US Civil War photos ... some do include trains

[shortliner]

Somewhat unsure if this should be in this thread or the photography one - Pete - If you feel it would be better in there, feel free to ask Andy or a Mod to move it

 

I picked this up from a link on TrainOrders.com. When you realise that these photographs were taken more than twice my lifetime ago, (Yes - I'm an "older person") the clarity, the details shown, and preservation of the photos (almost certainly glass slides) is incredible. I also recommend visiting the link to "People" at the top of page 1 - there is apparently a third page which I haven't found so far - just a reminder that "War is Hell!"

 

http://www.theatlant...-places/100241/

 

EDIT - the link to the third page is here http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/02/the-civil-war-part-3-the-stereographs/100243/

[trisonic]

Jack in USA & Canadian, I think!

 

When I was with EMI they were doing a project about Abe Lincoln and they found an amazing collection of detailed photos of his Funeral cortege, by rail. I wonder whether you can find them on the web???

 

Best, Pete.

[PaulRhB]

The latest edition of Model Railroad Planning has a nice O gauge civil war layout with locos by SMR, bit pricy though.

[shortliner]

Pete - a quick google upchucked this http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln51.html There is also a book http://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Funeral-Train-Journey-National/dp/0925436216

[Talltim]

There's som SMR locos on ebay at the moment

[t-b-g]

Thanks for the great link. As in many such things, modern US railroads leave me a little cold but back in those days they had a huge amount of character. In WW2 we had huge rail mounted guns. Back then they had a big fat mortar on a tiny flat truck, which looked as if it would fall apart if the thing was fired.

 

It makes me think how lucky I am to have been born and lived through a time when I haven't had to pick up a gun to defend myself, my country or my way of life. A stunning record of the true horror of war yet somehow fascinating at the same time.

[PaulRhB]

If you like the old style US locos and narrow gauge then there's much cheaper options than SMR,

 

Bachmann do the Baldwin 4-4-0 in some nice liveries in 1:20.3 http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=1870

 

Model Mountain imports are doing the same one in On30 and On3 http://www.ngtrains....PSC/mmi-0n3.htm (they are even worse than Bachmann for running behind schedule though as they are already 2 years late!)

 

Accucraft are also proposing the 2-8-0's with the balloon stacks in On30 and On3 http://www.ngtrains....ges/AMS/c16.htm

[Ozexpatriate]

Most of these are very famous photographs and have been reproduced many times. But what struck me, seeing them with such high resolution scanning on a decent monitor, is just how much the portraits brought their subject to life. These glass plate images are remarkable.

 

I noticed this particularly with the portraits in the second gallery. Somehow the clarity of the images makes it very clear that all these images are of real people - not "historical figures". It's quite striking. Look at the close up images of Grant, Ames, Sherman, Custer, Burnside, Marmaduke and Seward's failed assassin (which is quite a story in iself). The precise focus and limited depth of field create some really compelling images.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[CVSNE]

If you want to learn more about Civil War railroads (and see some nice modeling to boot) I highly recommend my good friend Bernie Kempinski's blog (www.USMRR.blogspot.com) - his was the layout in MRP. While the SMR locomotives are pricey, they run like Swiss watches (well, we did have issues with one, since resolved). And, as he told me, "I have less $$ tied up in the O scale fleet than I did in the previous (N scale) D&RGW roster!

[Jon Grant 4472]

I'm busy collecting HO American 4-4-0 locos and ships for a small Civil War harbour layout, but am having difficulty fitting sound into the diminutive locos, so I may end up going O. At the moment, it's 2 layouts down the line, after the Mississippi KCS/IC/Midsouth one

 

Jon

[Pacific231G]

The American Civil War was the first war in which railways played a major role and the far better developed network in the north and the Union's better understanding of the importance of military organisation of railways was a key reason for their ultimate victory. Unfortunately, by enabling faster movements and the ability to supply larger bodies of troops in the field they also ensured a far higher number of casualties, a process that saw its culmination in the twentieth century.

[CVSNE]

I'm busy collecting HO American 4-4-0 locos and ships for a small Civil War harbour layout, but am having difficulty fitting sound into the diminutive locos, so I may end up going O. At the moment, it's 2 layouts down the line, after the Mississippi KCS/IC/Midsouth one

 

Jon

 

Bernie and I have been discussing a portable layout in O scale with a ACW theme. The exact theme has yet to be determined, but he's leaning towards something more civilian at this point than the current USMRR project. Perhaps we could coordinate on the interface and connect our layout to yours at some point in the (distant) future?

[Jon Grant 4472]

Bernie and I have been discussing a portable layout in O scale with a ACW theme. The exact theme has yet to be determined, but he's leaning towards something more civilian at this point than the current USMRR project. Perhaps we could coordinate on the interface and connect our layout to yours at some point in the (distant) future?

 

Great Idea, Marty.

 

The Orange and Alexandria was an interesting line which featured heavily throughout the war. I must re-read Geo Abdil's book 'Civil War Railroads'

 

I did find a very good site that did resin kits for HO civil War period freight stock, but I haven't investigated the O-scale market yet. O would definitely make it easier to use link and pin couplers

 

Jon

[dibber25]

There's a brilliant book, dated MCMLXI (1961? - sorry, not very good on Roman numerals) called Civil War Railroads, by George B Abdill, published by Bonanza Books of New York. 192pp landscape format with some amazing pictures - a lot of close-ups of USMR 4-4-0s - but a general overview of the war on the railways, with good lengthy captions. It includes eight pictures of the Lincoln funeral train. I probably bought my copy in the early 1970s. I guess it is long out of print but worth looking for a secondhand copy if you're really into civil war modelling.

CHRIS LEIGH

[CVSNE]

Great Idea, Marty.

 

The Orange and Alexandria was an interesting line which featured heavily throughout the war. I must re-read Geo Abdil's book 'Civil War Railroads'

 

I did find a very good site that did resin kits for HO civil War period freight stock, but I haven't investigated the O-scale market yet. O would definitely make it easier to use link and pin couplers

 

Jon

 

We actually use Atlas track nails as the "links" on Bernie's Aquia Line - we have "brakeman's clubs" with a magnet on one end - to lift the link you simply hold the magnet over the link and it pops right up! Coupling requires inserting the link into the loop and then sliding the magnet to the side. It took some getting used to, but it works.

 

I'm very familiar with the former O&A line since I ride it to work each day - when the leaves are off the trees the old Civil War era roadbed and some of the bridge abutments are clearly visible. So the O&A is definitely in our list of possibilities for a future project.

 

Marty