Fascinating collection of photos documenting California branches of the Dining Car Department and Commissary of the Southern Pacific Railroad, with a strong focus on the African American workforce.

The earliest images in the collection date from the late-1920s. These 13 photographs are each 5 x 7 inches, and most have two holes punched on the top or side. Most of the images in this group document the step-by-step process of the chefs, stewards, and other personnel inspecting the fresh produce, liquor, linens and dishware, then prepping, cooking, and finally serving the food and drink to the dining-car guests. There is also an interesting shot of the Southern Pacific’s laundry operations, a portrait of Harry A. Butler, who had a multi-decade career managing the Dining Car department, and a larger photograph (8 x 10 inches) showing an exterior view of the Southern Pacific Commissary Dining Car Department. This photograph has an embossed credit stamp for the Los Angeles commercial photographers Putnam and Valentine. Also included are three 8x10 inch copy print photographs, showing railroad scenes from the 1920s, that were likely printed in the 1940s or 50s.

The later images in the collection date to the mid-1940s. There are two photographs, dated 1946, which show the first graduating class of the West Oakland Dining Car Personnel’s Human Relation Conference. There are six portraits of five different employees at work, four of whom are identified. There are also two group portraits of a commemorative cake being presented to an employee. These were shot by the commercial artist Emmanuel Frances “E.F.”Joseph, who operated a studio in Oakland and was the first African American professional photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Also included are three images of a sprawling dining table which is flanked by staff members, an exterior group portrait of the staff posed in front of a dining car, three smaller images of an outdoor safety meeting held in front of the Southern Pacific Laundry Building, one smaller image of the dining car staff with an NBC reporter, a portrait of Harry A. Butler dated c. 1947, and three photographs, presumably showing the production of the 1946 promotional short film, “This Is My Railroad.” Directed by Gene K Walker, the film documented the development of the railroad line in Sacramento, California, and all the jobs related with the building, operating and controlling the railway service. While these photographs are uncaptioned, one of them shows a spotlight stamped with “Gene K. Walker Productions.” The latest photograph in the group, dated 1964, shows staff members and Southern Pacific manager T.B. Lockhead posed on a soundstage around a train car set with a sign reading, “President RR Special Press - TV - Radio.”