It is with sincere regret that this Baltimore rail historian reports the news of the passing Friday of Charles T. Mahan, without a doubt one of the eminent historians of what has often been called "America's quintessential short line," the Maryland & Pennsylvania. He was 88, and had been in steadily declining health for several years.
George Hilton may have penned the "must-have" book, and folks like David P. Morgan and Lucius Beebe may have brought the line to prominence with articles and words, but Charlie, as his friends knew him, was the ultimate chronicler of the line in photography. Other Baltimore photographers, such as George Nixon, Calvin Lloyd, and Warren Olt, also photographed the line, but Mahan outdid them. As reminisced by Rudy Fischer, archivist historian for the Ma & Pa Historical Society (one of two societies dedicated to the railroad, the other being the Ma & Pa Preservation Society):
Quote:
While still just a teenager around 1940, many Ma & Pa fans are aware of how Charlie Mahan had started to diligently photograph and document the steam engines (& a bit later diesels), rolling stock, and trains out on the line of the real or vintage Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad.
But here is something that has always especially amazed me about Charlie.
Well after the Maryland Division south of Whiteford had been abandoned in 1958, and then the rest of the railroad was taken up south of York in the mid-1980's, Charlie's interest to continue to document the Ma & Pa never diminished in the least!
After 1958 until well into the 2000's, each time the M&P's diesels or rolling stock received a new or different paint scheme (& no matter how small the change) Charlie always made it a point to travel to York and capture all sides of that locomotive or car with color slides.
Also in the mid to late-1970's when Emons started to built and re-built 50 ft. steel boxcars to be interchanged with other railroads, and also applied the "Famous Ma & Pa" logo and MPA number to those cars, again Charlie made it his mission to document as many of those individual boxcars as possible on film.
And just as he had done with all of the Ma & Pa's pre-1958 rolling stock, Charlie also made long multi-page lists that contained a great deal of highly detailed information on each of those Emons/M&PA boxcars that he had taken a photograph.
For anyone who had the distinct privilege of meeting Charlie Mahan, and possibly getting to know him better and also call him a friend, all will surely agree without a doubt that Charlie was always kind, generous, and totally sharing with his great knowledge and vast collection of vintage photographs and other Ma & Pa related materials. And Charlie Mahan (who at times I have lovingly referred to as "Mr. Ma & Pa") was truly every Ma & Pa fan's best friend!
Going back to when he was just a teenager, for roughly the last 75 years no one has been more dedicated to diligently documenting and studying the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad (& including its pre-Ma & Pa narrow gauge era) then Charlie Mahan!
For as long as anyone remembers the Ma & Pa, Charlie Mahan will also be equally remembered!
But here is something that has always especially amazed me about Charlie.
Well after the Maryland Division south of Whiteford had been abandoned in 1958, and then the rest of the railroad was taken up south of York in the mid-1980's, Charlie's interest to continue to document the Ma & Pa never diminished in the least!
After 1958 until well into the 2000's, each time the M&P's diesels or rolling stock received a new or different paint scheme (& no matter how small the change) Charlie always made it a point to travel to York and capture all sides of that locomotive or car with color slides.
Also in the mid to late-1970's when Emons started to built and re-built 50 ft. steel boxcars to be interchanged with other railroads, and also applied the "Famous Ma & Pa" logo and MPA number to those cars, again Charlie made it his mission to document as many of those individual boxcars as possible on film.
And just as he had done with all of the Ma & Pa's pre-1958 rolling stock, Charlie also made long multi-page lists that contained a great deal of highly detailed information on each of those Emons/M&PA boxcars that he had taken a photograph.
For anyone who had the distinct privilege of meeting Charlie Mahan, and possibly getting to know him better and also call him a friend, all will surely agree without a doubt that Charlie was always kind, generous, and totally sharing with his great knowledge and vast collection of vintage photographs and other Ma & Pa related materials. And Charlie Mahan (who at times I have lovingly referred to as "Mr. Ma & Pa") was truly every Ma & Pa fan's best friend!
Going back to when he was just a teenager, for roughly the last 75 years no one has been more dedicated to diligently documenting and studying the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad (& including its pre-Ma & Pa narrow gauge era) then Charlie Mahan!
For as long as anyone remembers the Ma & Pa, Charlie Mahan will also be equally remembered!
I cannot speak with complete confidence, but I am led to believe that the vast majority, if not all, of Mahan's photo collection is in safe hands with the Ma & Pa Historical Society and its agents. His photos adorn the book "The 50 Best of the Ma & Pa"; prints of his most classic photos have long been available for sale, and a duplicate set of most of those photos resides with the Baltimore Chapter NRHS at the Maryland Rail Heritage Library at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum.
Funeral is April 30th in Towson; contact me if you need details. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in his memory to The Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Historical Society, 445 Richardson Road, York, PA. 17408; or to National Parkinson Foundation Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 5018, Hagerstown, MD. 21741.
Attached is a Charlie Mahan photo of Ma & Pa 26 on Train 31 at Towson, Maryland on Nov. 21, 1941.
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Ma & Pa 26, Tr. 31, Towson, MD, 11-21-41, by Chas. T Mahan, Jr, MRHL Collrs.jpg [ 107.36 KiB | Viewed 2411 times ] |