LibGuides: Railroad Records Research: Pictures & Plans

Railroad Records Research: Architectural Drawings, Blueprints, & Plans

Additional architectural drawings can be found by searching the library catalog for the subject keywords Railroads and Architectural drawings (visual works).

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Corporate Records, 1855-1983 (bulk 1901-1970).
Architectural drawings and station plats for stations throughout the midwest. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company (CB & Q) was jointly owned by the Great Northern Railway Company and the Northern Pacific Railway Company.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.). Engineering Department. Drawings of structures, 1882-1964.
Architectural drawings of depots, engine houses, and other shop buildings, water tanks and other storage facilities, railroad worker housing, and miscellaneous structures. The drawings were created or compiled by the Great Northern administrative unit responsible for designing, constructing, and maintaining roadways and structures.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.). Engineering Department Records, 1882-1970
Architectural drawings include elevations, cross-sections, floor plans, and details of depots, engine houses and other shop buildings, water tanks and other storage buildings, railroad workers' housing and miscellaneous structures. There are also drawings of passenger and freight depots, shelter stations, immigration buildings, remodeling plans, freight houses, platforms, and facilities for cattle, sheep, and fruit. Shop structures include engine houses, wheelhouses, powerhouses, and scrap bins. Storage buildings include structures for storing supplies and equipment: coaling facilities; tanks for water, oil, and gasoline; buildings for sand and ice; root cellars; and storehouses for tools, hand cars, hoses, and storm sash. Workers' housing includes section houses, section foremen's houses, bunkhouses, cottages, and offices.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Northern Pacific Engineering Department Records, 1867-1970
The Engineering Department's records on the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings, bridges, yard facilities, and other structures; and on the acquisition and maintenance of equipment and supplies. Standard plans include architectural and engineering drawings for the common types of structures and equipment built by the Northern Pacific.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Northern Pacific Railway Company. Mechanical Department Records, 1880s-1969
Contains a series of architectural drawings of bridges, tunnels, grade separations, turntables, and miscellaneous on the Northern Pacific line. These drawings have been arranged by type (bridge, tunnel, etc.). Also included at the end of this series is a group of mixed drawings from Northern Pacific branch lines and/or other lines.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Northern Pacific Railway Company. Valuation Engineer's Records, 1882-1991
Architectural drawings (1882-1919), station plat maps (1917), track profile drawings (1917).
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Saint Paul Union Depot Company Records, 1879-1985.
These records include architectural and engineering drawings (1889-1954), as well as an extensive set of linen tracings, document the construction and modification of the Saint Paul Union Depot building.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Railroad Records Research: Technical Drawings

Additional technical drawings can be found by searching the library catalog for the subject keywords Technical drawings and a term for what you are looking for, such as Locomotives or Rolling stock.

Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.). Mechanical Department Records, 1879-1969
Drawings of steam locomotives and other rolling stock (about 26,000 drawings, circa 1900-1960s), including drawings of parts and components in addition to erecting drawings, depict all classes of equipment operated by the railroad. Diagram books contain small-format drawings and specification sheets for most of the same equipment.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Northern Pacific Railway Company. Mechanical Department Records, 1880s-1969
Drawings of steam and diesel locomotives and other rolling stock (circa 20,000 items), including drawings of parts and components in addition to erecting drawings, depict all classes of equipment operated by the railroad from the 1880s on. The drawings are supplemented by small-format diagrams, with specification sheets. Photographs of steam locomotives (1916-1917) and freight cars (1923-1966) depict many pieces of equipment.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Twin City Rapid Transit Company Corporate Records, 1872-2001 (bulk 1890-1965)
The mechanical drawings are in the records of the Mechanical Department and include drawings of stations, shops, boats, cars, and car components such as whistles, brakes, couplers, drawbars, lights, motors, steps, signs, and fare boxes, among many others.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Railroad Records Research: Photographs

Search Collections Online for digitized photographs. Additional photographs may be found by searching the library catalog for the subject keywords Railroads -- Photographs.

Building Soo Line under Jessamine St. to Cardigan Jct., ca. 1900

16 sepia views of the construction of railroad tracks on the east side of St. Paul, Minn. and two views of a train wreck.
MNHS Call Number: Photograph Album 179. View digitized album in collection finding aid.

Frank Henry Davis Photograph Album, 1897-1908.

Album compiled by Great Northern railroad payroll clerk Frank Henry Davis. Includes many views of engines, the railroad tracks and bridges, railroad employees, and sites and scenery along the route in Minnesota, Montana, and Washington. Also includes snapshots of family and pets, and views of outdoor recreation, picnics, organized sports, damage from the August 1904 tornado, and homes and other buildings. Many of the photographs are not labeled.
MNHS Call Number: Photograph Album 310

Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.). Advertising and Publicity Department records, 1884-1973.
In addition to numerous images of people and scenery in the Western U.S., this record set includes photographs of station interiors, locomotive repairs, engines, and train car interiors.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.). Engineering Department records, 1882-1970.
Plans and photographs of select depots from Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, and Washington.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Joe Elliott photograph collection, 1970-1972.
40 black and white photographs by Joseph E.B. Elliott depicting railroad depots and employees.
MNHS Call Number: I.458

Northern Pacific Railway Company. Advertising and Publicity Department Records, 1875-1970.
Photographs in the photograph files are mostly view of Western U.S. scenery, but there are also many pictures of engines, dining cars, passengers, and Northern Pacific employees.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Northern Pacific Locomotives
176 black and white views of Northern Pacific locomotives and trains, train collisions, railroad trestles, and shops, yards, and turntables.
MNHS Call Number: I.14

Northern Pacific Railway Company. Mechanical Department Records, 1880s-1969.
Photographs of steam locomotives (1916-1917) and freight cars (1923-1966).
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Railroad Transportation Photographs
Approximately 195 black and white views by Helmut Kroening of locomotives, trains, depots and railroad structures, mostly in and around St. Paul, Minn.
MNHS Call number: Photograph Album 127. View digitized album in collection finding aid.

Soo Line Railroad Company records, 1855-1994.
This collection contains photographs kept by the Soo Line Public Relations and Traffic Operations and Maintenance Departments.
MNHS Call Number: Digital Finding Aid

Research Options

Visit the MNHS Library
Original materials, records, and newspapers on microfilm are available on site and reference staff can help with research.
MNHS Research Services
Order copies of records, articles, or other specific materials from the MNHS collections.
Interlibrary Loan
MNHS loans out most microfilm materials. Contact your local library for more information and assistance with this service.
Online Research
Some items such as newspapers, articles, photos and objects are available online. Look for links within this guide.
Other Libraries
Many books listed in the Secondary Sources page can be borrowed from other libraries.