Month: March 2022
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Conversations West a big success in Colorado
CRP&A’s special one-day conference at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado, on Saturday, August 22, attracted an enthusiastic crowd of 65, who enjoyed photography and art presentations, train rides, a Traqueros exhibition, food, and of course… conversations. See event photos at the Center’s Facebook and Instagram pages at @railphotoart. Thanks to all who joined…
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Collection Tracking: Madison, Wisconsin, with John Gruber
Madison, Wisconsin, might be the only place in the world where two railroad lines cross at grade on causeways in the middle of a lake. The Badger State’s capital city is also home to the Center for Railroad Photography & Art’s offices and archives, and that’s because of John Gruber, our principal founder. Gruber (1936-2018)…
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David Kahler, 1937-2026
All of us at the Center for Railroad Photography & Art mourn the passing of David Kahler, who died on April 14, 2026 at the age of 89. He was our longest-serving board member and a visionary photographer who reminded us to pay attention to the inherent art of everyday places. David practiced architecture for…
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David Plowden, 1932-2026
We’re deeply saddened to report the passing of David Plowden, one of the giants in American photography and a friend of the CRP&A from its founding. Plowden passed away on May 4th, at age 93; memorial service plans have yet to be determined. “Getting to know David over the years ranks awfully close to the…
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Zoom program: Four decades of Northeast rail photography with Ken Karlewicz
Thanks to the nearly 150 who joined us Tuesday, May 12, for “Lure of the Rails,” an evening with Northeast photographer Ken Karlewicz. Ken developed an early appreciation for photography after receiving a Brownie Hawkeye camera from his father at age nine. His fascination with railroads began early as well, inspired by countless visits to…
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Introducing our new site
Our newly overhauled website was a two-month project that we’ve been wanting to do for the past five years. Staff members Jordan Craig and Scott Lothes will take you behind the scenes in their next blog post; in the meantime, here are some of the basics about the new site. E-commerce changes We now use…
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PBS Wisconsin program: Railroads of Madison and South Central Wisconsin
On March 19, 2026, PBS Wisconsin aired the Center’s program “Railroads of Madison and South Central Wisconsin,” a presentation by Scott Lothes about the history and development of railroads in and around the Center’s home city. At their zenith, nine railroad lines radiated out of Madison, and the program traces their arrival, development, consolidation, and…
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Spring 2026: Freedom Train, Hudson Highlands, Travels with Don, and more
Just in time for the America 250 celebration, the Spring issue of Railroad Heritage will take readers back fifty years, to a time when the American Freedom Train crossed the west … plus spectacular photography of New York’s Hudson River Valley, photographer Victor Hand’s lifelong friendship with railroad journalist Don Phillips, and more! Highlights include:…
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Zoom program: Charting the Wolverine with artist Elaine S. Wilson
In the Center’s March 2026 Zoom presentation, artist Elaine S. Wilson describes her ongoing project, Charting the Wolverine, a series of digital prints about the views from Amtrak’s Wolverine train from Michigan to Chicago. She examines the process from its inception in 2008 to its current state that features thirty-one “map-prints” and more than 200…