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Photo Archive: National Railroad Museum

Photography by Chad Davis

This neon sign once promoted the California Zephyr, one of the most celebrated passenger trains of the postwar era. First introduced in 1949, the train linked Chicago to the San Francisco Bay Area, offering panoramic views of the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada. The glowing red lettering, paired with imagery of a bridge, skyline, and streamlined locomotive, reflects the optimism of mid-20th-century American rail travel and the romance of crossing the continent in comfort and style.

California Zephyr Neon Sign

This neon sign once promoted the California Zephyr, one of…

California Zephyr, National Railroad Museum, Neon Sign

British Railways Logo at a museum

British Railways logo on side of a train. Seen at…

British Railways, British Railways Sign, National Railroad Museum, Rail Sign, Railroad Museum

Seen inside the Green Bay Railroad Museum, an exhibit of historic railroad drumhead signs, once mounted on the observation cars of famous American passenger trains. These illuminated signs served both as branding and a wayfinding tool for travelers during the golden age of rail.

• 20th Century Limited – The legendary New York Central luxury express between New York and Chicago, famous for its red carpet treatment.
• Broadway Limited – The Pennsylvania Railroad’s flagship train, symbolized by its keystone-shaped sign.
• The Cardinal – Still in operation today as an Amtrak route between New York and Chicago via Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati.
• The Abraham Lincoln – Operated by the Alton Railroad between Chicago and St. Louis.
• The Blue Bird – Another Alton Railroad streamliner that connected Chicago and St. Louis.
• Erie Limited – A long-distance train operated by the Erie Railroad.
• Night Diamond (Illinois Central) – A named overnight passenger service.
• Merchants Limited – A New Haven Railroad luxury train between Boston and New York, a favorite among business travelers.

• 20th Century Limited – The legendary New York Central luxury express between New York and Chicago, famous for its red carpet treatment.
• Broadway Limited – The Pennsylvania Railroad’s flagship train, symbolized by its keystone-shaped sign.
• The Cardinal – Still in operation today as an Amtrak route between New York and Chicago via Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati.
• The Abraham Lincoln – Operated by the Alton Railroad between Chicago and St. Louis.
• The Blue Bird – Another Alton Railroad streamliner that connected Chicago and St. Louis.
• Erie Limited – A long-distance train operated by the Erie Railroad.
• Night Diamond (Illinois Central) – A named overnight passenger service.
• Merchants Limited – A New Haven Railroad luxury train between Boston and New York, a favorite among business travelers.

Roadroad Drumhead Signs in Museum

Seen inside the Green Bay Railroad Museum, an exhibit of…

20th Century Limited, Abraham Lincoln, Alton Railroad, ASA, Bauer Drumhead Collection, Blue Bird, Chicago, City, Drumhead, Erie Limited, Green Bay, Illinois Central, Kansas City, Merchants Limited, National Railroad Museum, Night Diamond, Railroad, Railroad Museum, Railroad Signs, Signs, St. Louis, The Cardinal, Trains, Travel Broadway Limited, Wisconsin

Burlington Railway Post Office Car at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI.

United States Mail Railway Post Office

Burlington Railway Post Office Car at the National Railroad Museum…

Burlington, Green Bay, National Railroad Museum, Railroad, Railroad Museum, Railway Post Office, United States Mail, Wisconsin

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© 1996-2025 Chad Davis
chad@chaddavis.photography

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