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- Interior of Interlocking Tower on the D.T. & I. Railroad, Detroit, Michigan, July 1926 - The operator stationed in this Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad building would have kept busy. This interlocking tower protected the crossing of a DT&I branch with the Detroit United Railway's streetcar line on Jefferson Avenue. The tower operator likely was responsible for activating the railroad crossing gates as well.

- July 02, 1926
- Collections - Artifact
Interior of Interlocking Tower on the D.T. & I. Railroad, Detroit, Michigan, July 1926
The operator stationed in this Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad building would have kept busy. This interlocking tower protected the crossing of a DT&I branch with the Detroit United Railway's streetcar line on Jefferson Avenue. The tower operator likely was responsible for activating the railroad crossing gates as well.
- Michigan Central Depot, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1890 - From 1884 to 1913, the Michigan Central Railroad served Detroit from this depot at the corner of Third and Jefferson Avenues. In combination with the opening of its tunnel under the Detroit River, the Michigan Central relocated to a new station in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. The former depot was heavily damaged by a fire in December 1913 and soon demolished.

- circa 1890
- Collections - Artifact
Michigan Central Depot, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1890
From 1884 to 1913, the Michigan Central Railroad served Detroit from this depot at the corner of Third and Jefferson Avenues. In combination with the opening of its tunnel under the Detroit River, the Michigan Central relocated to a new station in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. The former depot was heavily damaged by a fire in December 1913 and soon demolished.
- Chicago and Northwestern Railway Advertising Broadside, 1868 - President Lincoln designated Council Bluffs, Iowa, as the official eastern terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. (Though the Missouri River wasn't bridged until 1872, making Omaha, Nebraska, the effective terminus until then.) The transcontinental route connected with the rest of the eastern U.S. railroad network via the Chicago & North Western Railway, completed to Council Bluffs from Chicago in 1867.

- 1868
- Collections - Artifact
Chicago and Northwestern Railway Advertising Broadside, 1868
President Lincoln designated Council Bluffs, Iowa, as the official eastern terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. (Though the Missouri River wasn't bridged until 1872, making Omaha, Nebraska, the effective terminus until then.) The transcontinental route connected with the rest of the eastern U.S. railroad network via the Chicago & North Western Railway, completed to Council Bluffs from Chicago in 1867.
- Henry Ford's Private Railroad Car, "Fair Lane," November 12, 1942 - By 1920, Henry and Clara Ford found it increasingly difficult to travel with any degree of privacy. They purchased a private railcar and named it <em>Fair Lane</em>. The car had four private rooms, an observation lounge, a dining room, and a fully equipped kitchen. It could accommodate eight passengers. The couple made over 400 trips using <em>Fair Lane</em> before selling the passenger car in 1942.

- November 12, 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Henry Ford's Private Railroad Car, "Fair Lane," November 12, 1942
By 1920, Henry and Clara Ford found it increasingly difficult to travel with any degree of privacy. They purchased a private railcar and named it Fair Lane. The car had four private rooms, an observation lounge, a dining room, and a fully equipped kitchen. It could accommodate eight passengers. The couple made over 400 trips using Fair Lane before selling the passenger car in 1942.
- Henry Ford's Private Railroad Car, "Fair Lane," outside Henry Ford Museum, November 12, 1942 - By 1920, Henry and Clara Ford found it increasingly difficult to travel with any degree of privacy. They purchased a private railcar and named it <em>Fair Lane</em>. The car had four private rooms, an observation lounge, a dining room, and a fully equipped kitchen. It could accommodate eight passengers. The couple made over 400 trips using <em>Fair Lane</em> before selling the passenger car in 1942.

- November 12, 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Henry Ford's Private Railroad Car, "Fair Lane," outside Henry Ford Museum, November 12, 1942
By 1920, Henry and Clara Ford found it increasingly difficult to travel with any degree of privacy. They purchased a private railcar and named it Fair Lane. The car had four private rooms, an observation lounge, a dining room, and a fully equipped kitchen. It could accommodate eight passengers. The couple made over 400 trips using Fair Lane before selling the passenger car in 1942.
- Application Letters from Charles Jones for Work as Steward or Porter on the Fair Lane, Henry Ford's Private Rail Car, 1922-1923 - Henry and Clara Ford purchased <em>Fair Lane</em>, their private railroad passenger car, in 1921. When stories about the railcar appeared in newspapers, experienced railroad porters, stewards and cooks sent letters of interest about working for the Fords. Generally, <em>Fair Lane</em> was staffed by a porter to attend to passengers' needs, and a cook to prepare meals.

- January 1922-June 1923
- Collections - Artifact
Application Letters from Charles Jones for Work as Steward or Porter on the Fair Lane, Henry Ford's Private Rail Car, 1922-1923
Henry and Clara Ford purchased Fair Lane, their private railroad passenger car, in 1921. When stories about the railcar appeared in newspapers, experienced railroad porters, stewards and cooks sent letters of interest about working for the Fords. Generally, Fair Lane was staffed by a porter to attend to passengers' needs, and a cook to prepare meals.
- Smiths Creek Depot Cross Stitch, 1990 -

- 1990
- Collections - Artifact
Smiths Creek Depot Cross Stitch, 1990
- Crane Unloading Cargo from Railroad Cars into a Mack Model AC Dump Truck. 1927 - Mack AC trucks were introduced in 1916 and were continuously manufactured through 1939. During that time span, AC trucks earned a sterling reputation for their reliability and durability. Aside from the civilian tasks that these trucks accomplished, the Mack AC gained international fame for its military service in World War I -- along with the nickname "Bulldog," coined by British engineers.

- May 10, 1927
- Collections - Artifact
Crane Unloading Cargo from Railroad Cars into a Mack Model AC Dump Truck. 1927
Mack AC trucks were introduced in 1916 and were continuously manufactured through 1939. During that time span, AC trucks earned a sterling reputation for their reliability and durability. Aside from the civilian tasks that these trucks accomplished, the Mack AC gained international fame for its military service in World War I -- along with the nickname "Bulldog," coined by British engineers.
- DT& I Railroad Crossing at Eureka Road, Wayne County, Michigan, 1924-1925 - One way to make a railroad crossing safer was to eliminate it altogether. Overpasses separated trains from automobiles, but they were expensive to build and required extensive regrading of either the railroad or the roadway -- and sometimes both. As a result, overpasses tended to be built only at the busiest crossings.

- 1924-1925
- Collections - Artifact
DT& I Railroad Crossing at Eureka Road, Wayne County, Michigan, 1924-1925
One way to make a railroad crossing safer was to eliminate it altogether. Overpasses separated trains from automobiles, but they were expensive to build and required extensive regrading of either the railroad or the roadway -- and sometimes both. As a result, overpasses tended to be built only at the busiest crossings.
- Passengers on the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad, South Dakota, circa 1895 - Passengers gathered for a photograph when the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley train stopped in a South Dakota mountain pass. The photograph, taken about 1907, shows the happy group on the back platform while the engineer and others peer out from the side.

- circa 1895
- Collections - Artifact
Passengers on the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad, South Dakota, circa 1895
Passengers gathered for a photograph when the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley train stopped in a South Dakota mountain pass. The photograph, taken about 1907, shows the happy group on the back platform while the engineer and others peer out from the side.