Robert Watson collection of railroad photographs
Creation: circa 1870-1960Abstract
Robert B. Watson (1931-) was a mechanical engineer who worked on the development of high-speed trains between 1966 and 1998. This collection consists of photographs related to railroads in Pennsylvania and New York, dating from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1870-1960
Creator
- Watson, Robert B. (Person)
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet
Physical Description
54 photographic prints : b&w : 8 x 10 in. or smaller 1 photographic print : b&w : 18 x 23 in. 1 photographic print : b&w : 11 x 17 in. on mount 16 x 22 in. 3 photographic prints : panoramic photographs : 8 x 32 in. or smaller 2 photographic prints on stereo cards : stereographs 1 photographic print : cyanotype : 2.5 x 4 in. 16 negatives : b&w : 2.5 x 4.5 in. 1 drawing : pen and ink : 8.5 x 11 in.
Biographical Note
Robert B. Watson (1931-) was a mechanical engineer who worked on the development of high-speed trains between 1966 and 1998. He was born on June 29, 1931, at Altoona, Pennsylvania. Watson received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State College in 1953 and a Certificate in Transportation in railway operations and economics from Yale University in 1958. He began working as a Junior Engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad while in college and interrupted his studies with two years service (1953-1955) in the Railway Battalions of the U.S. Army at Fort Eustis, Virginia, and in Korea.
Watson returned to the Pennsylvania Railroad in June 1958 and rose quickly through the ranks of the Mechanical Department, reaching the post of Master Mechanic at Philadelphia on February 7, 1966. On September 21, he was chosen to fill the new post of Coordinator of the High Speed Demonstration Project, a post he held until January 1, 1972, when he resigned and was succeeded by Edward R. Stickel (1928-2008). Watson was the railroad's chief field administrator in the cooperative project to develop high speed passenger train service between New York and Washington and the point of contact between the railroad company, the government and the contractors.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of photographs related to railroads in Pennsylvania and New York, dating from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. Rail lines pictured include the Lehigh Valley Railroad, Long Island Railroad, rail lines near the Little Roaring Creek [Pennsylvania], and rail lines on the wharf at Sodus Point, New York. There are photographs of the construction of the Brooklyn elevated line, and of the wreck of the Pennsylvania Railroad's "Red Arrow" near Altoona in February, 1947. Other photos include a bird's eye view of Northumberland, Pennsylvania, a portrait of the Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive 317, and a view of Union Station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The collection also contains several group portraits. There are five photos of retirees from the Pennsylvania Railroad's Testing Department, dating to circa 1950-1960. Three panoramic group portraits show attendees of the Brotherhood's Relief Compensation Fund conventions of 1917 and 1926, as well as the members of the General Grievance Committee of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, 1915. There is one unidentified banquet photograph from around 1950-1960.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research
Language of Materials
English
Finding Aid & Administrative Information
- Title:
- Robert Watson collection of railroad photographs
- Author:
- Judy Stevenson and encoded by Chase Markee, 2013.
- Description rules:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description:
- English
- Script of description:
- Latin
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Audiovisual Collections Repository
