Guide to the Mario J. Rinaldo Collection MS 919 MS 919
Library & Archives staff
California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives
2023-02-15
Contributing Institution:
California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives
Title: Mario J. Rinaldo Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 919
Physical Description:
3 Linear Feet
3 record cartons
Date (inclusive): 1929-1983
Abstract: This collection contains materials Mario Rinaldo collected during his career with the Southern Pacific Railroad as well as
his time timetables, passes and booklets from The Alaska Railroad pertaining to his experiences during World War II as part
of the 714th Battalion.
Physical Location: Statewide Museum Collections Center
Language of Material: English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research by appointment.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Ronald Rinaldo, 2013
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by type of material.
Biography
Mario James Rinaldo was born 11 March 1922 in Stockton, California to Italian immigrant parents, James and Maria (Crispan)
Rinaldo. His father passed away when he was young and his mother remarried a local restauranter, Joe Armand. His older brother,
Albert (26 Aug 1920 - 24 Dec 2015) also worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad. Rinaldo married Leila Prout (8 April 1921
- 23 Dec 2011), a Stockton, California school teacher and they had one son, Ronald Rinaldo.
Rinaldo had wanted to run trains since he was a small boy and as soon as he was legally able to, he went to work for the
Southern Pacific. His first job was in the roundhouse working on the cars and engines. At his first opportunity he applied
to be a Southern Pacific fireman. Rinaldo was a fireman for the Southern Pacific for about a year before World War II intervened.
Rinaldo was part of the 714th Operating Railway Battalion, after training at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, he was stationed,
first in Alaska and later in South Korea.
After the war, Rinaldo returned to Tracy, California, and was employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad. Eventually Rinaldo
became a fireman on the Southern Pacific Streamliner or '52', as it was numbered out of Tracy to the Southern Pacific Bay
Area terminal in Oakland, California. When Rinaldo finally retired, he had worked 42 injury free years for the Southern Pacific.
Mario J. Rinaldo passed away 11 June 1998 and is buried in Tracy, California.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Mario J. Rinaldo Collection, MS 919, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento,
California.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains papers relating to the Southern Pacific railroading career of Mario J. Rinaldo. In addition, there
are dispatch orders, souvenir greeting cards and timetables and rail passes from the 714th Operating Railway Battalion of
which Rinaldo was part of during World War II.
The "Time Return and Delay Reports" encompass the years in which Rinaldo worked. The collection contains his reports starting
in 1949 thru the end of his career 42 years later. These reports show the time he went on duty, unusual occurrences or delays,
time off duty and the number of miles claimed for his paycheck. In the days of steam locomotives, a day's pay was considered
as 100 miles. This was the normal run of a steam locomotive before any real service was needed. After the steam locomotives
were gone and diesel locomotives took over, the length of runs increased. In later years Rinaldo's runs from Fresno to Roseville
were 178 miles.
The metal box was used by Southern Pacific engineers and held Mr. Rinaldo's employee timetable and special instructions.
The outside "pocket" of the box provided easy access to the timetables and special orders. Inside the box there was a space
for Rinaldo's "Time Return and Delay Report" which was essentially a timecard as used by locomotive engine and train employees.
It is suspected that this metal box was a stock item available to train and engine crews to hold their paperwork. It was most
likely was an item made in the Southern Pacific shops.
Rinaldo's papers include books, pamphlets and papers documenting the rules the governed the safety of the railroad. The accident
reports included in this collection are the forms that the train engineers would fill out at the time of an accident, not
the formal reports that the railroad would publish after an investigation was completed.
At the time of his retirement, Rinaldo had worked 42 accident free years and was awarded a plaque celebrating this accomplishment.
