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“Do you think that progress will be swayed
By the tea-kettle that this man has made?
This Iron Horse?”

– Edward Hungerford, Railroads On Parade, 1939

The theme of the 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair was The World of Tomorrow –

The Fair’s biggest draw focused on the world of yesterday.

he pageant Railroads On Parade was the star attraction of an enormous Fair exhibit
sponsored by the 29 lines that made up the Eastern Railroad Presidents Conference.
TSprawled over 17 acres were 50 rail cars and engines; “Building the Railroad,” a diorama
detailing railroad construction; and “Railroads at Work,” a lavish model railroad setup. Taking
center stage (and a huge stage it was) was Railroads On Parade, an extravaganza unlike any seen
before or after. At the conclusion of its two-season run, over two million audience members had
thrilled to this recreation of the rail system’s glory days, from its humble beginnings in the
mid-1800s, to “the modern railroad and the tremendous role it plays in the world today.”
Promotional brochures for the show pulled out all the stops:

“Critics acclaim it! Grown-ups and youngsters rave about it! Never before has such a show
been presented on so vast a scale! Before your eyes on the world’s largest stage, you see the most
dramatic moments in the history of transport! Locomotives, old-time and modern, steam under
their own power across the stage, and a Broadway cast of 250 rates cheers for drama, music,
1939-40 New York World’s Fair booklet containing dancing, and comedy! Railroads on Parade is thrilling colorful entertainment—the greatest
56 pages of The World of Tomorrow photos. show at the greatest of all Fairs!”
(photo: Andy Kaufman, worldsfairauction.com)
In other words, Railroads On Parade was a show you would not want to miss.

The Little Engines That Could
The World’s Fair arrived at an opportune time for the railroad industry. During the
Depression years of the early 1930s, profits had jolted to a stop, with over a third of American
lines on the rails and forced to declare bankruptcy. Then, as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal”
went into effect, the country chugged back to life, and so did the railroads. In 1934, Art
Deco-influenced “streamliners” made their debut, with travelers urged to treat themselves to this

“A super-spectacle!” Promo poster for You needed these to get into the Fair: 1939 Combination Book of Souvenir Tickets.
Railroads On Parade. Original price, $3.75 for $5.40 worth of tickets. (photo: Andy Kaufman, worldsfairauction.com)

24 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles