Postcards Of the West Point Route

The first decade of the 20th century was a period of substantial growth for the West Point Route during which the WofA/A&WP added to their maintenance facilities and also to their passenger service. Sometime around 1907, the Passenger Department of the WPR in Atlanta undertook a public relations campaign that included the production of a series of postcards showing the interior of several cars on the deluxe New York & New Orleans Limited, the train that would later become the Crescent Limited, Crescent, and Piedmont Limited at various times.

Old Alabama Rails has in its possession several of these postcards, scans of which we offer here. We include spaces for cards the existence of which we’re aware but of which we have neither originals nor scans. We also list numbers in the publishers numbering sequence in hopes that someone reading this will be aware of other postcards in the series of which we have not yet seen. If you do indeed know of others, please let us know!

Along the Route

Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Ala. On the A.&W.P.R.R. and The Western Railway of Alabama. Sub-captions clockwise from upper left: Armstrong State Memorial Trades Building for Boys Industries; Cassedy Hall, Boys Dormitory; The Collis P. Huntington Memorial Building for Academic Classes; Tuskegee Institute Grounds showing Boys and Girls Trades Buildings. Credit: Old Alabama Rails Collection (C 5247)

[Unknown location; possibly West Point, Georgia] New York and New Orleans Limited on the A.&W.P.R.R. and The Western Railway of Alabama. Credit: Old Alabama Rails Collection (C 5251)

Car interiors

	Dining Car, New York and New Orleans Limited, A.& W.P.R.R.Co., and The Western Railway of Alabama. Credit Old Alabama Rails Collection (C 5252)
	Club car, New York and New Orleans Limited, A.&W.P.R.R.Co., and The Western Railway of Alabama. Credit: Old Alabama Rails Collection. (C 5253)
	Observation car, New York & New Orleans Limited, A.&W.P.R.R.Co., and The Western Railway of Alabama. Credit: Old Alabama Rails Collection (C 5254)

An Operetta Celebrity Sells the West Point Route: The Fritzi Scheff Series Fredericka Scheff Yarger, best known as "Fritzi Scheff", was a lovely Austrian soprano born in 1879, who performed in grand opera, but made her real mark in the operetta world. In 1906, she was a huge hit in a New York performance of Mlle. Modiste by Victor Herbert and Henry Blossom. She performed throughout the country, including the Deep South, and it is clear that the publicity mavens in the West Point Route passenger department were quick to seize an opportunity to capitalize on her travel plans. A series of "Fritzi Scheff" postcards ensued, of which we offer scans of three. (Again, we would love to know of others.) As a bonus, click here for a non-railroad-related "Fritzi Scheff" gallery.

	"Awaiting a Clear Board"-Engineer Fritzi Scheff on the Atlanta & West Point Railroad Company, and the Western Railway of Alabama" Credit: Old Alabama Rails Collection(C 4032)
	"Goodbye" – Engineer Carlisle relieves Engineer Fritzi Scheff at the end of a good run on the Atlanta & West Point Railroad Company and the Western Railway of Alabama. Credit: Old Alabama Rails Collection (C 4029)
	Dining Room Private car Fritzi Scheff on The West Point Route between Atlanta and Montgomery. Credit: Postcard scan from unknown source. (number unknown)