A remarkable typological assemblage of portraits showing employees of the Los Angeles division of the Southern Pacific (and two of the company’s Yuma division). The majority of the men are identified on the photographs’ accompanying paper mats, with many also noting their occupation, division, and date the photo was taken. A few also note the subject’s date of birth. Occupations represented in the collection include fireman, brakeman, switchman, night car sealer, and more. Affixed to one of the paper mats is a some sort of health survey, which has been filled out by the subject.

There are a number of unusual and fascinating aspects of the collection. First, the exact purpose of their creation. Given the relative uniformity of the information present on the mats, these were clearly done for internal record-keeping and not created as the kind of “souvenir” one often associates with the tintype.

Relatedly, the second intriguing aspect of the collection is its chosen format. By the 1890s, paper photography was readily available, and we have encountered similar “in-house” photographic employee records from around time. These are usually albumen or silver prints tipped into an album (similar to mugshot books). Why exactly the tintype was used is not entirely clear. It is possible, due to the transient nature of railroad work, that it was easier or more efficient to take their portrait in the field. Perhaps these were done in a tintype studio at a railway depot, one usually catering to travelers or tourists.

We have been unable to locate another collection of this kind. It is a compelling example of the use of the tintype and a fascinating compendium of Los Angeles railroad history.