The only thing I know about this photo is that is was found on ground at the Columbus, NJ flea market. None of the nearby vendors knew anything about it.



To me, this looks like a wreck, with the roof of a passenger car facing the photographer. Any ideas about where and when this was taken?

-Mark

The roof doesn't look like a coach, more like an express or milk car. I know, not much to go on.

somebody may be able to identify the building to the right, looks like possibly a grade crossing accident, the roadbed has been cleared to open it up for operation.

You would have to hit the local library newpaper archives as these usual are newsworthy and even maybe pics of it in the paper on Microfiche.

The style of hats should help clue you the year.

I agree with Mr. Storzak on it being an express car. Not only is the length about right, but a milk can is on top of the wreckage, near the men. Not conclusive, but a good clue.
Hats say late 30's to mid-40's in my mind. Automatic gates, I think.

The "roof" in the background might not be a roof. One end is curved and might be a quanset hut style frame canvas covered building.

It does look like a wreck, but there isn't much wood. It could be a scrapping site. Sometimes trolleys and other cars were burned to recover iron for scrap. However, I doubt they would burn a car so close to other structures.

Does the photo say anything on the back?

Brian Hebert

I'm pretty certain this is a wreck. On the left is a passenger or express truck turned up under the broken base or a wooden car. I would be skeptical of a scrap yard so near a main road in the back right side. My guess is a pretty violent derailment. The roof of the overturned car is partly split, the canvas is torn.
Just a side observation, would you look at the muscles in the forearms of the man attending the scene? Holy cow!

-People and hoses along the track.
-Debris right up to the rails.
-The fact that someone even bothered to take a photo.
Yep, clearly not a scrap yard. Nothing in the photo suggests that to me at all.

NYC Milk car??

I think you've nailed the car design, if not the owning railroad. Well done!

No use crying over spilt milk :p


Interesting photo, how long did freight equipment have canvas roofs? What I'm wondering is when were they phased out?

Is that a steam locomotive brake shoe near the bottom left corner?

EDM, I wondered the same.

I wondered the same thing.

The air reservoir next to the brake shoe doesn't look like wreck damage -- no pipes connected to it, looks like it was deliberately removed from something.

The only thing on the back of the photo might be a rubber stamped digit "1".

The photo paper is about 4 1/2 inches wide and 2 3/4 inches high. Does anyone know when this was a popular size?

I zoomed in on the crossing lights. The light visors seem longer then most I've seen. Are they distinctive?

-Mark

It's probably a contact print from a 116 or 616 negative--- quite popular in the 20s to 50s. Quite a few "name" rail photographers shot that size (Robert F. Collins of New Jersey for one). The crossing flashers look to be 30-40s vintage. And that roof shouted "NYC milk car" to me also. Perhaps a Harlem Division wreck?

Howard P.