Railroadiana collector?

[SP9811]

My collection consists of, SP paper items, timetables, a number board from SP 9811, and many other SP items.

[Anonymous]

I collect anything from the Santa Fe passenger trains.Have an ashtray from the Super Chief " Turqoise Room",matches,"Welcome aboard "pamplets and best of all,A Timetable listing all of the Chiefs that went into effect the day I was born in 1956.Also original magazine ads from the 40's,50's & 60's.,Framed and on the wall.
I work for BNSF as a road conductor and would have loved to have been a fireman or hoghead on the " Super Chief "...............Santa Fe ,All The Way.................

[Anonymous]

Currently, I have-
TRAINS issues going back to 1972(complete years back to 1976)
Railfan issues back to 1985
NYC Railway police badge
Rock Island passenger t.t. from 1966
2 CNW Railway decals(cab-side)
1 WC decal(cab-side)
WC timetables 1-3
2 trainman lanterns
Bad-order cards from SOO, CNW, and WC
Various back issues of-
SOO Historical
CNW Historical
CTC Board
Locomotive & Railway Preservation
Extra 2200 South
Plus dozens of WC, SOO, CNW, and WSOR pictures..and lots of memories.[8D]

[boomer44]

I collect railroadiana to support my model rr efforts. I love New England railroading, B&M, Mec and the little St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain. I guess it all started years ago when I picked up a copy of Trains mag from 1947 at a swap meet. Inside was an article by P.Hastings on the St.J. This WAS a model rr 12" to the foot. I cut the article out from the magazine and still have it. So I've collected lanterns, rr passes, timetables, books, employee operations manuals and obscure items regarding these RR's. It's turned out to be another hobby within a hobby. Gordon.

[zardoz]

I only 'collect' thing from my CNW days, like safety awards, jackets, track charts, loco manuals, stuff like that. The only item I ever purchased, was a DRGW employee timetable, back in the 80's sometime.

p.s. by 'collector', I mean that I have yet to find someone willing to buy the stuff from me.

[Anonymous]

My only interest in railroading is the passenger train. As a result, my collection reflects this:

- the cornerstone of my collection are several hundred back issues of the Official Guide from 1868, including a number of reprints, hardbound copies and issues in railroad-issued binders (a recent inventory of the collection revealed that I have about 750,000 pages of Official Guides(!))
- a number of Cooks Continental timetables and system timetables for various European countries
- a library of books - again, mostly passenger train related
- a quantity of back issues of Trains and other magazines
- several dozen coach seat headrests
- several dozen pieces of on-board train stationary
- odds and ends such as timetables, a few pieces of china, posters, menus, advertisements, a Pullman sign off of a sleeping car, station gate signs and a number of European car destination signs

This collection has been building since my high school days, in the early Amtrak era. Add to this a stint of working for Amtrak during my time in college and involvement in operating chartered Amtrak trains for the general public through a railfan club in the 1980's, you can see that this stuff is in my blood!

[walthuston]

I collect some RR forms, such as flimsies (sp) and time tables from RRs I like. I also hunt old rights of way for spikes and other little memorabilia that is left behind. I have a few spikes from the Yosemite Valley RR that Jack Burgess has done such a great job of modeling. Others include the GN, NP, and MILW. I don't purchase these items, though I do collect them. Walt

[jwillard44]

**** I voted AVID, but, I must explain. I collect videos, calendars, and books with other stuff thrown in occasionally. But what I actively collect is friendships and memories.
**** As one example, who can forget the memory of when a Santa Fe freight train collided with a helicopter at Cajon pass?
* Joel of Ogden

[Anonymous]

I collect timetables, promotional items (rulers, letter openers, money clips), onboard bags, books, videos, magazines, newspaper articles and publications from the seven r.r. historical societies I belong to.

[zardoz]

Welcome to all of you 'new' posters. I was going to mention each of you by name, but it turns out that there are so many. Again, welcome.

