Interesting page on the difficulties faced by J.B. Silvis, a UP photographer during the building of the transcontinental railroad. Working in a tent, bad water ruining chemicals, even robbed at one point. Makes one appreciate those sharp glass plate images a bit more. Certainly not like today's diarreha of the trigger finger syndrome with the digital cameras.

http://cprr.org/Museum/Silvis/

JMHO, having suffered health affects from long term exposure to photo chemicals, I welcomed the digital age with great celebration even if it met massive amounts of wasted bytes :-)

More OT, my father has a collection of 8x10 glass negatives from a car builder (Cincinnati Car Company???).

Does any one have experience with a low cost scanner that can handle large glass negatives? It's time to get these images out of the basement and stored in more than a single location.

Thanks in advance,

Bob Bunge