Transportation

Americans have always been a people on the move—on rails, roads, and waterways (for travel through the air, visit the National Air and Space Museum). In the transportation collections, railroad objects range from tools, tracks, and many train models to the massive 1401, a 280-ton locomotive built in 1926. Road vehicles include coaches, buggies, wagons, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and automobiles—from the days before the Model T to modern race cars. The accessories of travel are part of the collections, too, from streetlights, gas pumps, and traffic signals to goggles and overcoats.

In the maritime collections, more than 7,000 design plans and scores of ship models show the evolution of sailing ships and other vessels. Other items range from scrimshaw, photographs, and marine paintings to life jackets from the Titanic.

Colored print of a railroad engine and tender, exhibited behind a brass railing. The engine is labeled "General" and the tender is labeled W & A. R.R.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Colored print of a railroad engine and tender, exhibited behind a brass railing. The engine is labeled "General" and the tender is labeled W & A. R.R.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
n.d.
maker
unknown
ID Number
DL.60.2892
catalog number
60.2892
accession number
228146
Color print of a sailing ship with three masts. Information about the ship is below the image.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Color print of a sailing ship with three masts. Information about the ship is below the image.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
n.d.
maker
Ketterlinus
ID Number
DL.60.3284
catalog number
60.3284
The original of this 1883 chromolithograph titled Under the Palisades was painted by Frederic S. Cozzens. It shows two large iron-hulled yachts at anchor beside the Palisades along the Hudson River, and a smaller boat sailing in the foreground.
Description
The original of this 1883 chromolithograph titled Under the Palisades was painted by Frederic S. Cozzens. It shows two large iron-hulled yachts at anchor beside the Palisades along the Hudson River, and a smaller boat sailing in the foreground. The smaller of the two yachts is the iron screw steamer Stranger. Built in 1881 by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia, at the time the yacht was the pinnacle of yacht construction. Stranger measured 185 feet long, 23 feet wide, 9 feet 3½ inches deep and weighed 247 tons. Averaging 15 knots, its owner George Osgood of New York astounded his friends by breakfasting in Newport, RI, then sailing to New York City in time for dinner. The yacht was sold to E. S. Jaffrey by 1886, and again sold to George S. Scott. It was then purchased in 1890 by H.C. Hoagland of New York, NY for $75,000. In 1893 it was sold to George Lewis, Jr. and his wife Mary. The larger yacht is Atlanta. Built in 1883 at a cost of $250,000, also by William Cramp and Sons, this 248 foot long, 508-ton yacht was capable of speeds exceeding 20 knots with its 1,400 hp engines. It was owned by Jay Gould, a leading American railroad developer and speculator. Vastly exceeding the splendor of Stranger, Atlanta was fitted with magnificent hardwood saloons and staterooms. Underneath the hardwood floors in the staterooms were fitted porcelain bathtubs that could be filled with either heated fresh or salt water. They were accessible by means of removable floor panels, which saved the room's occupant from the inconvenience of leaving his room if he desired a bath. In a 95-mile race from Larchmont to New London, Atlanta finished 11 minutes ahead of Stranger. In 1894 the yacht was bought by George Gould for $100,000. In the foreground, the small iron screw steamer Rover sails by.
It was built in 1883 by the American Ship Company of Philadelphia, owned by Commander Henry Honychurch Gorringe, a Civil War hero who had several years before brought Cleopatra's Needle, an ancient Egyptian stone monument, to New York. Frederic S. Cozzens (1846-1928) was an American marine painter famous for his large portfolio of yacht racing lithographs. He lived in Staten Island and exhibited with the Boston Art Club, the Mystic Seaport Association, and the Brooklyn Art Association.
date made
1884
artist
Cozzens, Frederic Schiller
maker
Charles Scribner's Sons
ID Number
2005.0279.118
catalog number
2005.0279.118
accession number
2005.0279
The original of this 1883 lithograph titled Rounding the Lightship was painted by Frederic S. Cozzens. It shows several racing yachts rounding a lightship being used as a mark for a race course.
Description
The original of this 1883 lithograph titled Rounding the Lightship was painted by Frederic S. Cozzens. It shows several racing yachts rounding a lightship being used as a mark for a race course. The exact location of the race is not known, but most contemporary races started in New York Bay, proceeded down through the Narrows to either the Sandy Hook or Scotland lightship, then returned the way they had come. Yacht racing decreased quickly in the New York area in the early 20th century, due to an increase in commercial traffic and the increasingly polluted waters. A stern view of the yacht Fanny is in the left foreground. Fanny was a large centerboard sloop, 72 feet long, 23 feet 9 inches wide and weighed 49 tons. It was designed by D.O. Richmond of Mystic, CT in 1873 and built in 1874. Its official number was 120134. The yacht was owned by W.R. Travers of New York, and it frequently participated in races in New York Bay. It frequently won because of its exceptional crew. The yacht Gracie is shown broadside in the right foreground. Gracie was a large shallow centerboard sloop, 79 feet long by 21 feet wide and weighed 49 tons. It was designed and built by Mr. Polhemus in Nyack, NY in 1868. Its official number was 10902. The yacht was owned by C.R. Flint and J.P. Earle, both of New York. It was rebuilt several times, twice to be lengthened, and once completely rebuilt and rerigged with a double headsail rig by David Carll. Gracie had more victories than any other single-masted vessel of the area. The third yacht shown is Rover, just coming into view bow-first on the right. Rover was a centerboard sloop that measured 45 feet 6 inches long by 15 feet wide. It was designed and built by Mr. Piepgrass at Greenpoint, NY in 1880, and owned by W.E. Iselin of New York. To the far right a large steamship is visible. This was most likely a spectator vessel. Behind this is a smaller steamer, apparently a tug, containing the race officials.
Frederic S. Cozzens (1846-1928) was an American marine painter famous for his large portfolio of yacht racing lithographs. He lived in Staten Island and exhibited with the Boston Art Club, the Mystic Seaport Association, and the Brooklyn Art Association.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1883
maker
Cozzens, Frederic Schiller
ID Number
2005.0279.117
catalog number
2005.0279.117
accession number
2005.0279

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