Transportation

1955 Ford Country Squire

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.

Date: 1950s

Spanner

This homemade spanner was used in steam locomotive repair work to tighten/remove very large, critical bolts. The wrench would need to be used with a very long 'extender' on the handle to gain the necessary leverage.
Description
This homemade spanner was used in steam locomotive repair work to tighten/remove very large, critical bolts. The wrench would need to be used with a very long 'extender' on the handle to gain the necessary leverage. The spanner was used on bolt heads and nuts that hold the front-end (or the "smokebox" portion) of a steam locomotive boiler onto the cast-steel "saddle" that is the foundation of a steam locomotive's cylinder-and-mainframe assembly. The strength and tightness of these "saddle bolts" that join boiler and saddle are crucial to keeping the locomotive from literally shaking itself apart when underway down the track. This crude spanner was likely home-made in a roundhouse far from a full repair shop.
Date made
ca 1950s
date made
ca. 1950s
used date
1900-1960
maker
unknown
ID Number
2002.0075.14
catalog number
2002.0075.14
accession number
2002.0075

Pullman Porter's Blanket

Part of a Pullman porter's job was to make up the sleeping berths in his assigned sleeping car, and to provide extra blankets to passengers requesting them. The standard Pullman blanket in the 20th century was dyed a salmon color, which became almost a trademark of the company.
Description
Part of a Pullman porter's job was to make up the sleeping berths in his assigned sleeping car, and to provide extra blankets to passengers requesting them. The standard Pullman blanket in the 20th century was dyed a salmon color, which became almost a trademark of the company. When a blanket became worn or damaged in service, it was assigned to those blankets reserved for porters' use.
This wool blanket, made in 1910, was used by African American railroad porters. According to Pullman service rules, a porter's blanket was never to be given to a passenger. Ostensibly to avoid mixing these with the passengers' blankets, the porters' blankets were dyed blue. This was to comply with statutes in the South that dealt with the segregation of blacks and whites. The Pullman service rules were applied nationwide throughout the Pullman system, not just in the South. Dyeing the blanket blue made it easy to tell which blankets were used by passengers and which blankets were used by the African American porters and attendants. A dyed-blue Pullman blanket is today extremely rare, given its negative racial symbolism.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1910
user
Pullman Palace Car Company
ID Number
1986.0133.01
accession number
1986.0133
catalog number
1986.0133.01
86.0133.01

Steamboat Torch Basket

This long-handled, iron basket, called a torch or fire basket, was used to help 19th century river pilots navigate in shallow waters at night.
Description
This long-handled, iron basket, called a torch or fire basket, was used to help 19th century river pilots navigate in shallow waters at night. Filled with burning fuel and suspended off the side of a steamboat, the torch basket illuminated the shoreline, as well as snags or debris in the water that could damage the vessel. Steamboat crew also used torch baskets for lighting up the ship’s deck, the landing, or a levee during deliveries of cargo after dark.
Although the torch basket was invaluable for steamboats operating at night, the device sometimes proved disastrous. Typically the fuel consisted of oil-soaked scraps and "lightwood" or Southern pine covered in resinous sap, which could easily send off sparks. So as not to obstruct the light, these buckets of flames rarely had any sort of protective covering. But because steamboats were often loaded with highly flammable cargoes, such as cotton and lumber, it is not surprising that one stray spark could destroy an entire vessel. That may have been the fate for this torch basket, which was found by a net fisherman near Clinton, Iowa. It was pulled up from 30 feet of water in the Mississippi River.
By the early 20th century, torch baskets were becoming obsolete, replaced by electric lamps and incandescent light bulbs used to illuminate steamboats as well as the landings they served. Although the phasing-out of the torch basket lowered the risk of steamboat fires, some steamboat enthusiasts lamented the lost romance of waterways flickering with flame.
Date made
19th century
date made
1800s
date found
1950s
ID Number
TR.335674
catalog number
335674
accession number
1978.0367

The Currents

date made
1952
SS United States built and launched
1952
naval architect of SS United States
Gibbs, William Francis
painter
Wendell, Raymond John
ID Number
TR.336767.163
catalog number
336767.163
accession number
1978.2219

The Currents

date made
1952
SS United States built and launched
1952
naval architect of SS United States
Gibbs, William Francis
painter
Wendell, Raymond John
ID Number
TR.336767.156
catalog number
336767.156
accession number
1978.2219

