Transportation - Overview
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.
"Transportation - Overview" showing 2 items.
Dessert Plate, SS United States
- Description
- This dessert plate was used aboard the SS United States, 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. This plate was one of the 125,000 pieces of chinaware supplied to the ship by the United States Lines. The china—a pattern featuring a ring of gray stars—was produced by Lamberton Sterling, an American manufacturer.
- A survey of SS United States menus from the 1950s reveals a delectable array of choices for dessert. For luncheon on July 5, 1953, passengers might have enjoyed Lemon Chiffon or Rhubarb Pie, Chocolate Cream Puffs, Biscuit Glace, Coconut Custard Pudding, Assorted Pastries, Cream Cornets, Mixed Cookies, Strawberry Sherbet, French Crullers, and Coffee or Vanilla Ice Cream. That evening for dinner the choices were even more tantalizing: Special Parfait au Nougat, Marrons Glace, Frozen Ice Cream with Fudge Sauce, Diplomat Pudding with Melba Sauce, Champagne Sherbet, Coupe Glace St. Jacques, Biscuit Tortoni, Savarin au Rhum, Nougat Parfait, Petit Fours, Vanilla or Pistachio Ice Cream with Nabisco Wafers, Fruit Bowls, and Grapes on Ice.
- date made
- 1950s
- maker
- Lamberton Sterling
- ID Number
- TR*335565.06A
- accession number
- 1978.2219
- catalog number
- 335565.06A
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Dessert Plate, SS United States
- Description
- This dessert plate was used aboard the SS United States, 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. This plate was one of the 125,000 pieces of chinaware supplied to the ship by the United States Lines. The china—a pattern featuring a ring of gray stars—was produced by Lamberton Sterling, an American manufacturer.
- There were plenty of choices for dessert aboard the SS United States. Menus from a December 1954 voyage—the first taken by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor on an American vessel—reveal a combination of American favorites and fancy confections inspired by the French. For dinner on December 10, passengers enjoyed Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake, and Peach Melba, as well as Meringue Glace au Chocolat, Frangipan, and Petits Fours. For luncheon the next day, the choices ranged from Green Apple or Blueberry Pie to Biscuit Glace and Chocolate Éclairs.
- date made
- 1950s
- maker
- Lamberton Sterling
- ID Number
- TR*335565.06B
- accession number
- 1978.2219
- catalog number
- 335565.6b
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center