Photo of The Month – Jul 2006

Coming ’round the Bend

Picture contributor: Robert L. Harris

At places on the Cliffside Railroad the bends were a bit tight, leaving little room between the train and old store rooms like this one getting a steam bath. We’re always glad to find “new” photos of the CRR. A while back we heard from Robert L. Harris, saying he had this picture and a couple more he made in the ’60s. The name sounded so familiar we immediately concluded he was a native of Cliffside, or one’s descendent. But …

Nope, I’m a Floridian whose parents moved to Florida from New Jersey in the Depression. Dad and I both like railroads and traveled to see, and photograph, steam.

I started in 1954 as a snapshot photographer, just taking photos for the memories, and never got much better. By myself and some with my dad and/or my brother, I covered as many of the short line railroads, mostly steam, in the southeastern US as well as Central America as I could afford to travel to.

We’ve added all three of his photos at the end of our “More #110” section in the Railroad Galleries. Many thanks to Robert Harris.