Jack Russell Wagner collection
Finding aid created by California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives staff using RecordEXPRESS
California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives
2020
111 I Street
Sacramento, California 95814
(916) 323-8073
Library.CSRM@parks.ca.gov
http://csrmf.org/visit/library
Title: Jack Russell Wagner collection
Dates: 1945-1980
Collection Number: MS 27
Creator/Collector:
Wagner, Jack Russell, 1916-1988
Extent: 7 boxes + 1 oversize box
Repository:
California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives
Sacramento, California 95814
Abstract: The Jack R. Wagner Collection consists largely of manuscripts, letters, notes and ephemera pertaining to his publications
and interest in railroad history.
Language of Material: English
This collection is open for research at our off-site storage facility with one week's notice. Contact Library & Archives
staff to arrange for access.
Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of
the CSRM as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which
must also be obtained by the reader.
Jack Russell Wagner collection. California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives
Gift of Jack Russell Wagner, 1988.
Biography/Administrative History
A native of California, John ("Jack") Russell Wagner began his career as a radio engineer in 1937, and served as a civilian
with the Army's Signal Corps and Air Corps during World War II. It was in this latter service that he became associated with
the Manhattan Project. After the war he returned to the radio business in Northern California, working in that field until
1981 when he retired as Director of Broadcast Operations for San Francisco station KCBS. Mr. Wagner traveled widely and wrote
articles on western topics for such publications as WESTWAYS, TRUE RAILROAD MAGAZINE, AMERICAN FORESTS and WESTERN MINING
JOURNAL. In addition he wrote three books, SHORT LINE JUNCTION (1956), GOLD MINES OF CALIFORNIA (1970) and THE LAST WHISTLE
[OCEAN SHORE RAILROAD] (1974). Mr. Wagner died in October, 1988 at the age of 72.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Jack R. Wagner Collection consists largely of manuscripts, letters, notes and ephemera pertaining to his publications
and interest in railroad history. Also contained is some material relating to his world travels, as well as some ephemera.
This collection is arranged into five series:
1 PUBLICATIONS
2 RAILROAD RESEARCH
3 FOREIGN RAILROADS
4 MISCELLANY
5 PUBLISHED MATERIALS