Railway & Locomotive Historical Society Broadside Collection, 1826-1968, bulk 1826-1927

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Summary

Title:: Railway & Locomotive Historical Society broadsides collection
Dates:: 1826-1968, bulk 1826-1927
Abstract:: The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society's Broadside collection contains hundreds of broadside posters from dozens of different railroads and excursion companies primarily from the east coast. Companies prominent in this collection include Boston and Albany, Boston and Lowell, Boston and Maine, Boston and Worcester, Connecticut River, Concord and Montreal, New York, New Haven and Hartford, Old Colony, and Union Pacific. The dates covered in the collection range from 1826 to 1967, with a majority falling between the 1840s and the 1930s. Subjects covered by the broadsides include excursion advertisements for fairs, musical, theatrical and religious events, employee and public timetables, and announcements of schedule changes.
Extent:: 13.93 Linear Feet 19 boxes; 2 map case drawers
Language:: English .
Preferred citation:: [Identification of Item] Railway & Locomotive Historical Society Broadsides Collection, MS 909, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society's Broadside Collection contains hundreds of broadsides from dozens of railroads including the Boston and Maine, Boston and Worcester, the Connecticut River, the Boston, Concord and Montreal, New York, New Haven and Hartford, and Old Colony. The dates in the collection range from 1826 to 1967, with a majority falling between the 1840s and the 1930s. Subjects covered by the broadsides include excursions, advertisements for fairs, musical, theatrical and religious events, employee and public timetables, and announcements of schedule changes.

Biographical / historical:

The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society was founded in 1921 by Charles Fisher, Arthur Curran, Warren Jacobs, and Roy Carlson. In 1925, the aforementioned men, along with Albert Lumis and Carlton Philips, incorporated the society. It began as a regional organization centered mainly around the northeast but has steadily grown into a global entity with ten local/regional chapters, all of which are in the United States.

The New York chapter was the first to be established in 1934, and the latest chapter (The Steel City Chapter in McKeesport, PA) was added in 2017. Originally, prospective members had to submit a monograph on a railroad-related topic, as well as two photographs of locomotives. However, now only a ten-dollar yearly fee is required. Membership has steadily grown since its founding from 52 members in 1922, to 2,284 currently around the world. Members primarily consist of rail enthusiasts, as well as archivists, librarians, authors, and former railroad employees.

The purpose of the society is preserving and studying all facets of both railroad history and technology. It is the oldest organization in North America dedicated to this cause. In addition to archiving materials such as photographs, corporate papers, and other rail ephemera, the local chapters may engage in the preservation and restoration of locomotives. However, each chapter may emphasize a different aspect than the others. Additionally, most chapters publish a local newsletter/bulletin separate from the national organization's publications. The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society established their first archive at Harvard Business School in 1927. In 1983 a new archive was built as a part of the California State Railroad Museum. It was also the Pacific Coast Chapter's collection which formed the initial foundation of the California State Railroad Museum.

The 2024 leadership is as follows: The president is Robert Holzweiss, treasurer is Paul Gibson, and John Atherton serves as the secretary.

Acquisition information:

On loan from the Railway Locomotive Historical Society.

Arrangement:

Broadsides in the collection are arranged into two series:

Series 1. Timetables

Series 2. Subjects

Physical location:

Statewide Museum Collections Center

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Timetables
Fairs
Broadsides

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:: Library Archives Staff
Date Encoded:: This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-12-01 23:13:46 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:: Collection is open for research by appointment. Contact Library Staff.
Terms of 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 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.

Preferred citation:: [Identification of Item] Railway & Locomotive Historical Society Broadsides Collection, MS 909, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.

Location of this collection:: California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives

111 I Street

Sacramento, CA 95814, US