Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title Robert G. Pflaum Slide Collection Creator
Pflaum, Robert G.
Collection Number AIS.2010.01 Extent
2.5 Linear Feet
Date 1910-2000 Date 1970-1985 Abstract The Robert G. Pflaum Slide Collection documents railroads and streetcar transit systems and includes 35 mm slides and manuscript material in the form of maps, news articles, and ephemera. While there is a focus on Pittsburgh, content documenting railroads or streetcars can be found for Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, and Michigan. Digital reproductions of the collection are available online . Language
English
. Author Karen Dettloff and Miriam Meislik. Publisher ULS Archives & Special Collections Address University of Pittsburgh Library Systemhttp://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright
The University of Pittsburgh holds the property rights to the material in this collection, but the copyright may still be held by the original creator/author. Researchers are therefore advised to follow the regulations set forth in the U.S. Copyright Code when publishing, quoting, or reproducing material from this collection without the consent of the creator/author or that go beyond what is allowed by fair use.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Robert G. Pflaum in February 2010.
Previous Citation
Robert G. Pflaum Slide Collection, 1910-2000, AIS.2010.01, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
Preferred Citation
Robert G. Pflaum Slide Collection, 1910-2000, AIS.2010.01, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Scope and Content Notes The Robert G. Pflaum Slide Collection includes 35 mm slides and manuscript material in the form of maps, news articles, and ephemera. Titles of files have been left as created by the donor. Inventories created by Pflaum are available to some slide files.
The collection documents railroads and streetcar transit systems. While there is a focus on Pittsburgh, content documenting railroads or streetcars can be found for Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, Michigan, and Canada. Even though Pflaum was an avid rail and streetcar photographer, he like many rail fans, purchased collections of slides for his own reference. The original photographer is noted where known.
Several abbreviations can be found in the collection. These abbreviations and their meanings are as follows: PCC
(President's Conference Committee), D & RGW (Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad), C & S (Colorado and Southern Railroad), B & O (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad), and M & NF (Moorehead and North Fork Railroad).
Arrangement
Pflaum had several arrangements for this collection. Items may be found grouped by manufacturer, such as GE; by rail line, such as Pennsylvania or New York Central; or by specific car type, such as PCC trolley cars. He was also known to occasionally group them by time period as well. The collection was originally organized into slide presentation trays that appeared to follow a subject and date order, which has been maintained.
Series I. Slide Presentations, 1900-2000
Series II. Manuscript Materials, 1910-1990
Biography
Robert G. Pflaum was born November 9, 1938 to Robert H. and Mabel Becker Pflaum in Pittsburgh, Pa. Pflaum's life-long fascination with streetcars began at an early age. According to his son, Pflaum, "as a very young boy, once took a trolley token from a dish in his grandparents' living room, boarded the first trolley that passed by, and rode that trolley all day long until it returned in front of the house later that day where his grandfather met him at the curb and walked him home."
Pflaum also lived in Denver, Chicago, and Columbus as the family followed his father's career as a regional salesman, but often returned to Pittsburgh in the summers. He purchased a hobby shop in Columbus which he ran for 43 years, returning to Pittsburgh on weekends to ride and to photograph streetcars. Robert G. Pflaum died on May 9, 2007.
Existence and Location of Copies
Digital reproductions of the collection are available electronically at http://historicpittsburgh.org/collection/robert-g-pflaum-photograph-collection .
Subjects Corporate Names Pittsburgh Railways Company Geographic Names Fells Point (Baltimore, Md.) Michigan Colorado New York (N.Y.) Altoona (Pa.) Pittsburgh (Pa.) Baltimore (Md.) Cass (W. Va.) Genres Articles Maps Slides (Photographs) Other Subjects Cable cars (Streetcars) -- United States -- Photographs Electric railroads -- Cars -- United States -- Photographs Street-railroads -- United States -- Photographs Transportation -- United States -- Photographs Business and Industry Container List Series I. Slides , 1939-1986 Scope and Content Notes This series contains 35mm slides and select inventories created by Pflaum which accompanies the collection. Subjects include views of trains, stations, Pittsburgh Transit system, and streetcars. Also included are various views of Colorado, New York City, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, and Western Maryland. The majority of images in the collection were taken by Pflaum. Other images were collected by Pflaum and are generally labeled with the photographer's name somewhere on the mount. Slides have been numbered so that their original order could be maintained. Digital reproductions of selected slides from the collection are available online .
Inventories for Box 1 Containers box 1 , folder 1 Scope and Content Notes This folder contains Pflaum's original inventory to the slides in box 1.
