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MC 00374 Guide to the Edwin Shearin Railroad Memorabilia Collection, 1931-1981

This collection is divided into 5 series:
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Passenger Train Pamphlets
0.25 Linear feet (28 folders)
Containing pamphlets for passenger and freight trains, this series covers named trains throughout the United States. Included in this series is information on the Broadway Limited, California Zephyr, and a pamphlet distributed by General Motors for its diesel freight line. This series also includes information about Santa Fe's Chiefs and Super Chiefs.
[Box 1, Folder 1] Alton Route, undated
[Box 1, Folder 2] Broadway Limited, undated
[Box 1, Folder 3] California Zephyr, undated
[Box 1, Folder 4] The Century, undated
[Box 1, Folder 5] The Challengers, undated
[Box 1, Folder 6] Cincinnati Limited, undated
[Box 1, Folder 7] City of Los Angeles, undated
[Box 1, Folder 8] City of Portland, undated
[Box 1, Folder 9] City of San Francisco, undated
[Box 1, Folder 10] The Crescent, undated
[Box 1, Folder 11] Denver Zephyr, undated
[Box 1, Folder 12] El Capitan, undated
[Box 1, Folder 13] Empire Builder, undated
[Box 1, Folder 14] GM Diesel Freight Power, undated
[Box 1, Folder 15] Liberty Limited, undated
[Box 1, Folder 16] Milwaukee Roads Super Dome Cars, undated
[Box 1, Folder 17] North Coast Limited, undated
[Box 1, Folder 18] Olympian Hiawatha, undated
[Box 1, Folder 19] The Pittsburgher, undated
[Box 1, Folder 20] Powhatan Arrow, undated
[Box 1, Folder 21] Powhatan Arrow and Pocahontas, undated
[Box 1, Folder 22] Rio Grande Main Line, undated
[Box 1, Folder 23] Rocky Mountain Rocket, undated
[Box 1, Folder 24] Santa Fe Super Chief and Chief, undated
[Box 1, Folder 25] Southern Belle, undated
[Box 1, Folder 26] Spirit of St. Louis, undated
[Box 1, Folder 27] Twin Zephyrs, undated
[Box 1, Folder 28] Wabash Blue Bird, undated
Small Timetables, 1948 July 11 - 1981 Jan. 31
0.5 Linear feet (63 folders)
This series contains small timetables for the various railroad companies. These passenger timetables provide information concerning the many stops on a rail line. This series contains information from Amtrak, Union Pacific, Rock Island and many smaller rail companies.
[Box 1, Folder 29] Amtrak, 1971 July 12
[Box 1, Folder 30] Amtrak, 1976 June 15
[Box 1, Folder 31] Amtrak, 1980 Oct. 26 - 1981 Jan. 31
[Box 1, Folder 32] Atlantic Coast Railroad, 1949 Dec. 16
[Box 1, Folder 33] Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, 1954 Jan. 10
[Box 1, Folder 34] Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, 1953 Apr. 27
[Box 1, Folder 35] Boston and Maine Railroad, 1956 July 8
[Box 1, Folder 36] Burlington Route, 1952 May - 1952 Sept.
[Box 1, Folder 37] California Zephyr, 1962 June 1
[Box 1, Folder 38] Canadian Pacific, 1949 Oct. 30
[Box 1, Folder 39] Central of Georgia, 1953 Apr. 26
[Box 1, Folder 40] Central Vermont Railway, 1955 Apr. 24
[Box 1, Folder 41] Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, 1954 Sept. 26
[Box 1, Folder 42] Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad, 1951 Aug. 26
[Box 1, Folder 43] The Clinchfield Route, 1951 Mar. 4
[Box 1, Folder 44] Cotton Belt Route, 1951 Feb. 1
[Box 1, Folder 45] Erie Railroad, 1953 June 14
[Box 1, Folder 46] Florida Coast Railway, 1952 Sept. 28
[Box 1, Folder 47] Frisco, 1953 Dec.
[Box 1, Folder 48] Georgia Railroad, 1952 May 15
[Box 1, Folder 49] Grand Trunk Railway System, 1952 Nov. 30
[Box 1, Folder 50] Great Northern Railway, 1966 Oct. 29
[Box 1, Folder 51] Gulf Mobile & Ohio, 1950 - 1951
[Box 1, Folder 52] Illinois Central, 1966 Apr. 24
[Box 1, Folder 53] Illinois Terminal Railroad Company, 1950 Sept. 24
[Box 1, Folder 54] Jersey Central Lines, 1951 Apr. 29
[Box 1, Folder 55] Kansas City Southern Lines, 1951 July 1
[Box 1, Folder 56] Lackawanna Railroad, 1960 July 5
[Box 1, Folder 57] Leigh Valley Railroad, 1951 Sept. 30
[Box 1, Folder 58] Long Island Railroad, 1951 Sept. 9
[Box 1, Folder 59] Louisville and Nashville Railroad, 1951 Sept. 30
[Box 1, Folder 60] Maine Central Railroad, 1954 Oct. 31
[Box 2, Folder 1] The Milwaukee Road, 1954 Jan. 24
[Box 2, Folder 2] Missouri-Kansas-Texas Katy Railroad, 1950 Oct. 1
