wherever the train takes me

[baleanoptera]

I'm currently in love with these 1940's kodachrome photos by Jack Delano found at my beloved Shorpy photo archive. In particular I'm fascinated by his images of the railroads where his choice of angels, light and perspective turn the railroads into near abstract works of art.



December 1942. "One of the Chicago and North Western R.R. classification yards."



Chicago, April 1943. More of those yellow Proviso rails. "General view of one of the departure yards at Chicago & North Western RR's Proviso Yard." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the OWI.



December 1942. "Worker inspecting a locomotive on a pit in the roundhouse at the Chicago & North Western RR's Proviso Yard." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information

This one is called The Lowrider, and I like how the man is nearly invisible under the giant wheels, that in turn are so in focus that they are difficult to make out as anything other than shapes and forms.



May 1943. Bensenville, Illinois. "Bensenville yard of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad. Track repair and work on the cinder pits at the roundhouse."



May 1943. Bensenville, Illinois. Section crew of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad taking up track.



January 1943. Calumet City, Illinois. Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad switchman demonstrating signal with a fusee, used at twilight and dawn, when visibility is poor. This signal means "go ahead."



January 1943. "Indiana Harbor Belt R.R. switchman demonstrating signal with a fusee, used at twilight and dawn when visibility is poor. This signal means stop."

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All text in italic is from the Shorpy site.

Comments

[wildtiger7.livejournal.com]

I like how, without the date, I never would have known those pictures of trains where from the 1940s.

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

It is fascinating isn't it? I mean, we know the 1940's were in colour, and yet somehow we associated it with b&w photos and newsreels. In fact we do so to such an extent that when Spielberg opted for maxium realism with Saving Private Ryan he chose to colour saturate the whole film. It is the strange world of photography I guess.

[lage-nom-ai.livejournal.com]

Those last two pictures were so amazing!

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

They are almost a bit magical, aren't they? Ahhh..the wonders of kodachrome. It makes the colours so present and vibrant.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I love the pictures - they give such a nostalgic feeling ! It is like when we used to go by train from Omsk to Moscow (it takes three days). -

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

That sounds like quite a train journey!

I'm just fascinated by the size of the train stations. We have nothing that big in Norway. *suddenly feels like she comes from a tiny nation*