The William Halsey Locomotive Drawing Collection

The William Halsey Locomotive Drawing Collection, held by the DeGolyer Library, contains 84 watercolour drawings by William Halsey (born ca. 1845- died ca. 1900), a railroad enthusiast probably working in the New York region as early as 1863 until the 1890s.

William Halsey drew these ink and watercolour drawings which depict locomotives and tenders primarily built or purchased by the Erie Railway between 1863 and 1876. Also included is one Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad locomotive drawing.

The drawings provide a comprehensive study of locomotives of the New York state region in the 1863-1875 period. The images are realistic in proportion and detail, and they correlate with photographs of the same or similar locomotives of the period. All of the drawings include the locomotive and tender.

A significant aspect of the drawings is the record of colours and paint schemes used at the time. Some of these drawings represent the only records of this form of applied decorative railroad art to survive.  Information on each drawing is written in graphite underneath the image. Although uncertain, it can be assumed that this was done by the artist. The dates recorded here are most likely the dates that the locomotives were manufactured or refurbished (1860s and 1870s) and not the dates of the drawings.

Olga from the Russian city of Novosibirsk who sent me the above postcard has bothered to affix a train stamp as well.