riding the rails (redux)
Stephanie Gibbs
what to listen to: the memory palace episode 38
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We seem to be experiencing a sibling-transport parallel.
Two brothers, automobiles and trains.
The next in the series must be planes and ships, for the sisters.
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The entire book is constructed from postcards: the slipcase, the cover, the pages.
Shelburne Falls is a tiny village populated by artists, old-school Yankees, and escapees from New York City. There’s a range of galleries, cafes, and bookshops, and a reserved parking spot in front of the coffee shop for the police. The upstairs of the Town Hall shows old movies every month, and there is a candlepin bowling alley with two lanes and a small bar. The downtown is two blocks long.
I was there most recently in May 2015, and found myself, for the first time, in town at the same time the Trolley Museum was open (Saturdays, 11 am to 3 pm).
So I went in, and discovered this array of vintage postcards. From the numbers stamped on the backs, they were apparently the “master stock” of cards that could be ordered for sale. From the range of locations of the images, my guess is that they were photographs taken by one of the engineers as he traveled throughout the region. The staff were somewhat shocked when I purchased so much of the stock, but these are some of the best railroad photographs I’ve seen.
The Registry sends postcards as license renewal reminders.
Yes, my first thought upon receiving this notice was "re-purpose!"
My second thought was: "Do I or do I not keep my current photo?" (undecided)
cover postcard: reproduction from Historic Northampton
explanatory text, since that's my thing
cards hinged into sections
sewn on a concertina, since postcards lack flexibility
image: engineer at his retirement party