Separated Materials
Separated from the collection (duplicated items already held by CSRM):
Southern Pacific Western-Coast Division Timetable No. 1, April 26, 1964
Southern Pacific San Joaquin Division Timetable No. 200, April 26, 1964
Southern Pacific San Joaquin Division Special Instructions No. 13, April 26, 1964
Transferred to MS 866, California State Railroad Museum Craft Seniority Roster Collection (photocopies of the pages with
Rinaldo's name shown have been added to the collection)
Official Seniority Roster, Southern Pacific Western Division, July 1942
Official Seniority Roster, Southern Pacific Western Division, September 1944
Official Seniority Roster, Southern Pacific Western Division, September 1949
Official Seniority Roster, Southern Pacific Western Division, September 1947
Official Seniority Roster, Southern Pacific Western Division, October 1950
Official Seniority Roster, Southern Pacific Western Division, October 1954
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright has been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. Permission for publication must be submitted in writing
to the CSRM Library amp;Archives.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Southern Pacific Railroad
Railroads--United States--Operations--Train Dispatching--Train Orders
box 1, folder 1
Accident Report: Ceres, California, March 11, 1954
box 1, folder 2
Accident Report: Chowchilla, California, November 12, 1963
box 1, folder 3
Accident Report: Livingston, California, June 22, 1964
box 1, folder 4
Accident Report: Lodi, California, June 28, 1965
box 1, folder 5
Accident Report: Lodi, California, November 23, 1968
box 1, folder 6
Accident Report: Merced, California, February 26, 1967
box 1, folder 7
Accident Report: Tracy, California, July 22, 1964
box 1, folder 8
The Alaska Railroad rules and regulations governing care and operation of airbrake and air signal apparatus, January 1, 1940
box 1, folder 9
The Alaska Railroad schedule of pay, rules and regulations, October 1, 1943
box 1, folder 10
The Alaska Railroad transportation rules and general instructions, 1943
box 1, folder 12
Biography: Alaska Railroad pass, 714th Railway Operating Battalion, 1943, 1944, 1949-1957
box 1, folder 13
Biography: Army of the United States, separation qualification record (photocopy)
box 1, folder 14
Biography: Memorandum to the personal record, Southern Pacific
box 1, folder 15
Biography: photo of Mario and Leila Rinaldo, 1993
box 1, folder 16
Book of rules examination, 1947
box 1, folder 17
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineer's magazine, June 1949
box 1, folder 18
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers: engineers and firemen's rate chart, January 1, 1974
box 1, folder 19
Car tonnage profile and train handling instructions, February 1, 1975
box 1, folder 20
Charts of the pneumatic equipment of the Union Switch and Signal Co.'s automatic train control systems, 1929
box 1, folder 21
Compilation of California State Railroad laws and regulations, March 1978
box 1, folder 22
Correspondence: The Samuel DeLeon Lawsuit, April 23, 1963
box 1, folder 23
Correspondence: William Biddick, Jr., June 16, 1959
box 1, folder 24
Correspondence: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, discipline record, removal of demerits, June 28, 1955
box 1, folder 25
Correspondence: Electro-Motive Division, request for instruction manuals, May 9, 1949
box 1, folder 26
Correspondence: N.W. Gwinnup, 1956 - 1959
box 1, folder 27
Correspondence: Harley R. Lee, railroad stories, April 4, 1996
box 1, folder 28
Correspondence: A.S. McCann, memos concerning pay adjustment claims, 1957 - 1960
box 1, folder 29
Correspondence: C.M. Trimmer, Alco Products, January 18, 1958
box 1, folder 30
Emergency book on the Baker Locomotive Valve Gear, July 1942
box 3
Engineer's metal paperwork box
box 1, folder 31
Examination on Rules and Regulations of the Transportation Department for train dispatchers, conductors and engineers
box 1, folder 32
First, second and final years examination for firemen and engineers, by W.P. James Co.
box 1, folder 33
Forms: cash fare collections and ticket sales, C.S. 3618
box 1, folder 34
Forms: Conductor's report of troops, National Guard or C.C.C. personnel carried, C.S. 3749, November 8, 1943
box 1, folder 35
Forms: Correction account on waybills for Petaluma and Santa Rosa, California, 1936 - 1937
box 1, folder 36
Forms: Defective equipment, S-2809, May 20, 1944
box 1, folder 37
Forms: Uniform stock contract, S-6559, July 10, 1936
box 1, folder 38
Fuel consumption from an operating viewpoint, 1980
box 1, folder 39
Highlights from Yank, The Army Weekly, 1953
Material Specific Details: "The Alaska Railroad, Mario Rinaldo and a moose." Page 174-174, book in fragile condition
box 1, folder 40
Publications: SP Trainline: "Tracy, a true railroad town" by David J. Welch, Spring 1997
box 1, folder 41
Questions for engineers and firemen on diesel locomotive operation, August 8, 1947
box 1, folder 42
Railroad Retirement Board Certificate of service months and wages (RESTRICTED Contact CSRM L&A for public copy), 1941, 1946-1979
box 1, folder 43
Railroad retirement and survivor benefits, April 1977
box 1, folder 44
Souvenir cards: "Greetings from the Northland, 714th Railway Operating Battalion", 1944
box 1, folder 45
Southern Pacific: 1970 Family Safety suggestion contest
box 1, folder 46
Southern Pacific: Application for vacancy, Oakland, California, 1958 - 1960
box 1, folder 47
Southern Pacific: Earnings and deduction statement, 1948 - 1953
box 1, folder 48
Southern Pacific: Questions for examination for promotion to locomotive engineer
box 1, folder 49
Southern Pacific: Rules and information for the handling of oil burning locomotives No. 19130 (2 copies), June 1, 1928
box 1, folder 50
Southern Pacific: Re-issue of circulars special notices, San Joaquin Division, 1960
box 1, folder 51
Southern Pacific: Re-issue of special notices, Sacramento Division, 1973
box 1, folder 52
Southern Pacific: Safety rules, February 15, 1949
box 1, folder 53
Southern Pacific: Statement of employee's earnings and deductions (RESTRICTED Contact CSRM L&A for public copy), 1946 - 1948
box 1, folder 54
Southern Pacific: Statement of earnings and deductions- punch cards, 1950 - 1954
box 1, folder 55
Southern Pacific; Study guide for rules recertification program No. 1 (C.S. 2280-R)
box 1, folder 56
Time book, E.L. Miston/Minton (with Southern Pacific Stockton Division seniority list for conductors, brakemen, engineers,
hostlers, yardmen), 1937
box 1, folder 57-66
Time book, Mario Rinaldo, 1942, 1946-1982
box 1, folder 67
Time correction notice, 1959
box 2, folder 1-17
Southern Pacific Time Return and Delay Report of Engine and Train employees, 1949, 1951-1966
box 3, folder 1-16
Southern Pacific Time Return and Delay Report of Engine and Train employees, 1967 - 1981
box 3, folder 17
Southern Pacific: Train inspection booklet, 1974
box 3, Folder 39
Southern Pacific Transportation Retirement Award in Recognition of 42 years of injury-free service
box 3, folder 18
Southern Pacific: Western Division seniority lists (photocopy), 1942, 1944, 1947, 1950, 1954
box 3, folder 19
Southern Pacific: Rinaldo handwritten notes concerning pay, 1952 - 1960
1952-1960
box 3, folder 20
Southern Pacific: Rules and regulations of the transportation department, January 1, 1969
box 3, folder 21
Southern Pacific: Special notice, No. 806, Sample of telegraphic report of accident, July 8, 1942
box 3, folder 24
Standard daily, hourly and mileage rates of pay, January 1, 1981
box 3, folder 25
Technical manual: War department, transportation rules Military Railway service, TM 55-265, May 25, 1943
box 3, folder 26
Time tables: The Alaska Railroad Special Instructions No. 2, September 26, 1943
box 3, folder 27
Time tables: The Alaska Railroad, No. 41, July 4, 1943
box 3, folder 28
Time tables: The Alaska Railroad Special Instructions No. 1, June 11, 1939
box 3, folder 29
Time tables: The Alaska Railroad; Mt. McKinley Park Route, June 11, 1940
box 3, folder 30
Time tables bulletins: Sacramento Division, 1979 - 1980
box 3, folder 31
Time tables: Claiborne-Polk Military Railroad, No. 2, January 17, 1943
box 3, folder 32
Train orders: Form 19, Military Railway Service, US Army, Camp Claiborne, 1943
box 3, folder 33
Train orders: C.S. 2600, Southern Pacific: Antelope, Fresno, Merced, Modesto, Stockton, 1958 - 1970
box 3, folder 34
War Department Manual Transportation Rules Military Railway Service, TM5-415, 1942
box 3, folder 35
Westinghouse A-1 Engine Equipment- Model of Triple Valve, Model of G-6 Automatic Brake Valve
box 3, folder 36
Westinghouse Air Brake Co.; Instruction Pamphlet No, 5036; Single stage steam drive air compressors, April 1942
box 3, folder 37
Westinghouse Air Brake Division The "AB" Freight Brake Equipment instruction pamphlet
box 3, folder 38
Worthington Locomotive Feedwater Heating Equipment General Instructions for operation and maintenance W-220-EID
