July Zoom program: Stories of the Kalmbach Art Collection

For over 90 years, Kalmbach Publishing Co.—and its successor Kalmbach Media—presided over a remarkable collection of original railroad art, featuring some of the most famous artists in the field, such as Gil Reid, Ted Rose, and Howard Fogg. Now this priceless collection has found its permanent home with the Center for Railroad Photography & Art. Join former Trains editor Kevin P. Keefe on Tuesday, July 22, for a program that showcases a selection of these works, sharing their fascinating backstories. It’s an expanded version of his May 16 gallery talk, presented during the opening reception of the Center’s current exhibition at the Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Grohmann Museum, which continues through August 18. Don’t miss an evening of celebrating railroad art at its finest!

Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 7:00 pm Central Time (8pm Eastern, 6pm Mountain, and 5pm Pacific)

Register here for the free program

Pictured:
Kevin Keefe, former Trains magazine editor and vice president-editorial for Kalmbach, speaks at the May 16 reception for “The Kalmbach Art Collection: Pairing Words and Imagery.” The image beside him is Only Yesterday by Ted Rose, picturing a young Trains editor David P. Morgan.

The Mohawk that Refused to Abdicate, by Larry Luser, Ink on paper, c. 1975, published on cover of book, The Mohawk that Refused to Abdicate and Other Tales, 1975. While railroad book covers of the time typically used color paintings, Luser felt that only a monochromatic cover would do for a work featuring so much outstanding black-and-white photography. He based his pen-and-ink drawing on a Phil Hastings photograph from the titular tale: New York Central 4-8-2 No. 3005 bearing down on Shelby, Ohio, “with all the implications of destiny of the Book of Revelations.”

Integral Train, by John Swatsley, Acrylic on board, c. 1965, published on the cover of Trains, March 1965. The bold notion of the “integral train”—as proposed by John Kneiling, an engineer with the Theodore J. Kauffeld consulting firm—needed an equally bold cover for the March 1965 Trains. Kalmbach artist John Swatsley rendered a futuristic and moody impression with deep blues, purples, and reds. Those colors were lost in the era’s standard cover treatment; this issue appeared near the middle of a nine-year span when the Trains budget could afford only black-and-white imagery with a red accent on its covers.

Summer 2025: Canadian streamliners, Chicago Union Station at 100, and more

Canadian streamliners, Chicago Union Station’s 100th anniversary, and Amtrak trains skirting Long Island Sound headline the latest issue of Railroad Heritage, the Center’s quarterly member magazine. Inside you’ll find:

Trans-Canadian Classics: Seventy years after their debut, Justin Franz spotlights two of North America’s most famous passenger trains, Canadian Pacific’s Canadian and Canadian National’s Super Continental, accompanied by spectacular photographs from the Center’s archive—including gems by Ronald C. Hill, Victor Hand, Jim Shaughnessy, J. Parker Lamb, Henry Posner III, and John Bjorklund.
A City of a Station: A striking black-and-white photographic essay celebrating Chicago Union Station’s centennial year featuring images from the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s. Thrill to classic scenes in and around the station, with trains from the Pennsylvania Railroad, Burlington, Milwaukee Road, Amtrak, and more. It’s headlined by in-depth portrayals by John Gruber and Wallace Abbey, with additional images by Jim Shaughnessy and Victor Hand, plus an essay by Scott Lothes.
Railroads and the Art of Place: Al Crossley takes us to southeastern Connecticut’s Rocky Neck State Park along Long Island Sound, where the trains of Amtrak and Connecticut DOT pass through a beautiful, tranquil shoreline beloved by beachgoers, joggers, wildlife—and railfans.
In her “Out of the Archives” column, Adrienne Evans dives into the latest addition to the John Gruber Collection: 228 19th century photographs made by traveling railcar studios that brought photography to the masses along the nascent U.S. rail network between 1858 through 1920.
Conversations 2025: Coverage of this year’s annual conference and its amazing presentations, with plenty of photos from the May 16-18 weekend.
The Extra Ingredient—People: Inga Velten interviews rail preservationist, art collector, and Center supporter John Atherton.
The Kalmbach Art Collection exhibition in Milwaukee, a tribute to the late J. Parker Lamb, and new staff member Shelby Shull … plus more news.

