Another restoration from my collection of old family photos. As usual, it’s an unmarked photo – and I had no idea what kind of uniform he was wearing. Initially, I thought he was a fireman in his dress uniform, but I noticed there was a number on his cap, and researching old photos of firemen in the town I grew up in, it wasn’t a match. I did a Google image search, and I came upon this photo of a man in a similar coat with multiple pockets – he was a train conductor. Oh the beauty of the internet! I still don’t know who he is – but hopefully someone will chime in and solve the mystery. Original photo behind the cut.
Looks like a local train conductor… Not a major line.
It was a mill town – at the time this photo was taken, 50 to 100 trains passed through the town daily. Some were passenger – but I think the majority were freight trains carrying cotton from the South and coal for the mills’ steam boilers. Interesting that people would have portraits taken in their work uniforms.