More info on my picture..?

[ssimntih]

I picked up a picture at a local antique shop, I'd like to know more about it. Maybe when and where?

I realize the picture isn't very clear, but from looking at the real picture I noticed that the first pullman reads "St. Louis & South Western Line". From the research I've done, I found that this later became the Cotton Belt, 1925 I think?

The train number isn't good enough to make out, but the tender sticking out on the other track reads "N.Y.C.&H.R 46354" Any ideas to where these two lines might've crossed?

By the first pullman is a stage with pictures on the sides, not good enough to make out who it is, but I'm guessing that its a political figure... president, maybe a governor. Maybe if I can figure out a year and location I can figure out who it might be. 

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4819785&l=a5b1e32141&id=506736645

 

[SSW9389]

The photo definitely looks to be a political rally of some type. The american flag bunting on the raised speaking platform is the clue. The locomotive may be a Class E2 Cotton Belt Ten Wheeler. The St. Louis Southwestern Railway was nicknamed the Cotton Belt.

Ed Cooper

CBRHS #114 Pine Bluff Chapter 

[Anonymous]

The NYC&HR railroad owned tracks in the state of New York.  The St.Louis Southwestern didn't get east of the Mississippi River.  Not likely the two ever intersected.

Pullmans have a way of wandering.  In 1901, the Cotton Belt still had not reached St. Louis, only to a point across the river from Cairo, Il. 

The NYC&HR could get passengers to St.Louis as it was part of the New York Central System.  But the tracks across the river to St.Louis were not theirs.  In 1901, the NYC&HR and the CCC&St.L (The Big Four Route) were part of the 'New York Central Lines', but it wasn't obvious looking at the names of their presidents and underlings.  The Big Four also had a line to Cairo, Il, where it could connect with the Cotton Belt once a bridge was built.

Art

[tomikawaTT]

Looking at the clothing of the people in the crowd, I would say probably in the decade before WWI.  Long skirts, suits and hats on the men present...

Can't guess who might have been running for what.  At that time, train travel (and train campaigning) was just about the only option.

Chuck

[wanswheel]

One terrific website for New York Central info is Canada Southern.com.

http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/annual-reports.htm

From the annual reports it's clear that the New York Central Railroad Company called itself the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad Company until Jan. 1, 1915.

Mike

[ssimntih]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. I looked around a little bit the other day and the profile of the domes and smokestack seem to match a Rogers 4-6-2, alot like the L&N 152.

[ssimntih]

Ok, I must be blind. Tonight I got some better lighting and spent quite a bit of time looking at the picture. I noticed that the characters on the pullman didn't look right. After looking through 2 magnifying glasses it reads "The North Western Line". Would that be the Chicago and Northwestern Line? I think I might try to look for presidential portraits because there's one picture on the platform that has a fairly clear silhouette.

[Anonymous]

The Chicago & Northwestern was often referred to as The Northwestern.  In fact, it's advertising had a circle with a slanted Northwestern Lines bar across the circle.  (I grew up south of Chicago and we always referred to it as the Northwestern; I even decaled an HO caboose with "Northwestern".)

And both the Big Four and the Northwestern had terminals in Chicago, but not at the same depot.  In 1901, and until the one on Madison Street was built, they were north of the Loop, about even with Wells Street on Kinsey, while the Big Four (New York Central Lines) was hanging out with the IC on the south side of the River.  But like I said before, Pullmans wandered.

Art

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The old C&NW terminal was on Kinzie between Wells (5th Ave) and Orleans, about where the Merchandise Mart and Apparel Center are currently located.  The Big Four used Central Station at 11th Place and Lake Michigan until April 30, 1971.  Most NYC trains used La Salle Street Station.