Become a Center member today to get four issues a year!

Member-exclusive program: John Gruber’s rolling studios collection

Join us for our next members-only webinar, focused on the latest addition to the John Gruber Collection: portraits and stereographs produced in specially equipped rail photo cars that traveled the burgeoning U.S. railroad system during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Fascinated for decades by what he called “rolling studios,” CRP&A founder John Gruber researched and published multiple times about the topic, and amassed more than 200 period examples of rail photo car photography during his life. After processing Gruber’s collected images, and researching the photo cars as well as their operators, collections team members Adrienne Evans and Jordan Craig are ready to share insights into these nomadic photographers of the railroad and the mediums with which they worked. You won’t want to miss this webinar – register today!

Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 7:00 pm Central Time (8pm Eastern, 6pm Mountain, and 5pm Pacific)

This program was recorded and will be made available to CRP&A members. Please email info(a)railphoto-art.org.

Not a Center member, or haven’t yet renewed? Visit our website at this link. Your support makes our work possible!

Group portrait featuring a horse-drawn sleigh loaded with several men standing on the platform, bundled in winter coats and hats, in front of a railway car marked “J. A. Ennors [Palace Car]” and advertising “Photos and Views” on its side. From the John Gruber Collection, Gruber-SC-02-42-01.

A portrait of three young children standing against a plain backdrop on a patterned carpet. Mount text transcription: “Hutchins, Railroad Photo. Car.” From the John Gruber Collection, Gruber-SC-02-36-02.

Winter 2025: Western Maryland, Chicago’s Field Museum, John Signor, and more

The Winter 2025 issue of Railroad Heritage, our quarterly magazine, is filled with plenty of gifts just in time for the holidays. Inside you’ll find inspiring photography, art, and stories:

A stunning photo essay by Roger Cook and Karl Zimmermann about their 1970s Western Maryland experiences in Williamsport, Maryland;
The surprising connections between railroads and Chicago’s Field Museum, examined by Fred Ash, illustrated by historic photography and beautiful color Illinois Central posters;
Archivist Heather Sonntag interviews John Signor, artist, railroader, and author of western railroading books such as Tehachapi, Donner Pass, and more, and we include eight of his great oil paintings;
The winning images of the 2024 John E. Gruber Creative Photography Awards;
Learn about requesting images from the Center in the “Out of the Archives” column by director of archives & collections Adrienne Evans and reference & processing archivist Gil Taylor;
The 60th anniversary of Japan’s bullet trains, with photos by Victor Hand;
News of exhibitions and events – we’ve already planned several Zoom topics for 2025!

Member-exclusive program: CRP&A Collections Update

Join us Tuesday, December 17, for this members-only presentation! Executive director Scott Lothes will provide an update on the changes we’re making to the Center’s photography collections policy, which will shape future accessions. He’ll share results and takeaways from the recent members survey about our collections work, as well as next steps for 2025.

And of course, we’ll illustrate the program with favorite images from several collections, as well as a few newly processed images.

Registration is CLOSED. If you’re a Center member, email info(a)railphoto-art.org to receive a recorded copy of the presentation later this month.

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

7:00 PM (U.S. Central Time), on Zoom; 5 pm PT / 6 pm MT / 8 pm ET

If you’re not a member, please join today to support our preservation work and receive our quarterly magazine Railroad Heritage, plus access to our members-only Zoom programs.

Western Maryland F7 64 leads an eastbound at Helmstetter’s Curve in Cumberland, Md., on March 23, 1975. Photo by John F. Bjorklund, Bjorklund-92-07-04.

Pennsylvania Railroad 4-6-2 5497 leads an eastbound out of Chicago at 21st Street Tower in October 1950. Photograph by Wallace W. Abbey, Abbey-01-130-05.