[Box 2, Folder 3] Missouri Pacific Lines, 1950 May 21
[Box 2, Folder 4] Monon, 1951 Apr. 29
[Box 2, Folder 5] Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway, 1951 July 1
[Box 2, Folder 6] New Haven Railroad, 1955 Apr. 24
[Box 2, Folder 7] New York Central, 1956 July 15
[Box 2, Folder 8] Nickel Plate Railroad, 1951 July 8
[Box 2, Folder 9] Norfolk and Western Railway, 1948 July 11
[Box 2, Folder 10] Northern Pacific, 1953
[Box 2, Folder 11] Northwestern, 1952 Jan. 15
[Box 2, Folder 12] Pennsylvania Railroad, 1956 Dec. 14
[Box 2, Folder 13] Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, 1953 June 28
[Box 2, Folder 14] Piedmont and Northern Railway Company, 1949 Oct. 16
[Box 2, Folder 15] Reading Railroad, 1953 Apr. 26
[Box 2, Folder 16] Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad, 1955 Dec. 15
[Box 2, Folder 17] Rio Grande, 1955 Apr. 24
[Box 2, Folder 18] Rock Island, 1952 Oct.
[Box 2, Folder 19] Rutland Railway, 1953 Apr. 26
[Box 2, Folder 20] Santa Fe, 1954 Apr. 25
[Box 2, Folder 21] Santa Fe, 1966
[Box 2, Folder 22] Seaboard Railroad, 1956 Apr. 29
[Box 2, Folder 23] Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, 1970 Dec. 11
[Box 2, Folder 24] Soo Line, 1962 June 29
[Box 2, Folder 25] Southern Pacific, 1951 July 8
[Box 2, Folder 26] Southern Railway System, 1956 Aug. 10
[Box 2, Folder 27] Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway, 1950 Sept. 17
[Box 2, Folder 28] Texas and Pacific Railway, 1951 Apr. 29
[Box 2, Folder 29] Union Pacific, 1966 Apr. 24
[Box 2, Folder 30] Virginian Railway, 1949 Aug. 14
[Box 2, Folder 31] Wabash, 1951 Apr. 29
[Box 2, Folder 32] Western Maryland, 1951 Jan. 8
United States Railroad Industry Information
0.25 Linear feet (6 folders)
This series contains periodicals about America's rail industry. It covers information about the history of the rail industry and named passenger cars. This series also contains two quizzes concerning America's Railroads.
[Box 2, Folder 33] American Railroads: Their Growth and Development, undated
[Box 2, Folder 34] Named Passenger Cars, undated
[Box 2, Folder 35] Quiz on Railroads and Railroading [1 of 2], undated
[Box 2, Folder 36] Quiz on Railroads and Railroading [2 of 2], undated
[Box 2, Folder 37] The Railroad Story, undated
[Box 2, Folder 38] Railroads at Work, undated
Large Timetables, 1931 Aug. - 1950 Oct.
1.0 Linear feet (2 volumes)
This series contains two volumes that are timetables for rail travel throughout the United States and Canada. These volumes provide all the information from the smaller timetables, but from the many rail companies. Only covering one month each, these large timetables serve as the official standards for rail travel.
[Box 3, Folder 1] The Official Guide Standard Time of the Railways, 1931 Aug.
[Box 3, Folder 2] The Official Guide Standard Time of the Railways, 1950 Oct.
Photographs, Postcards, and Printed Illustrations, 1949-1950, undated
(13 folders)
The materials in series 5 may have been removed from a scrapbook or album. This series includes photographs, cards and postcards, and printed material depicting locomotives produced by General Motors, locomotives and railcars used by several railroad companies from around the country, and assorted railroad postcards and trading-card calendars.
[Box 4, Folder 1] General Motors Locomotives, Cards, undated
[Box 4, Folder 2] Baltimore & Ohio Locomotive, Reprint, undated
[Box 4, Folder 3] Boston and Maine Locomotives, undated
[Box 4, Folder 4] Jersey Central Lines Locomotive, undated
[Box 4, Folder 5] Long Island Rail Road Locomotive and Railcars, undated
[Box 4, Folder 6] Maine Central Railroad Locomotives, undated
[Box 4, Folder 7] Norfolk and Western Locomotives, Cards, undated
[Box 4, Folder 8] Portland Terminal Company Locomotives, undated
[Box 4, Folder 9] Reading Locomotive, undated
[Box 4, Folder 10] Virginian Locomotives, undated
[Box 4, Folder 11] Western Pacific Railroad Company Locomotives, undated
[Box 4, Folder 12] Postcards, assorted, 1949-1950, undated
[Box 4, Folder 13] Trading Cards (Pocket Calendars), 1951, 1953, undated

Creator

Shearin, Edwin

Quantity

2.0 Linear feet

General Physical Description note

3 boxes

Location

For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff external link.

