Railfanning, 1950's style. The Switchtender, dressed in his street shoes, tolerant but nonplussed by the photographer and his friend, the late Bill Rosenberg of Long Island City, N.Y., on the left. This switchtender also doubled as a flagman at the road crossing here. Inside the shanty, Canada Dry bottles are seen, Detroit's second favorite ginger ale, Vernors was #1. The latest pinup calendar might be considered "hostile" in today's workplace. By the way, is that Marilyn Monroe? This was all a part of a 2-week railfanning safari that included stops in Columbus, OH., then Chicagoland, back east to Detroit/Windsor, then again to Columbus before heading home to NJ. Among the photographic catch: ATSF, PRR, B&O, GTW, N&W, CP, & CN steam, plus first gen. diesel, street running interrubans. Maybe that is why Mr. Rosenberg has a happy face. All this traveling by bus in the days before fast food, carrying little more than the clothes on your back, a few timetables, and all the rolls of film you can cram in the bag.