PCC Vol. I Containers box 1 , tray 1 Extent 100 slides
Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of street cars from Baltimore, Maryland (Baltimore Transit); Birmingham, Alabama; Cleveland, Ohio (Cleveland Transit); Boston, Maine; Brooklyn, New York ( Brooklyn & Queens Transit); Chicago, Illinois (C.T.A.); Cincinnati, Dallas, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; El Paso, Texas (El Paso City Lines); Johnstown, Pennsylvania (Johnstown Traction Company); Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles M.T.A.); and Kansas City, Kansas (Kansas City Public Service).
PCC Vol. II Containers box 1 , tray 2 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of street cars from Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles M.T. A., Pacific Electric); Louisville, Kentucky (PCC); Montreal, Canada; Newark, New Jersey (Newark C.P.T.); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Suburban Transit Co., Septa); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Port Authority Transit); San Diego, California (S.D.E.R.); San Francisco, California (S.F.M.); Shaker Heights, Ohio (Shaker Heights Rapid Transit); and Toronto, Canada; Unidentified Locations (Leonard's Subway and Public Service Coor. Trans.).
PCC Vol. III , 1946-1977 Containers box 1 , tray 3 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains view of street cars from Toronto, Canada; Quebec, Canada (Montreal PCC); Minneapolis, Minnesota; Washington D.C. (D.C. Transit); Melbourne, Florida; Mexico City, Mexico; Tampico, Florida; Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh; Los Angeles, California (Pacific Electric); Chicago, Illinois (Chicago PCC); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SEPTA); El Paso, Texas; Kansas City, Kansas; and various others.
PCC Vol. IV Containers box 1 , tray 4 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of street cars from El Paso, Texas; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Newark, New Jersey; Brooklyn, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Port Authority Transit); Boston, Massachusetts (MBTA, Riverside Station); San Francisco, California (SFMR); Chicago, Illinois (Chicago PCC); Washington, DC (D.C. Transit).
PGH PCC (a) Containers box 1 , tray 5 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of street cars from the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Arlington, Downtown, Mount Washington, Oakland, Wilkinsburg, Bellview, Westview, South Hills Junction; Southside; Dormont, Beltzhoover, and Squirrel Hill.
PGH II PCC Containers box 1 , tray 6 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of street cars from the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Dormont, South Hills, Beltzhoover, East Liberty, Mt. Washington.
Inventories for Box 2 Containers box 2 , folder 1 Scope and Content Notes This folder contains Pflaum's original inventory to the slides in box 2.
Western Maryland Containers box 2 , tray 1 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of trains in Eastern United States (Norfolk Southern); Chicago, Illinois (Chicago Aurora & Elgin); unidentified locations (Chessie System, Western Maryland R.R., Cambria & Indiana Railroad).
Kindig; C&S; D & RGW Monarch; D & RGW Silverton , 1939-1940 Containers box 2 , tray 2 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains images of the Colorado Southern and were taken by Richard Kindig.
West Side; Rayonier Photographed by Mac Owen Containers box 2 , tray 3 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains 14 images of Rayonier's Trains that were photographed by Mac Owen. The remaining images are located in El Dorado County, California (Diamond & Caldor R.R. trains).
B & O Containers box 2 , tray 4 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of train cars from Ohio (Toledo Lake Erie & Western R.R.) and unidentified locations (Penn Central, Pullman Standard, Norfolk & Western, B & O, C & O).
Colo #1 Containers box 2 , tray 5 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of trains and train cars from the Rio Grande, a shop car, and Durango & Silverton.
Colo #3 Containers box 2 , tray 6 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of trains and train cars of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Denver & Rio Grande (D & RGW).
Inventories for Box 3 Containers box 3 , folder 1 Scope and Content Notes This folder contains Pflaum's original inventory to the slides in box 3.
Horseshoe Curve; Cass; PGH Containers box 3 , tray 1 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of train cars from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Allegheny); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Altoona, Pennsylvania; Ludington, Michigan; and Cass, West Virginia (Cass Scenic R.R.); Peninsula, Ohio (Cuyahoga Valley Line); Lima, Ohio (LIMA Locomotive Works Incorporated); unidentified location (Heisler, Penn Central, Conrail).
D & RGW/Colorado Containers box 3 , tray 2 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of trains and train cars from Horseshoe Curve, PA; Englishtown, N.J.; South Amboy, N.J.; Elkland, Pennsylvania; Altoona, Pennsylvania; El Dorado, Arkansas.(El Dorado & Wesson Railroad); Crossett, Arkansas; Charlestown, New Hampshire; and Nashville, Arkansas; Baltimore, Maryland (Baltimore & Ohio); Roanoke, Virginia (Norfolk & Western); Golden, Colorado (Golden City & San Juan); Durango, Colorado (Denver & Rio Grande Southern);Pennsylvania, New York (Wellsville, Addison and Galeton Railroad); Champaign, Illinois (Illinois Terminal); unidentified locations (Uintah Railway, Southern, DL & G, Florence & Cripple Creek, D.L.S.W.R.R, Wellsville, Springfield Terminal, Colorado & Southern, D & RGW, Mississippi Central).