Hudson River Steamboat Hendrick Hudson

This is a ¼-inch scale model of the Hendrick Hudson steamboat. The Marvel Shipbuilding Company built the side-wheel excursion steamer Hendrick Hudson at Newburgh, New York for the Hudson River Day Line in 1906.
Description
This is a ¼-inch scale model of the Hendrick Hudson steamboat. The Marvel Shipbuilding Company built the side-wheel excursion steamer Hendrick Hudson at Newburgh, New York for the Hudson River Day Line in 1906. The steamer's steel hull was 400 feet long overall, with a beam of 45.1 feet at the gunwales and 82 feet over the guards. Its depth in the hold was 13.4 feet, and the draft was 7.5 feet. The Hendrick Hudson was powered by a 3-cylinder compound direct-acting engine of 6200 horsepower. Licensed to carry 5500 passengers, the Hendrick Hudson operated on the New York City to Albany run until 1948. In 1951 the steamer was towed to Philadelphia and broken up.
The Hendrick Hudson model was first displayed at the Smithsonian in 1928.
Date made
1906
used date
1906-1951
ID Number
TR.309408
catalog number
309408
accession number
100518
2019.0048

The Currents

date made
1952
SS United States built and launched
1952
naval architect of SS United States
Gibbs, William Francis
painter
Wendell, Raymond John
ID Number
TR.336767.160
catalog number
336767.160
accession number
1978.2219

Tail Light, 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

This is the tail light assembly for the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. The Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz was a top-of-the-line convertible that epitomized the tailfin era of automobile design.
Description
This is the tail light assembly for the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. The Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz was a top-of-the-line convertible that epitomized the tailfin era of automobile design. Cadillac introduced its fin styling in the 1940s, and its popularity grew over the next few decades. The distinctive twin-bullet tail light assembly braced into the rear of the fins of the Eldorado.
date made
1959
ID Number
2015.3088.01
catalog number
2015.3088.01
nonaccession number
2015.3088

Champagne Bucket, SS United States

This champagne bucket was made for use aboard the ocean liner SS United States, the largest and fastest transatlantic passenger liner ever built in the United States.
Description
This champagne bucket was made for use aboard the ocean liner SS United States, the largest and fastest transatlantic passenger liner ever built in the United States. Launched in 1952, the “Big U,” as the ship was affectionately called, was 990 feet long, about the length of five city blocks. On its maiden voyage, the ship broke the speed records for crossings in both directions and captured the Blue Riband trophy, an award for the ship making the fastest round trip passage on the North Atlantic. The time set by the United States on the westbound leg from New York to England was 3 days, 12 hours, and 12 minutes, with an average speed of 34.51 knots, a record that remains unbroken.
Passengers traveled in one of three classes aboard the ship-- first, cabin, or tourist. Each class had its own dining room, lounge, smoking room, and theater. Storage of food and supplies was located in a central area on D Deck, where separate compartments were designated for dry stores, bulk stores, frozen food, and wines and spirits. A special cooler for champagne was located there as well.
Although the ship was designed by William Francis Gibbs to be converted to a troop transport in time of war, the United States is remembered by thousands of travelers for the voyages that were enjoyed by celebrities and ordinary families alike. This champagne bucket, emblazoned with the United States Lines’ motifs of an eagle and stars, represents the luxury that passengers experienced aboard the ship.
Date made
1950s
maker
International Silver Company
ID Number
TR.335566.11
catalog number
335566.11
accession number
1978.2219

Champagne Glass, SS United States

This champagne glass was among the 57,000 pieces of glassware furnished to the SS United States before its maiden voyage in 1952. Launched in 1952, the “Big U,” as the ship was affectionately called, was 990 feet long, about the length of five city blocks.
Description
This champagne glass was among the 57,000 pieces of glassware furnished to the SS United States before its maiden voyage in 1952. Launched in 1952, the “Big U,” as the ship was affectionately called, was 990 feet long, about the length of five city blocks. On its maiden voyage, the ship broke the speed records for crossings in both directions and captured the Blue Riband trophy, an award for the ship making the fastest round trip passage on the North Atlantic. The time set by the United States on the westbound leg from New York to England was 3 days, 12 hours, and 12 minutes, with an average speed of 34.51 knots, a record that remains unbroken.
The SS United States was built in Newport News Virginia, and was the largest and fastest transatlantic passenger liner ever built in the country. The ship had 695 staterooms located on eight of the liner’s 12 decks. It could accommodate 1,972 passengers in first, cabin, or tourist class. Some 1,011 crew were required to run the ship and serve the passengers.
date made
1952
ID Number
TR.335564.02B
accession number
1978.2219
catalog number
335564.2b

The Currents

date made
1952
SS United States built and launched
1952
naval architect of SS United States
Gibbs, William Francis
painter
Wendell, Raymond John
ID Number
TR.336767.158
catalog number
336767.158
accession number
1978.2219

