I have always loved vintage magazine advertising from the 1930s, 40s & 50s, and over the years I have accumulated quite a large collection with a special emphasis on railroading and auto/truck ads.
So, for something different I have decided post one of these every once in a while to add a bit of variety to my photo stream. – Here we have a four-page foldout of Electro-Motive Corporation passenger diesels from a November 1941 publication of a railroad trade magazine (it is actually eight pages total when including the additional panels on the reverse side).
For an illustration that was printed over eighty years ago the colors are stunning, and this first installment is one of my favorite examples of what I consider to not only be the Golden age of Railroading – But also the Golden age of print advertising as well. – Railway Age Magazine – 1941 – Collection of Jeff Hampton
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Here is another magazine ad from my collection of vintage paper. – This one for American Locomotive Company (Alco) for the New York Centrals dual-service class L-3a 4-8-2 “Mohawk” steam locomotives.
These beauties were designed to operate at speeds up to eighty miles per hour and it was common for one to arrive at a destination with a fast freight, be serviced, turned, and a few hours later depart town with a priority passenger train. – Railway Age Magazine – 1940 – Collection of Jeff Hampton
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From the September 30th, 1933 edition of The Saturday Evening Post magazine – Here is a wonderful 2-page color ad for the brand new 1933 Pontiac eight shown along with a “Modern” streamlined train that very much resembles what may have been an early design of the Union Pacific’s M-10000 that would debut the following year.
I would love to own a 1933 Pontiac straight-eight, but the one illustrated here has two doors too many for me, I think the sport coupe model that was also available that year would be the ultimate. – Saturday Evening Post – 1933 - Collection of Jeff Hampton
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Two examples of the Chicago & North Westerns most modern motive power were featured in this magazine ad from the spring of 1941.
A pair of EMC E3 diesels in an illustration of one of their “400” Streamliners and what appears to be an actual photograph of a rebuilt Baldwin 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive powering a high-speed freight. – Railway Age Magazine – 1941 – Collection of Jeff Hampton
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Keeping with the Missabe theme for one more post – Going back in time to 55 years before my shots of the 6:30 switch jobs of 1998. - Here is a World War II era magazine ad for the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway or “The Road of the Rolling Ore” featuring some very cool actual photographs. – Railway Age Magazine – 1943 – Collection of Jeff Hampton
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