "Memorandum of the visit to Boston of the Committee on Railroads... of the City of Philadelphia.... to inspect... the Meigs [Railway]." (1887); printed report by H. Haupt, Consulting Engineer. On back: Printed request by Meigs for information on legality of his design and Judge Thomas Russell's reply (1883); copy photographs of the Meigs railway and demonstration site in East Cambridge, Mass.; clippings, ordinances from 1880s newspapers (from a scrapbook once owned by Meigs).
646607
Image not available
Rare Books
This collection of railroad ephemera, photographs, prints and posters concerns only streamliner trains—the wind-resistant, "streamlined" designs first appearing on major U.S. railroads in 1934 and peaking in the glamour years of the American streamliner, late 1930s to 1955. The sleek, fast trains were promoted for their speed, luxury and comfort compared to older, heavyweight steam locomotives. The bulk of the collection is composed of passenger brochures, with especially extensive files on Union Pacific; Southern Pacific; New York Central; Chicago, Burlington and Quincy ("the Burlington"); and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe ("the Santa Fe") railroads. There are also many materials on Amtrak (formed in 1971), and foreign railroads, particularly in Canada, Europe and Japan. Besides brochures, other printed materials include: manufacturer's pamphlets, employee newsletters, press releases, blueprints of railcars, copies of U.S. Patent Office design applications, menus, lounge car stationery, baggage stickers and other items. The photographs are mostly railroad-issued 8 x 10-inch prints showing train exteriors and richly designed dining cars, lounge cars, sleeping cabins and domed observation cars. There are also many high-quality small-format photographs made by Leslie Merrill and other amateur photographers, 1938 to 1960s. The prints and posters mostly consist of promotions for U.S. railroads, with several notable pre-World War II posters for European railroads. An important section of the collection covers early streamlining experiments of the late-19th century: Samuel R. Calthrop's "air-resisting" train of 1865; Frederick U. Adams's "Windsplitter" of 1893; Joe V. Meigs' "Meigs Elevated Railway" monorail in 1880s Boston; and William Riley McKeen Jr.'s aerodynamic McKeen Motor Car of the 1900s. In addition to railroad history, other topics of social and cultural historical interest are: Depictions of African Americans and Native Americans in mass-marketed train travel brochures. There are many examples that reflect American cultural and class stereotypes in the early- to mid-20th century. History of food and drink: See numerous dining car and beverage menus (not always noted in container list). History of advertising, graphic design and typography represented in 20th-century railroad print advertising.
646607
646607