Narrow Gauge Train & Rio Grande Train Containers box 3 , tray 3 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of trains from Colorado (Narrow Gauge Railroad, Rio Grande Railroad).
Assortment of trains and cities Containers box 3 , tray 4 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of trains from South Hills Village, the Chicago South Shoreland, the Milwaukee Road car, and a Durham & Southern Train.
Galena Brick & W. VA Containers box 3 , tray 5 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of train cars from Galena, Ohio; Colliers, West Virginia; Weirton, West Virginia; Cumberland, Maryland; Xenia, Ohio; Rowlesburg, West Virginia; Widen, West Virginia; Christiansburg, Virginia; Grafton, West Virginia; and Marion, Ohio; Unidentified locations (Southern Railway, Conrail, Amtrak, Penn Central, Santa Fe, Lehigh Valley and B&O).
Areas of West Virginia Containers box 3 , tray 6 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of train cars and surrounding landscape from Ellamore, West Virginia; New River Gorge, West Virginia; Ronceverte, West Virginia; Greenbriar River, West Virginia; Marlinton, West Virginia; White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia; Cotton Hill, West Virginia; Swandole, West Virginia; Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; Cumberland, Maryland (Turbo Train); Parkersburg, West Virginia; and Shay, West Virginia; unidentified locations (B & O, Turbo Train, Amtrak, Cass Scenic Railroad).
Inventories for Box 4 Containers box 4 , folder 1 Scope and Content Notes This folder contains Pflaum's original inventory to the slides in box 4.
Michigan/NW./Stations Containers box 4 , tray 1 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of train cars and surrounding landscape from Morrow, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Mogadure, Ohio; Delaware, Ohio; Wellston, Ohio; Canal Winchester, Ohio; New Lexington, Ohio; Jackson, Ohio; Ridgely, West Virginia; Uniontown, Pennsylvania; Connellsville, Pennsylvania; Island Airlines; Whimpy's Hamburgers in Dayton; Parsons, West Virginia (Western Maryland Depot); Lima, Ohio (DT &I Station); unidentified locations (Cadillac & Lake City Railway, Northern Pacific, D & RGW, Western Maryland, Chessie System, B&O, Southern, Hacking Valley Station and Pennsylvania Railroad).
Ohio River & Western Containers box 4 , tray 2 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of stations, buildings, tunnels, trains and train cars from Herlans, Ohio; Cumberland, Ohio; Alledonia, Ohio; Jacobsburg, Ohio; Bellaire, Ohio; New Lexington, Ohio; Perryopolis, Pennsylvania (Perryopolis Tunnel); Spraat, Ohio; Barnsville, Ohio; Lewisville, Ohio; and Ozark, Ohio; unidentified locations (Burkart Station, Moxahala Tunnel, DT & I Tunnel, OR & W Depot, Kirkbridge Farm, B & O, C & MV Tunnel).
Pittsburgh and Assortments of Trains Containers box 4 , tray 3 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of scenery, street cars and trains from Pittsburgh. Some of the street cars, trains and train cars that can be found are Allegheny, Nickel Rate Road, Conrail, Chessie System, Whitewater Valley, Fort Wayne Railroad, Penn Central, Family Line System, and Port Authority.
Cass & Shay, WV Containers box 4 , tray 4 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of scenery, street cars, and trains from Pittsburgh. These represent equipment from Allegheny, Nickel Rate Road, Conrail, Chessie System, Whitewater Valley, Fort Wayne Railroad, Penn Central, Family Line System, and the Port Authority of Allegheny County.
Fells Point, Baltimore Containers box 4 , tray 5 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of street cars and the neighborhoods in Fells Point, Baltimore.
PGH Containers box 4 , tray 6 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of street cars featuring the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Beltzhoover and surrounding communities of Mt. Lebanon, Castle Shannon, and the South Hills.
Inventories for Box 5 Containers box 5 , folder 1 Scope and Content Notes This folder contains Pflaum's original inventory to the slides in box 5.
Meadow River; Cass Equipment; Junction City Mill Containers box 5 , tray 1 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains images from Rainelle, West Virginia; Cass, West Virginia (Cass shops); Junction City, Ohio; an unidentified location and subjects including Heisler, a Meadow River Camp car, a Meadow River caboose, coal docks, a lumber mill, and Mower Lumber.
Freedom Train Containers box 5 , tray 2 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains images of train cars in Ashely, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Crystal Lake, Illinois; and Circleville, Columbus; as well unidentified locations and subjects including American Freedom Train, Southern Pacific, N&W, and Alabama Boat Builders.
NY Trip & RR , 1995 Containers box 5 , tray 3 Scope and Content Notes These images were taken during a trip by Robert G. Pflaum. This tray contains images of warehouses and tracks in New York City, South Brooklyn Railway (S.B.K.), NYCH RR, Garages, Army Depot, Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal (BEDT). Locations that have been identified in this tray are Brooklyn, NY; and New York Cross Harbor.