Language

English

Acquisitions Information

Gift of Edwin Shearin, March 17, 2005

Processing

Processed by: Jason Smith;machine-readable finding aid created by: Jason Smith; updated by: Kelly Clark Policelli, March 2009

Scope and Content Note

This collection is divided into five series. The first series contains publicity pamphlets distributed by various railroad companies marketing their freight and passenger train lines. The second series contains small time tables given to passengers from various railroad companies for their passenger trains. The third series contains miscellaneous information about the United States' railroad industry, and the fourth series contains two volumes of national timetables for all train travel in the United States and Canada. The fifth series contains photographs, cards and postcards, and printed material depicting locomotives and railcars used by railroad companies around the country. The contents of series five may have originally been mounted in an album.

Historical Note

Amassed through a life of collecting, the Edwin Shearin Railroad Memorabilia Collection covers 50 years of railroading in America. With the help of friends and family, Edwin Shearin compilied the various pieces of railroad memorabilia held within this collection.

The latter half of the twentieth century was a turbulent time for much of the United States railroads. With an increase in automobile and airplane traffic, America's railroad industry saw a marked decrease in rail traffic. Icons of the era like the California Zephyr and Twentieth Century Limited would complete their final runs. This era of railroading was captured in the song "City of New Orleans," penned by Steve Goodman and made famous by folk singer Arlo Guthrie in 1972. Rail traffic, which was at its height during the Second World War, declined sharply over the next 40 years. In 1959, the Interstate Commerce Commission approved the merger of Virginian Railway and Norfolk & Western. This merger ushered in the modern railroad mergers and consolidations. In 1968, the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with New York Central to create Penn Central, which would declare for Chapter 7 bankruptcy two years later on June 21, 1970. This era was punctuated in 1971, when President Richard Nixon along with Congress created Amtrak, via the Rail Passenger Service Act.

Controlled Terms

  1. Amtrak.
  2. Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Company.
  3. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company.
  4. Bangor and Aroostook Railroad Company.
  5. Boston and Maine Railroad.
  6. Broadway Limited (Express train).
  7. California Zephyr (Express train).
  8. Canadian Pacific Railway Company.
  9. Central Railroad of New Jersey.
  10. Central Vermont Railway Co.
  11. Central of Georgia Railway.
  12. Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company.
  13. Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Company.
  14. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company.
  15. Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad Company.
  16. Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad Company (1948- ).
  17. Erie Railroad Company.
  18. Florida East Coast Railway.
  19. Georgia Railroad.
  20. Great Northern Railway Company. (U.S.)
  21. Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad Company.
  22. Illinois Central Railroad Company.
  23. Illinois Terminal Railroad Company.
  24. Kansas City Southern Railway.
  25. Leigh Valley Railroad Company.
  26. Long Island Railroad Company.
  27. Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company.
  28. Maine Central Railroad Company.
  29. Missouri Pacific Railroad Company.
  30. Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company.
  31. Monon (Railroad).
  32. Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railway.
  33. New York Central Railroad Company.
  34. New York and New Haven Railroad Company.
  35. New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad.
  36. Norfolk and Western Railway Company.
  37. North-Western Railroad Company.
  38. Northern Pacific Railroad Company.
  39. Pamphlets
  40. Pennsylvania Railroad.
  41. Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines.
  42. Photographs
  43. Piedmont and Northern Railway Company.
  44. Postcards
  45. Railroads--Collectibles
  46. Railroads--North America
  47. Reading Company.
  48. Rio Grande Railroad Company.
  49. Rutland Railway Corporation.
  50. Seaboard Air Line Railway Company.
  51. Soo Line Corporation.
  52. Southern Pacific Railroad Company.
  53. Southern Railway (U.S.)
  54. Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway.
  55. St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company.
  56. Texas & Pacific Railway.
  57. Timetables
  58. Union Pacific Railroad Company.
  59. Virginian Railway.
  60. Wabash Railroad.
  61. Western Maryland Railroad Company.

Access to Collection

This collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice.

For more information contact us via mail, phone, fax, or our web form.

Mail

Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111

Telephone

(919) 515-2273

Fax

(919) 513-1787

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Edwin Shearin Railroad Collection, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Access to Collection

The nature of the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NCSU Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.