The Currents

date made
1952
SS United States built and launched
1952
naval architect of SS United States
Gibbs, William Francis
painter
Wendell, Raymond John
ID Number
TR.336767.159
catalog number
336767.159
accession number
1978.2219

Mural Painting, The Currents

These ten painted aluminum panels comprised a wall mural aboard the ocean liner SS United States. Called “The Currents,” the mural depicts the Atlantic Ocean with the direction of the ocean’s currents rendered in stylized, dimensional arrows.
Description
These ten painted aluminum panels comprised a wall mural aboard the ocean liner SS United States. Called “The Currents,” the mural depicts the Atlantic Ocean with the direction of the ocean’s currents rendered in stylized, dimensional arrows. The continents are applied to the panels in gold leaf, while the ocean is painted in various shades of blue and green. Aboard the ship this mural was located on the starboard side of the first class observation lounge. “The Currents” and a companion mural called “The Winds” were painted by artist Raymond John Wendell.
Designed by naval architect William Francis Gibbs, the SS United States was created out of an unusually close connection to the federal government. During the Second World War, the U.S. Navy recognized that converted ocean liners were effective transports for conveying troops to far-flung war zones. After the war ended, the government pursued the building of a technologically advanced passenger vessel that could be converted to carry troops in the event of another global conflict. With significant federal funding and support, the SS United States was built and launched in 1952. Although it was never converted for wartime use, many of its design details remained classified into the 1970s.
One of the most unusual features of the ship was the tremendous amount of aluminum and the lack of wood Gibbs specified for its construction. Determined to build a ship that was not only fast, but ultra-safe, Gibbs was especially concerned with fire prevention after several wartime catastrophes. One that haunted him was the story of the luxury liner RMS Empress of Britain that was attacked by a German bomber while transporting hundreds of soldiers on October 26, 1940. Sixty-four troops were killed in the resulting blaze, which was fueled by the ship’s lavish wood carvings, staircases, and paneled rooms.
Two thousand tons of aluminum were used in the construction and outfitting of the SS United States, making the ship lighter and more fire-resistant than any vessel afloat. The furniture and artwork, including these panels, were all made of aluminum. Publicists for the ship claimed that the only wood on board was to be found in the galley’s chopping blocks and in the piano. Gibbs even tried to reduce this miniscule amount of wood, but Steinway & Sons allegedly refused to build an aluminum piano. To this day, the SS United States is considered the fastest and one of the safest ships ever put to sea.
date made
1952
SS United States built and launched
1952
naval architect of SS United States
Gibbs, William Francis
painter
Wendell, Raymond John
ID Number
TR.336767.154
catalog number
336767.154
accession number
1978.2219

Corset and Whalebone Scrimshaw Busk

For much of the 19th century, ladies’ fashion required very small waists. The most common way to achieve this was to wear a tightly laced corset, which could be adjusted according to the specific dress it accompanied.
Description
For much of the 19th century, ladies’ fashion required very small waists. The most common way to achieve this was to wear a tightly laced corset, which could be adjusted according to the specific dress it accompanied. Like this example, many corsets were handmade to fit an individual, although they were also available in shops.
One of the most intimate pieces of scrimshaw a whaleman could produce was a bone or baleen busk, or corset stiffener. These were carved and given to a crewman’s loved one, who then inserted it into a matching sleeve on her corset as a unique memento of her beloved’s feelings.
Each of these busks has a cityscape etched into one side. The other side of one has eight pictures, topped by a portrait of a beautiful young woman. The other has a plaintive love poem on the back.
date made
mid-1800s
collected
1951-06-29
fashion
19th century
ID Number
TR.388604
catalog number
TR*388604
accession number
182022

Railroad Hand-Signal Lantern, 1950s-70s

This battery-powered signal lantern was manufactured by the Star Headlight & Lantern Company of Honeoye Falls, New York beginning in the 1950s.
Description
This battery-powered signal lantern was manufactured by the Star Headlight & Lantern Company of Honeoye Falls, New York beginning in the 1950s. The lantern has a metal body with a fixed rubber-coated handle, allowing for better grip during signaling as well as a insulating the handle from electricity. The lantern has sockets for two bulbs; one equipped with a reflector used for signaling and a smaller adjacent socket that makes a focused beam that could be used as a flashlight.
Before the advent of portable two way radios, train crews communicated via hand signals during the day, and lantern signals during periods of low visibility or at night. Hand lantern signals are still used in situations when radio intercommunication is impractical. Specific motions of the lantern convey precise instructions such as “Clear to Depart;" "Move the train Forward;" "Move the train Backward;" "Slow Down;" "Slow Down Further;" or "Stop and Remain Stopped."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1950-1959
associated institution
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
maker
Star Headlight & Lantern Company
ID Number
1985.0552.03
accession number
1985.0552
catalog number
1985.0552.03
85.0552.03

