Book of the Royal Blue, Volume XII, October 1908-September 1909

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

Published by Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, 1909

About this Item

This is a bound edition of 12 issues of the monthly passenger magazine of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The collection has a customized binding of royal blue cloth with gilt titles and the railroad's logo stamped in gilt on the front cover. Issues are typically 28 pages plus covers and have covers that feature an ornate design motif of royal blue and gold with the company logo and a photo. Each issue typically contains ads promoting B&O trains, routes, equipment and services as well as feature articles related to the railroad and its history and places and activities to which it B&O provides access. There are numerous photos -- many produced by the B&O staff, commissioned by the B&O or drawn from the company archives. There is a three-page section at the rear of most issues that contans: 1) a detailed "condensed schedule" for Royal Blue trains 2) a detailed listing of Pullman Palace cars and Dining Cars serving various routes 3) a listing of B&O ticket and passenger agents at about 50 locations in the United States, Mexico and Europe. The back insider cover features a current B&O service map in royal blue and white; the back cover features a calendar. The front inside cover typically feature a full page ad for a particular route or destination. Throughout the volume is a wealth of information, history, trivia and photography related to railroading including railroad poems. Here's a sampling of some of the particular treasures found within this volume. There is an advance article on presidential inaugurations in anticipation of the Taft inauguration festivities that includes vintage photos of the Theodore Roosevelt inauguration and a two-page map showing the B&O presence in Washington, D.C. After the Taft Inauguration, there is a feature article with photos on the snow-plagued event. The report includes a full page photo of the 5th Regiment of the Massachusetts National Guard leaving Mt. Royal Station in Baltimore and letters from National Guard units and private businesses thanking the B&O for helping them get through the storm. Other pieces include: an 11-page article with 19 photos (most interior) on the new Union Station in Washington, D.C. as well as a full page map detailing B&O storage tracks in the Washington D.C. area; an article on statuary and inscriptions at Union Station; a 7 page article with 12 photos by the editior discussing a proposal for an Abraham Lincoln memorial road from Washington D.C to Gettysburg; an article on the 1909 Lincoln centennial. The July 1909 issue focuses on the 81st anniversary of the B&O and includes the special July 4 menu that will be served on the Royal Limited as part of the festivities. The article also features the complete text of "Our Flag" by Francis Scott Key III, which is a history of and tribute to the "Star-Spangled Banner" and has black-and-white reproductions of the 16 pages on a booklet written by Key. Another article with photos features a 10-mile test flight of Wright Brothers plan at Fort Myers, Virginia. There is a composite photo which places the plane in the air above the Baltimore skyline. There is an article with 8 full-page photos on the skyline of Manhattan. Other features include an article with four photos on the B&O's new Liberty St. Terminal in New York; an article on the regulation of cab rates in Washington, D.C.; an article with photos on the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo; a short historical memoir on "rest houses" (saloons) frequented by tired and thirsty B&O workers in the steam days; an article on hunting and game laws along the B&O; an article with photos on B&O track tanks; a two-page photo spread with a panoramic birds eye view showing downtown Pittsburg with the B&O station and facilities shown in the foreground; an article with photos on the return of the Atlantic fleet from a round-the-world cruise. Tight, brigh copy. Seller Inventory # 003883

Bibliographic Details

Title: Book of the Royal Blue, Volume XII, October ...

Publisher: Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

Publication Date: 1909

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Edition: 1st Edition