I have a fairly nice collection of old RR images. Most of these are Real Photo Postcards, and mostly from the Northern Plains. I also have some images that are even older than postcards (i.e. before 1905,) and not from my region. One of these is a Carte de Viste, a photo contact printed onto heavy card stock, popular from 1860s until about 1900. I'm pretty sure it was made with wet plate process, so that places it before ~1880. Also sure it was made with a rapid rectilinear lens, popular with professionals between 1865 and ~1895. The sepia tone is original. Now for the scene. It's a Louisville & Nashville Railroad work train with a tie gang. The couplers are the link/pin type, placing this shot before 1893, maybe before the early 1880s??? There are oil pots on the engines running gear. There is wood in the tender. I think this is either a scene where the L&N is out repairing damage from just after the Civil War, or building new track, and I think it dates from between 1865 and 1880. The loco is an older one, possibly Civil War vintage. It's small, has some nice frilly trim, big headlight, and the trucks on the tender look like the ones I've seen in Civil War photos. Can anyone help date this any closer? MIght not be possible since the 4-4-0 locos were used for many decades. The lens used pegs it to no earlier than 1865-ish, and link pins went away in 1893. Interesting detail is the number of workers in the photo. The ones toward the rear of the train are Black. This might be the oldest RR photo I have. Also have a Missouri Pacific RR 4-4-0 on a glass Magic Lantern slide that is very early.
Kent in SD