Signaling Mirror

This signaling mirror was owned by Waldemar Semenov, whose career as a marine engineer aboard American merchant vessels spanned 54 years. He survived torpedo attacks during World War II, including one that sank the SS Alcoa Guide in 1942.
Description
This signaling mirror was owned by Waldemar Semenov, whose career as a marine engineer aboard American merchant vessels spanned 54 years. He survived torpedo attacks during World War II, including one that sank the SS Alcoa Guide in 1942. Seven Americans lost their lives in the attack.
Signaling mirrors like this were produced in large quantities and issued to military personnel and merchant seamen alike. Small and compact, such mirrors could be used to signal for help over long distances. By aiming the mirror at the sun, the person in distress could signal the reflected flash of light for miles. Numerous improvements were made in the design of the sighting devices and the materials used in the construction of signal mirrors in the 1940s and 1950s. This model was manufactured by the Burton Manufacturing Company, probably in 1955-56.
The following instructions are inscribed on the back of the mirror:
1. Reflect sunlight from mirror onto a nearby surface, raft, hand, etc.
2. Slowly bring mirror up to eye level and look through sighting hole. You will see a bright light spot. This is the aim indicator.
3. Hold mirror close to the eye and slowly turn and so manipulate it that the bright light spot is on the target.
4. Even though no aircraft or ships are in sight, continue sweeping the horizon. Mirror flashes may be seen for many miles, even in hazy weather.
date made
1955-1956
SS Alcoa Guide sank
1942-04-16
maker
Burton Manufacturing Company
ID Number
2005.0295.02
catalog number
2005.0295.02
accession number
2005.0295

Boy on Streetcar

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1952
maker
Erwitt, Elliott
ID Number
PG.72.13.41
accession number
2001.0310
catalog number
72.13.41

Bus Sign Near Cannon

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1951
maker
Erwitt, Elliott
ID Number
PG.007608
accession number
252364
catalog number
7608

Wonder Book of Trains

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1952
author
Peters, Lisa
illustrator
Sinnickson, Tom
publisher
Wonder Books
maker
Wonder Books
ID Number
1990.0449.17
accession number
1990.0449
catalog number
1990.0449.17

Salad Fork, SS United States

Used by passengers traveling aboard the ocean liner SS United States, this silverplate salad fork was manufactured for the United States Lines by the International Silver Co., a Connecticut company formed in 1898.
Description
Used by passengers traveling aboard the ocean liner SS United States, this silverplate salad fork was manufactured for the United States Lines by the International Silver Co., a Connecticut company formed in 1898. The Manhattan pattern features a detailed fan design on the handle, a popular pattern in the early 1950s, which is also when the United States began its transatlantic service. The phrase “U.S. Lines 52” is engraved on the back of the handle.
A survey of SS United States menus from the 1950s reveals a limited range of salads, many of them familiar standards such as heart of lettuce, sliced tomato, cole slaw, beet salad, and chef’s salad. A few offerings—chicory, watercress, or Belgian endive—may have seemed exotic to American travelers of the 1950s. The dressings available for most salads included the familiar French, Thousand Island, Lemon, and Garlic, with an occasional “California,” Roquefort, or simply “Special,” on the side.
The SS United States was the largest and fastest passenger liner ever built in the United States. Launched in 1952, it was billed as the most modern and luxurious ship in service on the North Atlantic. The ship had 695 staterooms located on eight of the liner’s 12 decks. It could accommodate 1,972 passengers in first, cabin, or tourist class. Three separate dining rooms served passengers traveling in each class. Some 1,011 crew were required to run the ship and serve the passengers.
date made
1950s
maker
International Silver Company
ID Number
TR.336767.120
catalog number
336767.120
accession number
1978.2219

Railroad Cap Badge, Conductor, Southern Pacific Railroad

This metal cap badge reads “CONDUCTOR” in skeleton type letters. The badge is plated and has two fastening pins or posts on the back with pin backs attached. The badge identified the wearer as a conductor on the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Description
This metal cap badge reads “CONDUCTOR” in skeleton type letters. The badge is plated and has two fastening pins or posts on the back with pin backs attached. The badge identified the wearer as a conductor on the Southern Pacific Railroad. The Southern Pacific Railroad ran throughout the southwest United States, opening in 1865 and operating until 1996 when it was taken over by the Union Pacific Railroad. The conductor was—and is today—the sole on-board supervisor of the train’s crew, responsible for the movement of the train, the safety of passengers, and the security and accounting of cargo on board.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
ID Number
TR.333723
catalog number
333723
accession number
304341

