Wikipedia:Picture peer review/Railroad workers, circa 1880

Railroad workers, circa 1880


I'm partial to photos of "working stiffs", and this is a nice one, especially if it were to be cleaned up. The original is a 4x5 glass plate negative, taken between 1878 and 1882 by photographer William Edward Hook, probably at the Salt Lake City railyards. The soft focus may be a problem. Used in Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, and could be placed elsewhere if well-received.


 * Nominated by: Pete Tillman (talk) 19:12, 7 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Comments:
 * A bit blurry, even by 1880 standards. Will be especially difficult to pass as FP with blotch in lower left corner. smooth0707  (talk) 19:52, 7 July 2008 (UTC)
 * In addition to focus issue, there is deterioration or dust on the image; but even if that can be cleaned up, the aforementioned blotch in the lower left can't be cropped without cutting off the lettering in the top left. Fletcher (talk) 20:28, 7 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Could the adjacent gravel & track be cloned to cover the blotch? Pete Tillman (talk) 21:05, 7 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Here's a cropped version, cleaned up a bit. The line was later known as the LA&SL Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad. Comments? Pete Tillman (talk) 21:41, 7 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Too blurry. I've seen 1865 posed pictures criticised for quality, despite being measurably better than this. Not an example of "best work", even for the time. Mostlyharmless (talk) 22:50, 7 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Are we certain this picture was taken before 1900? The Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad page places this photo in the early 1900s (at least that's when it was supposedly published).  Secondly, this railroad route was not given the "LA&SL" title until 1901, so how could this name be in the photo circa 1880?  Finally, I am very optimistic that this was taken in Caliente, NV or Kelso, CA and the man on the far right is Thomas Flynn, my great, great grandfather .  His physical appearance matches perfectly with a photo I possess that was taken in 1896 (I am going to try to get this image scanned and uploaded).  He was also appointed yard foreman (note the more formal apparel) at Caliente in early 1904 for the San Pedro LA&SL Route  (paragraph 6).
 * Seconder:

