What this blog is about

I have a strong interest in the history of the Great Northern Railway. My plan is to use this blog as a platform to share information about that history. There are thousands of possibilities, especially when served up in “bite-sized” portions.

I’ve been collecting Great Northern Railway artifacts and memorabilia for over forty years. I do have a few areas of this history that are particularly intriguing to me, and that focus is reflected in both the types of things I’ve collected and in the subjects I have elected to learn more about.

One thing you will notice quickly as you see the things I post is that I have very little interest in or knowledge of the actual railroad operations. To many, that must seem pretty odd. But right from the start I was drawn in more to the aspects of advertising and human interest. I’m one of those people, kind of like George Bailey in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” who thinks the three most exciting sounds include train whistles. They represent the opportunity to travel somewhere and have great experiences.

George Bailey: [George hears a train whistle] “There she blows. You know what the three most exciting sounds in the world are?”

 Uncle Billy: “Uh huh. Breakfast is served; lunch is served; dinner... ”

George Bailey: “No no no no. Anchor chains, plane motors and train whistles.”

Here's a web site with a bunch of information about the locale where that train station scene was filmed back in 1946: http://www.iamnotastalker.com/2010/12/24/the-its-a-wonderful-life-train-station/ 

Over the years, I have gravitated to the following topics: the promotion of Glacier National Park; Great Northern passenger train service (mostly the promotion thereof); advertising art of the Great Northern (especially the Blackfeet Indian portraits of Winold Reiss); the origin of place names attributable to the Great Northern Railway; and the topic that has really grabbed ahold of me the past 8-10 years, the GN’s radio advertising campaign called “Empire Builders.” At least through summer of 2016, most of my blogging will be focused on the Empire Builders story. You can find my blog devoted to that topic here:  http://empire-builders-radio.blogspot.com/

 

 

My efforts with this blog are driven by two significant factors: the time I can find to devote to this; and my degree of interest in a topic (ultimately, I will do whatever I find enjoyable).

Is there a particular topic of Great Northern Railway history that you want to know more about? Shoot me an email and let me know.

I might very well use your ideas or questions as a topic of a future blog essay.

Did you have a relative who worked for the GN? Please share their story.

~ WANTED ~



My collection of GN artifacts is fairly extensive, but there are certain items that I’m always on the lookout for. Please contact me if you have any of the following items that you are interested in parting with, or would be willing to photograph or scan for me (as appropriate):

·        Anything related to the Empire Builders radio series, but particularly the following:

o   Copies of original scripts (“continuities”)

o   Tickets or other passes issued to attend a live broadcast at the NBC studios in NYC or Chicago

o   Vintage press photos showing the performers and/or technicians

o   Vintage press photos of the “Old Timer’s Tour” of Glacier Park in July, 1931

o   Actual off-the-air recordings (on original aluminum discs)

·        Early copies of the Great Northern “Goat” magazine, from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s 

·        The Great Northern Railway “Semaphore” magazine dated July, 1924 or September, 1925