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 4 items.
- No Image Available
Southern Iron & Equipment Company Records, 1900-1960
- Notes
- The Southern Iron & Equipment Company, a family-owned business located in Atlanta, Georgia, was a major reconditioner of locomotives in the period ca. 1900-1960. The company purchased locomotives, refurbished them, and then sold them. In addition, the company did repair and reconditioning work on behalf of various railroads
- Summary
- These records document the rebuilding of locomotives by the Southern Iron & Equipment Company. They consist of one folder of "Memorandum of Locomotive Numbers" and a number of 6" x 4" cards recording sales of rebuilt locomotives. The "Memorandum," 48 pages total, lists the locomotive, manufacturer, and buyer. The cards, alphabetically arranged by purchaser, record the type of locomotive, manufacturer, its number, and purchase price. The cards contain most complete information on the period ca. 1903-1924; after that, only the number of the locomotive was noted on the card
- Cite as
- Southern Iron & Equipment Company Records, 1900-1960, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1900
- 1900-1960
- author
- Southern Iron & Equipment Company
- donor
- Bond, Edward
- Subject
- Southern Iron & Equipment Company
- Local number
- 1990.3083 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Timken Roller Bearing Company Collection, 1925-1957
- Notes
- The Timken Roller Bearing Co., Canton, Ohio, produced its first tapered roller bearings in the 1890s. The bearings were first used in horse-drawn vehicles and later in automobiles. As automobiles improved in design, power, and endurance, Timken made improvements in its bearings to compensate. The company soon realized that the only way to ensure quality in its product was through the production of its own special alloy steel. It organized the Timken Steel & Tube Company to supply itself and other manufacturers with high-grade steel. In the late 1920s, the company entered the railroad equipment supply market with special tapered bearings for locomotives
- Summary
- Primarily technical papers by Timken engineers, presented in journals and meetings of professional societies. The papers concern the use of Timken roller bearings and other products in locomotives and other rolling stock on U.S. railroads and rapid transit systems. Also articles from trade magazines and brochures advertising Timken products, and a 1925 U.S. Bureau of Mines study of friction in mine-car wheels
- Cite as
- Timken Roller Bearing Company Collection, 1925-1927, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1925
- 1925-1927
- 1925-1957
- 20th century
- collector
- Timken Roller Bearing Company
- donor
- Pauly, Frank G
- author
- United States. Bureau of Mines
- Local number
- 1990.3162 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Baldwin Locomotive Works Scrapbooks, 1867-1929
- Notes
- The Baldwin Locomotive Works was started as a sole proprietorship by Matthias W. Baldwin in 1831. The company was the largest railroad engineering plant of its kind in the world. It is now out of business
- Summary
- Four scrapbooks containing items relating to the Baldwin Locomotive Works, including: blueprints, photographs, examples of company letterhead and blank company forms, clippings and articles, business records such as contracts and specifications, trade literature, and miscellany
- Cite as
- Baldwin Locomotive Works Scrapbooks, 1867-1929, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1867
- 1867-1929
- 20th century
- 19th century
- 1860-1930
- author
- Baldwin Locomotive Works
- collector
- Work and Industry, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Transportation, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Subject
- Baldwin, Matthias W. industrialist
- Local number
- 2009.3088 (NMAH Acc.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
- No Image Available
Baldwin Locomotive Works Engine Registers and Order Books, 1822-1956
- Notes
- The Baldwin Locomotive Works was started as a sole proprietorship by Matthias W. Baldwin in 1831. The company was the largest plant of its kind in the world. It is now out of business
- Summary
- Records of engine orders, specifications, prices and delivery (some duplicating), purchaser (usually a railroad), date of trial, engine name, construction number, class, track gauge, number of wheels, size of cylinders, number of valves, and fuel type are given. For later years, prices are given
- Cite as
- Baldwin Locomotive Works Engine Registers and Order Books, 1822-1956, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1822
- 1822-1956
- Creator
- Baldwin Locomotive Works
- collector
- Transportation, Division of, NMAH, SI
- Subject
- Baldwin, Matthias W. industrialist
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH