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Photographing Trains - 1939

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Photographing Trains - 1939
Posted by Victrola1 on Thursday, October 5, 2017 1:41 PM

A movie short. Definately not a safety film. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUxzjdfhMys

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Posted by Firelock76 on Thursday, October 5, 2017 4:27 PM

Hey, it wasn't easy being a railfan photographer back then!  We should bow our heads in respect...

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Posted by MidlandMike on Thursday, October 5, 2017 6:46 PM

It seems in those days that suit and tie was the dress code for railfans.

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, October 5, 2017 7:29 PM

MidlandMike

It seems in those days that suit and tie was the dress code for railfans.

Certainly such was de rigeur for newspaper reporters and photographers.

 

Johnny

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Posted by Firelock76 on Thursday, October 5, 2017 8:47 PM

I think it was famed rail photographer Stan Kistler who said one of the secrets of his success in railyards and engine terminals was looking like he belonged there.  With a suit and tie on, plus a fedora, he looked like a railroad official, so no-one bothered him!

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Posted by samfp1943 on Thursday, October 5, 2017 9:20 PM

Deggesty
 
MidlandMike

It seems in those days that suit and tie was the dress code for railfans.

Certainly such was de rigeur for newspaper reporters and photographers.

 

 

 

 

             SoapBox      Not trying to start anythingMischief , but to Johnny, M. Mike, Wayne and myself,and I am certain, some other respondents on this Forum. 

                               We can recall the times when 'taking a trip' on ANY form of transport.       People who traveled, generally, wore what was refered to as their"Sunday go to meeting clothes'.    Men wore their business suits, and women dressed, very well, also. Be it on the trains or planes, folks dressed up.  Gradually, [ I'll let the readers decide] travel attire began to 'degrade'.   Indifferent 

   It seems in today's world , if there is a current 'dress code' for the traveling public; it woukd seem to include flip flops,and any items, north of skivvies, and a light coat of oil.  

 Those Railfan photogs portrayed in the videos attached in this Thread,are  as as long gone as the dinosaurs. Possibly, along with certain measures of individual and corporate respect. My 2 Cents Bang Head  

 

 


 

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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, October 6, 2017 7:59 AM

Yes, Sam, travel dress styles have changed considerably in our time.

In an article in the fifties, David P. Morgan commented on the casual style of most the passengers he saw on the Silver Meteor. Also, I beleive it was in the fifties, the UP had advertisements that showed passengers in a coach dome and passengers in a first class dome--casual and "dress."

Now, I am a rarity--seldom do I see anyone except railroad personnel wearing ties. (On one of my recent trips, I did see a passenger wearing a tie--and blue jeans). Generally, sleeper passengers look decent, but I will not arttempt to describe some coach passengers.

There are many passengers using the lounge in Washington who wear what are described a "dress clothes," and I noticed the same in first class Acela when I rode to Boston and back last spring.

Always re-read your post before sending it! Do not wait until it appears in your email before making corrections.

Johnny

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Posted by rrnut282 on Friday, October 6, 2017 12:18 PM

Yeah, travel dress has really slacked off.  When growing up and when I worked at the airlines, it was full business attire to fly on your passes.  No tie=no First Class.  It got so bad, passengers could spot employees a mile away, as they were the only ones who didn't look like they shopped at Goodwill.  Now, those rules have been relaxed, which only makes it more difficult to decide what is and what isn't appropriate.  (remember the uproar a few months ago about an employee's girls being denied boarding while wearing leggings [no pants]) 

I'm confident enough in human nature that it has to be similar on trains.

Mike (2-8-2)

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