Does anyone have any experience searching the National Archives for ICC records? Specifically records of train wrecks.

Are you aware of the online ICC Accident Reports?


Investigations of Railroad Accidents 1911 - 1993

http://specialcollection.dotlibrary.dot.gov/Contents

http://specialcollection.dotlibrary.dot.gov/Home

-Hudson

The online records are of no help and the paid ones seems to be for more recent accidents. I'm looking for ones 1910 until about 1940. I think I am going to have to go in person to the archives. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience in doing so.

It has been some years since I went to the National Archives in College Park, MD, to look at ICC material. I believe David Pfeiffer is still the archivist and if so, he is very helpful and very familiar with the collection. I would suggest making contact in advance and planning your trip to allow sufficient time for access and to get records pulled if they are available.

Alan Maples

Went there a few years ago in search of ICC Valuation records. Based on that experience:

1. Call ahead
2. Onsite visitor parking is available in a multi-level structure near the entrance
3. On arrival, you will need to obtain a researcher's photo ID from the office on the first floor
4. Bring as few as possible of your own papers - they are as concerned with the Archive being contaminated by outside items as they are that you will try to smuggle something out. I believe computers and cameras are allowed in now. Notepaper and pencils are available there.
5. When you fill out call slips using the finding guides, they must be vetted by the archivist before submittal.
6. On-floor photocopying machines are available. When I was there you bought a stored-value card to use them. Large-format items (engineering drawings, e.g.) are copied by the staff and you pay for them later.
7. There is a cafeteria in the basement so you don't need to go offsite for lunch.
8. Don't seem too interested in what other railroad researchers are doing - the staff views this as a privacy matter and will speak to you about it. Each client is entitled to keep his/her research confidential, is the attitude.
9. If you want photos copied professionally, there are commercial services that come to the archives and do that for you. The staff will have fliers from several of them.
10. It's amazing how much you can get done there in a day, despite all the procedures.

Has anyone done research at the National Archives Annex in College Park recently? I understand that Mr. Pfeiffer, the archivist who handled the railroad collection had retired. I was wondering if any of the procedures for visiting and research had changed,

The addresses above didn't work for me but this one did. I had to register first. For company, "none" works.

https://dotlibrary.specialcollection.net/Home

Thanks, I was referring to the National Archives site:

https://www.archives.gov/college-park/re://www.archives.gov/college-park

I have done research at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) location in College Park, MD where I have worked with United States Railway Association, ICC, and FRA records. I'm not sure who has taken over for David Pfeiffer. I didn't notice any differences in the research experience, but getting questions answered via e-mail have taken quite a bit longer.

Here is some general advice for doing research at NARA:

The most important thing you can do is to identify the records that you want to work with and what NARA facility they are located at.

Here is an example for the United States Railway Association: https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/464.html

This will give you a very breif overview of the holdings in terms of subject matter and volume. You might see the term lin. ft. - this is linear feet, which is approximately the size of a banker's box. FRC - is a Federal Records Carton, which is a bit larger.

Verifying that NARA has something you are interested in will help you in contacting NARA by phone or e-mail. Asking questions about the records may help to determine whether or not NARA's holdings can help you. It can take a couple of weeks for an e-mail inquiry to be responded to - so it is a good idea to get started with that as early as possible and before you make your travel arrangements. I have seen many occasions where a researcher comes to College Park only to find out that the records they need are in Kansas City.

Keep in mind that most ICC records were deemed temporary and were not preserved - and there are some gaps in the records that were selected for archival preservation.

Finally, be prepared to spend some time doing the research. In my experience at College Park, 2 days is minimum - as getting your researcher registration and filling out the first request forms will take a bit of time on your first day.

Thanks Thomas, I’ve gone online to search for the records I’m seeking as well as checking with a previous researcher to verify their availability at College Park. Appreciate your suggestions and comments!