[Railroads]

[Three Large Cyanotypes of a Railroad Bridge Across the Missouri River Near Council Bluffs, Iowa, for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad]

[Iowa: ca. 1900]. Four cyanotypes (one duplicative), 10.5 x 13.5 inches. Light wear and soiling, heavier to third image. Manuscript notation to verso of one image. Slight toning. Very good. Item #1339

Three large cyanotype photographs depicting a railroad trestle near Council Bluffs, Iowa, belonging to the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. Per a notation on the verso of one photograph, the bridge was "designed and built" by Julius Flagler (1854-1935) who began working for the railroad in the mid-1880s through the early 20th-century. These images are unusually large for cyanotypes and have good definition of the images. One photo is present here in duplicate, taken from the bank of the river below and depicting the bridge with a train passing over. A man can be seen perched on the top of one of the cars. The second of the two images shows the bridge from a slightly different angle without a train, and a third is taken at track-level facing the oncoming engine. A nice visual record of the structure, which was built with three sections of large steel column supports along the riverbed and a series of large wooden posts supporting the track as it ascended each bank.

Price: $450.00