Guide to the Joseph "Joe" Cernak Negative Collection MS 933
California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives
2023
Contributing Institution:
California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives
Title: Joseph "Joe" Cernak Negative collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 933
Physical Description:
14.28 Linear Feet
34 shoe-boxes
Date (inclusive): 1845-1997
Abstract: The Joseph "Joe" Cernak collection contains photograph negatives from a variety of both national and international railroads.
These negatives depict steam, diesel, electric, and gas-electric locomotives in addition to various rolling stock and scenes
pertaining to railroads. These negatives were collected by Joseph Cernak from various institutions and other collectors.
Physical Location: Statewide Museum Collections Center: I2.208.C8-C10, I2.208.D8
Language of Material:
English
.
Collection is open to research by appointment. Contact Library Staff.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society.
Arranged alphabetically by railroad and then numerically by locomotive number.
Collection is organized alphabetically by railroad and then numerically by locomotive number.
Joseph "Joe" Cernak was a locomotive engineer, fireman, and longtime railfan. He was born on July 5th, 1928, in Rockyford,
Alberta, Canada to John and Mary Cernak. He was the second of four sons, with older brother Andrew and younger brother Steve.
He began working for Canada National Railway in 1947, serving as a locomotive engineer until his retirement in 1993. In 1975,
he married Beverley Cernak neé Taylor, with whom he had no children. Cernak was a member of the Rocky Mountain Rail Society,
where he served as president in 1962. During his membership, he helped to fundraise the restoration and maintenance of the
Canada National steam locomotive number 6060. He was also a member of the Canada National Railway Retirees Association and
numerous other organizations. On August 4th, 2016, Cernak passed away.
[Identification of item], Joseph "Joe" Cernak collection, MS 933, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento,
California.
The Joseph "Joe" Cernak Collection contains negatives of locomotives, trains, various rolling stock, stations and railroad
scenery across the United States and Canada from 1845 to 1997. The majority of the photos cover the eastern United States
and Canada, with some taken in the west. This collection contains negatives taken by various photographers, including, A.
A. Christenson.
The negatives are in good condition and come in various sizes, from 16 mm to 3x5 negatives. The negatives are kept in envelopes
which detail the corporate name, locomotive number, wheel arrangement of the locomotive, date of the photograph, and the name
of the photographer. The negatives are sorted alphabetically by railroad and then by the locomotive number.
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 CSRM Library & Archives. 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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photography of railroads
Railroads--United States--Photography
Central Pacific Railroad Company
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company
Chicago and North Western Railway Company