Center for Railroad Photography & Art

Center for Railroad Photography & Art A member-supported nonprofit that preserves and presents significant railroad photography & art.

Gil Reid's masterful painting, "Berkshire at Midnight," of Nickel Plate 2-8-4 765, circa 1956. The Center's Kalmbach Med...
06/17/2026

Gil Reid's masterful painting, "Berkshire at Midnight," of Nickel Plate 2-8-4 765, circa 1956. The Center's Kalmbach Media Collection is now on display at the Center's online "Odyssey" portal. See comments for a link. (Kalmbach-032)

We're excited to announce that photos by Phil Middlebrook, donated to CRP&A by the late Stan Kistler, are now available ...
06/09/2026

We're excited to announce that photos by Phil Middlebrook, donated to CRP&A by the late Stan Kistler, are now available to view at the Center's Odyssey online portal. They offer a fascinating look at the Santa Fe Railway in the early 20th Century steam era. Link in comments.

Pictured: Middlebrook's portrait of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 4-6-2 1297 outside the depot in San Diego, California, in 1916. (Kistler-Middlebrook-02-098)

Everywhere West: Save the date for a one-day conference at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado, on Saturday...
06/05/2026

Everywhere West: Save the date for a one-day conference at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado, on Saturday, August 22. Presenters include Bill Botkin, Mel Patrick, Joe McMillan, Steve Patterson, and John Crisanti. We will also co-host a members reception with the museum on Friday, August 21, focused on their Traqueros exhibition. Watch this space and follow our website!

Pictured: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 9981B leads the "Texas Zephyr" at Spruce, Colorado, on October 24, 1964. Photo by Ronald C. Hill, who noted that he used a Leica M-3 with a 200mm f/4 Telyt lens. (Hill-09-07-07)

On this date, fifty years ago: Amtrak F40PH 214 leads westbound passenger train no. 355 operating on Conrail track at De...
06/03/2026

On this date, fifty years ago: Amtrak F40PH 214 leads westbound passenger train no. 355 operating on Conrail track at Detroit, Michigan, on June 3, 1976. It's framed with Michigan Central Station, Detroit's primary railroad depot from 1913 to 1988 and now beautifully restored. Photo by John Bjorklund, CRP&A archive (Bjorklund-80-07-03).

Steam locomotives are the pot of gold at the end of this rainbow in Camfer, South Africa, on March 23, 1995. Photo by Fr...
06/02/2026

Steam locomotives are the pot of gold at the end of this rainbow in Camfer, South Africa, on March 23, 1995. Photo by Fred Springer, Springer-So.Africa(1)-16-10.

In the late 1950s, as the steam culture of the American railroad disappeared, an equally compelling version of it flouri...
05/28/2026

In the late 1950s, as the steam culture of the American railroad disappeared, an equally compelling version of it flourished for a while in Mexico, drawing some of the best U.S. railroad photographers … such as Frank Barry, who has released a new book, “Chasing Steam in Mexico.”

Frank--a friend of the Center for years, as well as a conference presenter--portrays locomotives against an unforgiving terrain, railroad workers practicing their ancient crafts, and everyday Mexicans making trains a part of daily life. See below for details.

The American Freedom Train storms into the east portal of Cascade Tunnel under Stevens Pass on Burlington Northern's for...
05/25/2026

The American Freedom Train storms into the east portal of Cascade Tunnel under Stevens Pass on Burlington Northern's former Great Northern main line at Berne, Washington, on October 30, 1975. Today we remember and honor America's heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms. Please keep them and their families in your hearts.

Photo by Russ Sperry, from his cover story "Five Months of Freedom" in the Spring 2026 issue of Railroad Heritage.

Now on the Center's YouTube page: "Lure of the Rails" is a presentation of great railroad photography with Northeast pho...
05/25/2026

Now on the Center's YouTube page: "Lure of the Rails" is a presentation of great railroad photography with Northeast photographer Ken Karlewicz. Featuring predominantly color work and plenty of stories, Ken shares images spanning 40 years, taking viewers into New England, Upstate New York, and the Hudson and Delaware valleys. Link below.

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