March 1943. Yardmaster at Amarillo, Texas, railyard. 4×5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano, Office of War Information.

Doug -

Thanks again, for posting another very interesting photo. But unlike the earlier sandhouse shot with all the interesting tidbits pictured, what interests me in THIS photo, is what ISN'T there! What I can't see is a wall calendar. But I think I see where it WAS; on the wall behind the yardmaster (you can kind of make out the outline). And why wasn't it included? My guess is that it probably was some kind of a "pin-up" calendar. Which wouldn't look to good in these "official" photos that Mr. Delano was taking, so he had it taken down before he took the shot. This is just my guess of course. Maybe I'm wrong. Other opinions welcome.

It brings up an interesting tie-in to rail preservation. We have a watchman's grade crossing shanty at our museum. Although the interior does not yet have everything in it that I would like to display, one thing it will eventually need is a wall calendar. An old "pin-up" calendar would be perfect, because that is probably what would have been in there, as like in the 1943 yardmasters office. But today, that would be inappropriate to visitors looking in. So I need to find another "vintage" calendar that does NOT feature a "pin-up". Hopefully one day I'll find an appropriate one.

Les

You could use an old promotional calendar. Something from a long lost insurance company or auto company. Or railroads and railroaders have always been a cheap lot, they might have used a promotional railroad calendar.

Mike S.

Mike -

We have a 1957 Burlington calendar in our depot that would fit the bill. Nice color shot of one of the Zephyrs. But, I haven't figured a way to sneak it out of there. May have to find my own. I do keep my eyes open.

Les

I've been in some back rooms, and yeppers, often there is girlie pinup calender, and really, even the railroads often sported them up, just like them WW1-2 planes tacking on them girlie pics right on their planes.