NYC Trip , 1996 Containers box 5 , tray 4 Scope and Content Notes This tray of images were taken by Robert G. Pflaum during a trip to New York. Images were taken of Hoboken Station; floats and ferrys; the Statue of Liberty; the Brooklyn Bridge; warehouses, and Hell Gate Bridge. The locations identified are Manhattan, Hoboken, Long Island, Staten Island, Ellis Island, Brooklyn, and Hudson Bay.
Fells Point; Mt. Claire; M & N.F Containers box 5 , tray 5 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of buildings, trains and train cars from Gore, Virginia; Morehead, Kentucky; Baltimore, Maryland (B&O Museum); unidentified locations (Winchester & Western Rail Car, Durham & Southern, and Morehead & Morgan Fork).
Topical Images Containers box 5 , tray 6 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of equipment, suspended foot bridges, riverboats, signs, a car ferry, a towboat, a steel mill, tracks, and stations from Wheeling, West Virginia; Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Ellamore, West Virginia; Marietta, Ohio; Fly, Ohio; Brilliant, Ohio; Portsmouth, Ohio; Norristown, Pennsylvania; Decatur, Indiana; and Horseshoe Curve, Pennsylvania; as well as unidentified locations showing a Pennsylvania Railroad station and an El Station.
Inventories for Box 6 Containers box 6 , folder 1 Scope and Content Notes This folder contains Pflaum's original inventory to the slides in box 6.
Narrow Gauge Containers box 6 , tray 1 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of trains and buildings including the Sumpter Valley Facilities, Sumpter Valley Railroad, and the West Side Rail Road.
Pittsburgh PCC Containers box 6 , tray 2 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains view of street cars from the Pittsburgh neighborhoods and surrounding communities including Downtown, Polish Hill, the South Hills, Mt. Lebanon, and Allentown.
Small Mixed Boxes 1-5 Containers box 6 , tray 3 Scope and Content Notes Views of trains included in this tray represent Norfolk & Western, Baltimore & Ohio, Western Maryland, and Meadow River Camp cars.
Small Trays #1-5 Containers box 6 , tray 4 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of trains and airplanes in unidentified locations representing the New York Central Railroad; Nickel Rate Road; an NC & SL car, and Island Airline.
Small Trays #6-10 Containers box 6 , tray 5 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of trains and street cars from Carver, Maryland (Edaville R.R); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Street Car); Cleveland, Ohio; Baltimore, Maryland; Frankford Junction, Pennsylvania; and unidentified locations that include equipment from the Beebe River Railroad, a Wiscasset & Quebec train car, Edaville Railroad, Norfolk & Western, Fourth Street Elevator, Western Maryland; Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and the Cass Scenic Railroad.
Small Trays #11 Containers box 6 , tray 6 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad with the majority of views being unidentifiable.
Inventories for Box 7 Containers box 7 , folder 1 Scope and Content Notes This folder contains Pflaum's original inventory to the slides in box 7.
PGH(b) PCC Containers box 7 , tray 1 Scope and Content Notes This tray contains views of street cars from the Pittsburgh neighborhoods and surrounding communities. Street cars represent the areas of the South Hills, Downtown, Mt. Lebanon, Castle Shannon, Dormont, Fineview, and Mt. Washington. They include the following routes: Smithfield-Carson, Broadway-La Salle, Grant-6, South Hills Junction, Library P-R-W (Pittsburgh Railways), Smithfield-P&LE TFR (Transfer); Arlington Avenue, Fourth Avenue- Grant, Forbes-Grant, Arlington-McArdle, Smithfield-Ft. Pitt, Mt. Lebanon Loop, Suburban-Alton, Washington-Church, Smithfield & Liberty, Liberty Avenue, Castle Shannon, Dormont, 6th Street Bridge, Smithfield Street, Mt. Washington, Avalon Loop, Henderson Street, Fineview, Wood Street, Smithfield Street Bridge, Arden, Pennsylvania, and Westview, Pennsylvania.
Series II. Manuscript Materials , 1910-1986 Scope and Content Notes This series contains train route maps of Ohio and other routes throughout the eastern United States. Also included is a cause of delay form dated 1910, several news articles and additional inventories to slides that appear to be missing from the collection.
Train Route Maps Containers box 8 , folder 1 Inventories for Missing Slides Containers box 8 , folder 2 Scope and Content Notes Inventories for slides that appear to be missing.
"Trolley Buffs Preserve History of Coke Region System" , July 15, 1973 Containers box 8 , folder 3 "Cause of Delay Form" for The Denver and Rio Grande R. R. Co. , November 13, 1910 Containers box 8 , folder 4 
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