Jack Delano's Color Photos of Chicago's Rail Yards in the 1940s

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Hat tip, a frequent poster at a Yahoo! group for northern Virginia train enthusiasts:

Here was a man who knew how to use Kodachrome. From The Atlantic magazine (October 2, 2018), enjoy this 21-slide selection of Delano’s artistry . . .

I've seen lots of Jack Delano's photographs before. I linked to some, I think, at DU back when Kodak announced the end of Kodachrome.

Jack Delano shot using 4" by 5" reversal film, so the detail is just plain astonishing.

Jack Delano's Color Photos of Chicago's Rail Yards in the 1940s

ALAN TAYLOR OCT 2, 2018 21 PHOTOS

Jack Delano was one of the photographers who worked in Roy Stryker’s Farm Security Administration photography program in the early 1940s, traveling the American countryside, photographing people and places with the stated goal of “introducing America to Americans.” In 1942 and ’43, Delano spent time in the rail yards of Chicago, documenting the busy freight hub and the countless workers who kept the trains running 24 hours a day. Some of his most striking images were made on Kodachrome color transparencies, wonderfully preserved in the Library of Congress today. Collected below, a handful of images from Chicago as it was some 75 years ago.

HINTS: View this page full screen. Skip to the next and previous photo by typing j/k or ?/?.

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5. A switchman throwing a switch at Chicago and North Western Railroad's Proviso yard in April 1943 #

Jack Delano / Library of Congress



6. Chicago and North Western Railroad locomotive shops, photographed in December 1942 #

Jack Delano / Library of Congress

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8. Mike Evans, a welder, at the rip tracks at the Proviso yard, photographed in April 1943 #

Jack Delano / Library of Congress

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[get the red out]

1. Thanks for posting

These are amazing!

[CincyDem]

2. Damn, I miss Kodachrome. Still have 2-3 rolls that will never be shot/developed now. :-( n/t

[ThoughtCriminal]

3. I really miss the caboose

?1538508350

Not completely gone, but EXTREMELY rare today.

[Harker]

8. As do I.

That's a wonderful photo. As a boy in the early 60s, I fantasized about working in a red caboose.

I still smile whenever I see them, even if they have tall grass growing all around them.

My brother worked for the Chicago & Northwestern, and retired from the the Union Pacific.

[JayhawkSD]

4. Awesome pictures. Thanks for posting. nt

[hunter]

5. After 25 years of smoking, coal dust and ash, Mr. London doesn't look well.

William London has been a railroad worker for 25 years, now working at the roundhouse at the Proviso yard. Photographed in December 1942.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. I was thinking of including that picture in the OP, but there was only so much I could post.

I don't think we'll be bringing back wonderful, old steam locomotives anytime too soon.

[erlewyne]

7. I really enjoy old rail road yard pictures.

Less than a hundred years ago the town where I live had a thriving railroad
yard until they put a RR bridge across the Sandusky Bay. This put my town
out in the boonies. There are old pictures our RR yard that are awesome.
The old RR station is now headquarters for Firelands Rails to Trails bicycle
path and that bicycle trail is great. I believe the website is FRTT.

[Nitram]

9. Wonderful documentation of a bygone era when trains ruled.