The San Juan and LIFE Magazine
| February 22, 2011 12:03AM |
The link below to a LIFE Magazine picture archive site only came to my attention after the 60th anniversary of the last run of the D&RGW’s San Juan passenger train on January 31st.
I remember having seen 2 or 3 of these pictures before but never this whole set! I got this link 3rd hand - thanks to Neal Reich and Jerry McKenzie.
Notice that all of the pictures are labeled as having been taken on April 5, 1950. I kind of doubt that they were all taken on that one date for a couple of reasons. Maybe it’s simply that they were filed with the magazine on that date. Notice too that there are a few duplications contained in the 17 pages of photos. They are all copyrighted to TIME Inc. Was the photographer (Wallace Kirkland) employed by LIFE or working freelance?
I found this series of photographs fascinating mostly because it is such an interesting study of the people – the railroaders, the passengers and even the bystanders! (And who in the heck are those other railfan photographers appearing in a couple of the pictures? (Pg. 4, # 8) Can anybody indentify them?)
These pictures may already have been published on this Forum. Nevertheless, I thought it might be interesting to review them in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the San Juan’s demise. Enjoy…
Larry Spencer
[images.google.com]
I remember having seen 2 or 3 of these pictures before but never this whole set! I got this link 3rd hand - thanks to Neal Reich and Jerry McKenzie.
Notice that all of the pictures are labeled as having been taken on April 5, 1950. I kind of doubt that they were all taken on that one date for a couple of reasons. Maybe it’s simply that they were filed with the magazine on that date. Notice too that there are a few duplications contained in the 17 pages of photos. They are all copyrighted to TIME Inc. Was the photographer (Wallace Kirkland) employed by LIFE or working freelance?
I found this series of photographs fascinating mostly because it is such an interesting study of the people – the railroaders, the passengers and even the bystanders! (And who in the heck are those other railfan photographers appearing in a couple of the pictures? (Pg. 4, # 8) Can anybody indentify them?)
These pictures may already have been published on this Forum. Nevertheless, I thought it might be interesting to review them in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the San Juan’s demise. Enjoy…
Larry Spencer
[images.google.com]
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.