A builder's photo, also called an official photo, is a specific type of

photograph A photograph (also known as a photo, or more generically referred to as an ''image'' or ''picture'') is an image created by light falling on a photosensitivity, photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor. Th ...

that is typically made by

rail transport Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

rolling stock The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, Railroad car#Freight cars, freight and Passenger railroad car, passenger cars (or coaches) ...

manufacturers to show a vehicle that has been newly built or rebuilt. The builder's photo is meant to show an overview of the basic exterior form of a unit of rolling stock. Builder's photos were also made by some automobile manufacturers to show a representative sample of new models they produced. Prints of builder's photos were also often made for executives of the manufacturers and railroad companies to hang in their offices. Builder's photos were also reproduced as

post card In computing, a POST card is a plug-in diagnostic Expansion card, interface card that displays progress and error codes generated during power-on self-test (POST) of a computer. It is used to troubleshoot computers that do not Booting, start ...

s as well as reprinted in advertisements to promote the railroad companies or manufacturers depicted therein. In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, Fuel oil, oil or, rarely, Wood fuel, wood) to heat ...

s were often temporarily painted in

photographic grey Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed in many ...

color schemes so they would photograph well in black and white images. Some details in darker-colored areas of the subject were also sometimes painted in a high-contrast bright color to ensure that they would be visible in the photograph. Historians and preservationists use builder's photos as official references to show the equipment as-built. Builder's photos are commonly shot from an angle that shows one end, often the designated front end, and a full side of the car or locomotive. The rolling stock is normally positioned on a section of track with no other rolling stock coupled to it for the photograph. Sometimes the photograph was further processed to reduce the contrast of or even entirely remove the background to further highlight the rolling stock that was photographed. File:990 official photo.jpg, A side-view builder's photo of a

Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 in rail transport, 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had ...

990 Class locomotive circa 1909. The locomotive was painted in

for the photo. File:Cambrian Railways locomotive - Project Gutenberg eText 20074.jpg,

Cambrian Railways The Cambrian Railways owned of Railway track, track over a large area of mid Wales. The system was an amalgamation of a number of railways that were incorporated in 1864, 1865 and 1904. The Cambrian connected with two larger railways with c ...

94 Class locomotive side-view builder's photo File:Reefers-shorty-Anheuser-Busch-Malt-Nutrine ACF builders photo pre-1911.jpg, A builder's photo of an ACF

refrigerator car A refrigerator car (or "reefer") is a Refrigeration, refrigerated boxcar (U.S.), a piece of railroad rolling stock designed to carry perishable freight at specific temperatures. Refrigerator cars differ from simple Thermal insulation, insulated b ...

from before 1911. The wheel rims and

truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construct ...

sideframes were painted white to highlight their outlines in the photograph. File:Baltimore and Ohio Old Maude mallet locomotive.JPG, A builder's photo of " Old Maude", the

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the oldest railroads in North America, oldest railroad in the United States and the first steam engine, steam-operated common carrier. Construction of the line began in 1828, and it operated as B&O from 1830 ...

's (B&O)

mallet locomotive A Mallet locomotive is a type of compound locomotive, compound articulated locomotive, articulated steam locomotive, invented by the Swiss engineer Anatole Mallet (1837–1919). The front of the locomotive is articulated on a bogie. The Compou ...

, circa 1900; used on a promotional postcard File:Gregg Company railway car Cuba.jpg, A builder's photo of a

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...

car by the Gregg Company, used in an advertisement File:JGR Class 6010 number 6011 1926.jpg, A builder's photo of a

Japanese Government Railways The Japanese Government Railways (JGR) was the national rail transport, railway system directly operated by the until 1949. It was a predecessor of Japanese National Railways and the later Japan Railways Group. Name The English name "Japanese ...

class 6010 locomotive by

Baldwin Baldwin may refer to: People * Baldwin (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname Places Canada * Baldwin, York Regional Municipality, Ontario * Baldwin, Ontario, in Sudbury District * Baldwin's Mills, ...

and Westinghouse

References

{{reflist Rail technologies Photographic techniques Rail transport photography

See also

References