Salad Fork, SS United States

Used by passengers traveling aboard the ocean liner SS United States, this silverplate salad fork was manufactured for the United States Lines by the International Silver Co., a Connecticut company formed in 1898.
Description
Used by passengers traveling aboard the ocean liner SS United States, this silverplate salad fork was manufactured for the United States Lines by the International Silver Co., a Connecticut company formed in 1898. The Manhattan pattern features a detailed fan design on the handle, a popular pattern in the early 1950s, which is also when the United States began its transatlantic service. The phrase “U.S. Lines 52” is engraved on the back of the handle.
A survey of SS United States menus from the 1950s reveals a limited range of salads, many of them familiar standards such as heart of lettuce, sliced tomato, cole slaw, beet salad, and chef’s salad. A few offerings—chicory, watercress, or Belgian endive—may have seemed exotic to American travelers of the 1950s. The dressings available for most salads included the familiar French, Thousand Island, Lemon, and Garlic, with an occasional “California,” Roquefort, or simply “Special,” on the side.
The SS United States was the largest and fastest passenger liner ever built in the United States. Launched in 1952, it was billed as the most modern and luxurious ship in service on the North Atlantic. The ship had 695 staterooms located on eight of the liner’s 12 decks. It could accommodate 1,972 passengers in first, cabin, or tourist class. Three separate dining rooms served passengers traveling in each class. Some 1,011 crew were required to run the ship and serve the passengers.
Date made
1950s
maker
International Silver Company
ID Number
TR.336767.119
catalog number
336767.119
accession number
1978.2219

Cocktail Table, SS United States

This round aluminum-and-glass cocktail table was among the furnishings in the Duck Suite, the first-class luxury accommodations that included three upper-deck cabins aboard the ocean liner SS United States.
Description
This round aluminum-and-glass cocktail table was among the furnishings in the Duck Suite, the first-class luxury accommodations that included three upper-deck cabins aboard the ocean liner SS United States. Known as the most luxurious of the 14 first-class suites on the ship, these rooms were typically chosen by the United States’ most well-to-do passengers, from movie stars to British royalty. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, regular passengers on the rival ship Queen Mary, switched their loyalties to the United States during the mid-1950s and booked the Duck Suite, which was their favorite lodging at sea for a time.
Like all of the furniture on this flagship of the United States Line, the table was crafted of flame-resistant metal. Launched in 1952, the ship was filled with aluminum furnishings. The ship’s architect, William Francis Gibbs, designed the vessel to be as fireproof as possible, and selected aluminum for its safety and aesthetic appeal. And while the massive amounts of aluminum did make the United States one of the safest ships ever launched, the metallic, modern décor also gave it a special feel unlike any other ocean liner. Most liners were decorated with opulent wood carvings and even had working fireplaces to make passengers feel as if they were sitting in their own living room or library. However, Gibbs put aside this notion of Victorian comfort with his new interior decorating style. The United States was the epitome of 1950s and 1960s design: sleek, modern, and practical.
date made
1950s
ID Number
TR.336767.022
accession number
1978.2219
catalog number
336767.022

Upholstered Chair, SS United States

This beige upholstered chair with its deeply curved back was among the furnishings in the Duck Suite, the first-class luxury accommodations that included three upper-deck cabins aboard the ocean liner SS United States.
Description
This beige upholstered chair with its deeply curved back was among the furnishings in the Duck Suite, the first-class luxury accommodations that included three upper-deck cabins aboard the ocean liner SS United States. Known as the most luxurious of the 14 first-class suites on the ship, these rooms were typically chosen by the United States’ most well-to-do passengers, from movie stars to British royalty. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, regular passengers on the rival ship Queen Mary, switched their loyalties to the United States during the mid-1950s and booked the Duck Suite, which was their favorite lodging at sea for a time.
Like all of the furniture on this flagship of the United States Line, the chair had to be crafted of flame-resistant metal. Launched in 1952, the ship was filled with aluminum selected by the ship’s architect, William Francis Gibbs, who designed the vessel to be as fireproof as possible. And while the massive amounts of aluminum did make the United States one of the safest ships ever launched, the metallic, modern décor also gave it a special feel unlike any other ocean liner. The upholstered furniture and artwork throughout the ship added texture and color to interior spaces that epitomized 1950s and 1960s design: sleek, modern, and practical.
date made
1950s
ID Number
TR.336767.027
accession number
1978.2219
catalog number
336767.027

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