[citidude]

Twenty-five years ago, I was an unpaid intern for a California Congressman in Washington DC. The Association of American Railroads sent an invitation to our office to attend a holiday party. The staff knew I was into railroads, so they gave me the invitation. There was a Santa giving out presents and he gave me a wonderful B & O Blue 150th anniversary commemorative plate. I have a some other railroadiana, but this is my prized piece!

[Anonymous]

I have a few items from here and there. All acquired legally. Receipts to prove it...

LC

[Modelcar]

...Forgot one little item in my post farther up here...On our 1949 high school class trip to Washington, D C...on the Pennsylvania, I picked up the special menu in the diner and it had our school name on it along with THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD....The dinner was Creamed Chicken A La King, etc...and desert. I still have that menu and the Pennsylvania RR is long gone...Menu is like new yet. And now more valuable to me.

[Anonymous]

What is the definition of railroadiana? If it includes books, videos, signs, cap and lapel badges, then I qualify. I have been modelling SP for the past 25 years and whilst getting good stuff is sometimes difficult in my part of Australia, I am more than happy when friends and visitors appreciate my collection

Ed
Sunbury Vic Australia

[Anonymous]

I don't set out to collect,it just happens.Back in Glen Ellyn,IL my best friend and I used to go over to the CA&E yards in Wheaton.The railroad had ceased operations and the supt. let us have what we could carry.Carry we did,lanterns,whistles,etc.Too young to realize I should keep these items,I sold most of them! I still have the marker light from caboose #1004 marked ,H&BTMRR&CCo(Hundington&Broad Top Mountain RR&Coal CO),the other was BR(Burlington Route).This was the start.Still have the whistle from CB&Q #4992,C&NW steam engine class light.Moved to Colorado in '98 and had to leave many items behind,CA&E brakemans lantern&cast iron sign used on their crossing signals went to Relic in South Elgin, other items here and there.But it hasn't ended.I'm now the proud owner of a narrow gauge D&RGW boxcar #3223,was used on the RGS in ore train service until 1952,was in last train out of Rico CO,RGS Harp switchstand(acually bought in Marengo ILL),a stack of D&RGW switchstands bought from the UP and removed from Montrose CO yard.All kinds of switchstand lanterns which are on stands around my boxcar,they also are lit at night.All kinds of other "stuff" is around here.Honest,it just seems to happen!! My main mission is building my C&NW model rr.
Dennis Manwarren

[Anonymous]

I live in New Zealznd and enjoy anything rail. I have over 300 hours of videos many books and other metalic items plus all my model trainsets bought both here in N.Z and from USA

[Anonymous]

My Dad was a camera store owner in the late '40s. He took a B&W photo, "Frisco Freight" (steam locomotive 4513, in winter, in Webster Groves, MO) which I had framed and placed in the place of honor in the downstairs bathroom. Then came the metal signs, clock, framed map, etc. The bathroom reading includes a 1902 RR telegraphy manual, a 1904 Rock Island rules book, and a 1941 EMC SW-1 operations and maintenance manual (accompanied by SW-1 photos downloaded & printed from the net). There's absolutely no direction to this at all; I just add things I like as the mood strikes....

[Anonymous]

Yes I have a collection of B&O lanterns L&N lanterns A lantern from CUT in Cinn,also Southern and CNO&TP lanterns.Also crossing lights with working bell, and a steem engine from a engine circa 1905 in my collection. I guess I collect a little.

[Anonymous]

I said "No" to the poll as being a collector. I wasn't sure whether books, shirts, hats, etc really qualified as collecting. I do purchase books and things as I find ones I am interested in. My favorite is Southern Pacific. My husband likes things about B&O, C&O and N&W.

But having actual items from a railroad, I do not have things like lanterns, etc. Most of the things my family had when I was a child had been stolen or lost over time. My mother doesn't have anything left from my dad's time working for Southern Pacific.