Taken by American photographer Charles O’Rear (b. Nov. 26, 1941) for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Documerica project, these pictures show us workers and passengers riding Amtrak trains in May and June of 1974. Our journey takes us through Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, Montana, New Mexico, Washington, Oregon, California, Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska.
Passengers view the scenery between St. Louis, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois, on the Amtrak turboliner, June 1974
Bingo is available for passengers who wish to play in the lounge car of the Southwest Limited enroute between Albuquerque New Mexico, and Dodge City, Kansas, June 1974
By the late 1960s, the American landscape was ravaged by decades of unchecked land development, blighted by urban decay in the big cities, and plagued by seemingly unstoppable air, noise, and water pollution. In November 1971, the newly created Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a monumental photodocumentary project to record changes in the American environment. DOCUMERICA resulted in a collection of more than 20,000 photographs by its conclusion in 1978.
– US National Archives
Old equipment from Amtrak passenger cars is piled in a warehouse, May 1974
Amtrak passengers board the southbound san diegan as it makes a nighttime stop at the Fullerton, California, station, May 1974
Interior of the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal built for the 1932 Summer Olympics held in that California city, May 1974
Passengers who have just arrived head into the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal after riding on Amtrak trains, May 1974
Amtrak employee checks with the station at the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal, May 1974
Passengers at the Pasadena, California, train station waiting for the Southwest Limited, formerly called the super chief, headed to Chicago, June 1974
Children sleeping in one of the chair cars on the Southwest Limited, an overnight train from Los Angeles, California, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 1974
The Southwest Limited’s dome car attracts passengers interested in looking at the early morning Arizona landscape, June 1974
Amtrak train passengers pass the time before boarding at the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal, May 1974
Amtrak passengers waiting for passenger trains in the interior of the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal, which was built for the 1932 Summer Olympics in that California city, May 1974
An Amtrak conductor for the Coast Starlight which travels between Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington, May 1974
Lounge car on the Southwest Limited Amtrak train helps a family pass the time, June 1974
The Southwest Limited, an overnight train from Los Angeles California to Albuquerque, New Mexico makes an early morning stop at Winslow, Arizona for a change of engineer, conductors and brakemen, June 1974
Passenger chair car on the Southwest Limited, an Amtrak train enroute from Los Angeles, California, through Albuquerque New Mexico, to Chicago, June 1974
Scenery on the Southwest Limited attracts an elderly passenger on an Amtrak train between Los Angeles, California, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 1974
Arizona and New Mexico scenery attract passengers to the dome car of the Southwest Limited, an overnight train from Los Angeles, California, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 1974
The dome car on Amtrak trains is a popular place for passengers who want to watch the scenery unfold or take pictures of it to show the folks back home, June 1974
The dome car on Amtrak trains is a popular place for passengers who want to watch the scenery unfold, June 1974
Young girl shows off her doll on the Southwest Limited which sports a pin proclaiming Tracks are Back!, June 1974
Dining car offers fresh flowers and good food on the Southwest Limited, an Amtrak train between Los Angeles, California and Chicago, June 1974
An Amtrak passenger service representative stands ready to answer questions concerning train travel, June 1974
Lounge car of the Southwest Limited, an Amtrak train between Los Angeles, California, and Chicago, June 1974
Cook in the galley of the dining car on Amtrak’s Southwest Limited, June 1974
Passengers of the Southwest Limited strolling beside the Amtrak train at Albuquerque, New Mexico, as it halts for refueling enroute to Chicago from Los Angeles, California, June 1974
Window washing equipment is used on Amtrak’s Southwest Limited during a stop at Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 1974
Albuquerque, New Mexico, train station is one of the stops the Southwest Limited makes on its run from Los Angeles, California to Chicago, June 1974
Amtrak’s Southwest Limited crossing central avenue in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, on its trip from Los Angeles California, to Chicago, June 1974
A child places pennies on the track at the Albuquerque, New Mexico, train station and will wait for the Southwest Limited to flatten them as a souvenir, June 1974
A wait for the train outside the station at Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 1974
An Amtrak passenger service director serves cookies to passengers in the lounge car of the Southwest Limited enroute from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Dodge City, Kansas, June 1974
An Amtrak eyeshade and a Tracks are Back! pin are worn by a passenger on the Southwest Limited train enroute between Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Dodge City, Kansas, June 1974
Dining car of the Southwest Limited is one of the highlights for passengers traveling between California and the midwest, June 1974
Passengers on the Southwest Limited between Los Angeles California, and Chicago are able to purchase tickets for private compartments as an extra cost option on their travels, June 1974
Amtrak station agent at Dodge City, Kansas, places the expected arrival time of the westbound Southwest Limited on a schedule board as part of his duties, June 1974
Railroad work crew improves the tracks and bed of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad near Bellefont, Kansas, June 1974
Train depot at Strong City, Kansas
Loading platform at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, June 1974
Union Station at Kansas City, Missouri, June 1974
Amtrak train at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, being boarded by passengers bound for New York City, June 1974
Train passengers discuss continuing their trips with an Amtrak official at Kansas City, Missouri, June 1974
An impromptu guitar session provides a little music for passengers in the lounge car of the Lone Star as it crosses Oklahoma enroute from Chicago to Houston, Texas, June 1974
Chef and cooks in the galley of the Lone Star take a brief rest from their duties of feeding the passengers as the train speeds across Oklahoma enroute between Chicago and Houston, Texas, June 1974
Menu in the dining car of the Lone Star offers a variety of fare in different price ranges as well as children’s favorites for persons traveling between Chicago and Houston, Texas, June 1974
Women waiting for a passenger train at the Fort Worth, Texas station, June 1974
Passengers waiting for a train at the Fort Worth, Texas station, June 1974
Train passengers bound for St. Louis, Missouri, board a chartered bus in Fort Worth, Texas, June 1974
Engineer at the controls of the Amtrak turboliner passenger train at St. Louis, Missouri, June 1974
Traveler relaxes in the privacy of her compartment on the Empire Builder passenger train enroute from Chicago to East Glacier Park, Montana, and Seattle, Washington, June 1974
Passengers waiting in the station at East Glacier Park Montana, for the train which will take them to Seattle, Washington, June 1974
Westbound Empire Builder winds beside Glacier National Park after leaving East Glacier Park, Montana. A park aide describes the surroundings to passengers in the observation car, June 1974
Engineer at the controls of the Amtrak turboliner passenger train at St. Louis, Missouri, June 1974
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