Mid-1800s Boston, Concord & Montreal RR Real Photo Bridge Stereoview Card

This is a standard 3-1/2 x 7 inch size, printed in a pale yellow on heavy card stock which has just slightly rounded corners. Both of the photographs on the card are square, and incredibly sharp and crystal clear.

At the bottom right front is printed: "No. 81, B.C.&M.R.R. Bridge, Woodsville, N.H." On the back in printed "Photographed and Published by Kilburn Brothers, - - - - Littleton, N. H."

What a picture -- an extremely early woodburning steam locomotive with its tender and a passenger car, atop the bridge. Amazingly, this structure appears to be a covered bridge -- with train tracks on the roof ! Note the windows along the tall sides below the train!

Using a good magnifying glass, it's easy to see the crew waving to the photographer: one man standing beside the cab; one at the back of the tender car; one perched on the cowcatcher; and a fourth atop the chunks of wood! To the far right two more people can be seen standing on the track. We can almost but not quite make out the markings on the railway cars.

CONDITION: NO rips, tears, splits or broken corners. All four corners have very minimal bumps. The card stock is slightly age darkened. There is very light "desk drawer grunge" - light surface marks and scuffs. If tilted in bright light, some VERY light stains are apparent in the photos. The photo is incredibly sharp and clear and shows virtually no fading; both sides are strongly adhered to the card. There is a spot of brown damage on the card at the left edge that does not interfere with the picture. The back of the card is slightly age darkened with a few very small, very pale foxing spots.

The Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad was chartered in 1844, and ran until 1890 through the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont, with connections to Canada.

A wonderful addition to any railfan's collection of early transportation photography, especially for a New England historian !

Item ID: JLB-3