It was Sept. in 1886. The railroad is being changed from narrow to standard guage
on the Cotton Belt. General Motors used this painting in an advertisement of the
Electro-Motive Division, La Grange, Ill. One line in the ad reads "ONE MORE WAR TO
WIN, BUY MORE BONDS".
The painting depicts many facets of the RailRoad era before 1900. Steam engines such as this ran up and down the rails thru Odessa in the 1880's. Laying the tracks; the crews consisted of workers from Ireland, and China. The hours were long and the work was rough; but you got paid every month in cash. And there was always a place to spend your money for "wine, women & song" in the traveling "Hell On Wheels", box car towns that accompanied the work crews.
Photo of a "2-6-0" Woodburning steam engine. See above painting of
similiar steam engine. Photograph taken in a train museum. Another model of a later year
steam engine sits along side.
Photo of Necessary items to keep the train running.
Courtesy: General Motors Advertisement Photograph
& www.rrhistorical.com site.
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