A new aesthetic — “streamlining” — took hold in the 1930s. Objects from telephones to ocean liners were designed to be unified in appearance instead of collections of parts. Curves replaced square corners, and horizontal lines replaced verticals.
Streamlining burst upon the railroad scene with the 1934 introduction of two sleek internal-combustion-powered passenger trains. Steam was still king, so railroads desiring a modern image applied streamlined styling to existing and new steam locomotives. The benefits were mostly aesthetic, but increased efficiency through reduction of wind resistance was also a factor.
More than two dozen North American railroads fielded steam locomotives that were streamlined to some degree. Here are 12 of the most notable ones.
Isn’t this image a painting, rather than a photo?