Question

[Hawk]

I got an email from a guy that has some photos and he's got some questions about them. Below is his email.

Hi Ed,

My name is Rob and I'm from Altoona, PA. I have an ancestry history of PRR workers but unfortunately they are all deceased now which is why I'm asking for help through your site.

My grandmother has these 4 photos of Engine 1222 from June 1888 being pieced together. We are trying to find out what these are and would there be of any value to them? They came from the Juniata shops where my grandfather worked. She told me that he said long ago to not part with these....they're valuable pieces. I can send you pictures of these if needed. Can you direct us?

thanks - Rob

Here's a second email from him replying to my request to further explain what he was asking.

What I am basically looking for ...... is to find out what these are (blueprints, shop sketches for workers, etc) and would there be of any value to them? My grandmother is wanting to get rid of them and I'm trying to help her find this information out so we have an idea of what she has and what they may be worth.

Rob

Here's the photos. Click on them to view full size.

[Chessie8638]

I suggest contacting the guy who runs Altoona Works' Website.

http://www.altoonaworks.info/

He might know something about those.


Or the PRR Historical Society: http://www.prrths.com/


To me it looks like publicity photo's promoting the Juniata Shop's forces and how quickly they can assemble a modern locomotive. The 4-4-0 'American' Type was the locomotive of the mid-late 1800's. 1888 being the case in the photos. As for price... I have no clue on that. I've never seen a set of photos like this before.

But looking on Atoona Works I have found this page: http://www.altoonaworks.info/built/ams-summary.html

Class / Numbers Built / Years / Railroads

A1 | 4 | 1886-1892 | P&E, PRR

A2 | 8 | 1885-1892 | PRR

A2a | 1 | 1892 | PRR

A3 | 69 | 1895-1903 | P&E, PFtW&C, PRR, PW&B, WJ&S

A3a | 3 | 1901-1902 | PRR

[mapitts]

I have to kind of agree with the statment above. Sort of a publicity stunt for online shippers. If I am not mistaken there was also a small depression about the same time. N&W did the same sort of things with the Roanoke shops and the IC with the Paducha Shops. As far as value goes, I have not a clue. Maybe some as for a PRR fan, but that is going out on a limb for me. It it was mine it would be worthless!

[xianggang]

I suggest he should donate them to the PRR Historical Society. Or to the museum in Lancaster, PA http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/

[mapitts]

I suggest he should donate them to the PRR Historical Society. Or to the museum in Lancaster, PA http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/

I will have to agree with that. They belong somewhere anyone can enjoy them. Worked for a railroad museum for years. I was actually doing some clean up around a head block for a switch stand. I looked down and noticed something not right in the dirt I was pulling out. Got down and found a piece of metal. I looked and noticed that it was a link of some kind with wear on the inside of each end of the link. Turned out to be a link out of a link and pin coupling. Gave it to the museum. A couple of years later we were cleaning out a ditch 1/4 mile or so up and found a pin. Neither piece was worth much, but together made a very nice donation for an illustration.