The Rescue and Preservation of a P&R Railroad Photographic Collection

Description

Join us at the SCHS as professor John M. Lawlor, Jr. shares the fascinating history of the Reading Railroad. The lecture features rare steam engine glass and film negatives from the Reading Railroad's Locomotive Shop photo lab, offering intriguing stories that bring history to life.

In 1976, ConRail employees trashed the photographic lab at the locomotive shop in Reading, PA. Subsequently, the presenter’s father “dumpster dove” and rescued as many items as he could. This program explores the collection’s nature and extent including steam engine glass and film negatives. A popular feature is Engine 118’s shop conversion into one of the two Crusader streamliner locomotives. The presenter has extracted numerous stories that integrate the photographs with other materials to help provide context beyond the image.