I'd like to scratch build a model of the Pullman depot as it was about 1951. I have some not very good photos that are too late and too early and I have some measurements from sources that don't seem to agree in all aspects. Does anyone have any photos they wouldn't mind sharing from the 1940's or 1950's. I especially need to see what the back of the depot looked like at the time. To be clear, I do have enough material now to sort of "fake it" but it would be nice to have enough to do it accurately. I'm pretty sure I can use a little photogrammetry to sort out the measurements as long as I can find the right photos. Any photos of other structures near this at the time would also be of interest. The coaling tower for example or the UP depot that was a stones throw away etc. Mark C.
Have you checked the GN-NP Archive? They have photos and blueprints. Perhaps there is something on Pullman there? http://www.gn-npjointarchive.org/_layouts/15/start.aspx#/default.aspx
Thanks for the reply. Yes the GN-NP Archive was one of my first stops. I did find some early diagrams there. Not everything on them is readable but they are definitely good enough to be useful. I have also checked the NPRHA website and found only 2 nearly identical photos of the one corner of the building that I already have reasonable photos of, so those won't be much use. I've combed through books, magazines etc, and searched the internet pretty thoroughly. I've come up with a few scraps here and there and could build something from what I have but am just looking for a bit more detail. There are various archives that may have something but that would in most cases involve paying research fees that I simply can't afford or justify for a modelling project. I posted my original query here on the forum on the off chance that someone out there may have a collection of photos that has something in it of use that they would be willing to plop onto a scanner and share. Failing that or some other lead that proves useful I may have to simply go with what I've got. I'm not in a hurry to start building it right away so I'll wait and see what else turns up for now, but sooner or later I'll just build it with whatever info I have.
Update: I had honestly forgotten that when I had grabbed the diagrams from the joint archive, the site was having problems and I had not gotten all of them. I was back there for something else the other day and chanced to look at the Pullman depot again. There were several other files I had not got the first time around and this time they were downloadable. So it looks like I had a bit more detail than I had thought when I first posted about this. I have not found anything more for photos and would stilll be interested in seeing whatever someone might stumble across but I think I could build it from what I have now. Additional detail would always be good to have though, along with any of the other structures that were around the depot in the late 40's early 50's. I'm in the midst of corresponding with someone regarding photos for a bridge project and will likely build it first, so I'll hold off a bit longer on the depot project. Maybe something further will come along while I work on the bridge. I'll take some photos of that while I'm working on it and share the results on the forum when I get far enough along.
I keep thinking that NPRHA did an article on Pullman, or the P&L or both. One of these days need to dig through my Mainstreeter issues.
Yes BoxcabE50, they did stories on the P&L twice that I know of. I don't recall which issues but I have one of them. I have not seen the other one. I guess I should check through my things and figure out which one I have and find out what is the issue I haven't seen yet. Thanks for reminding me. There was also an article in Model Railroader back in the 70's. I have that here someplace. These sources have not been any help as far as providing details for building that depot but they certainly have been useful for learning more about the P&L generally.
