Pullman Car Disguised as the Broadway Diner in Millville, New Jersey c. 1950

Photographer Unknown

$24.99
  • City: Millville
  • State: NJ
  • Country: United States
  • Source: Bodin
  • Approx. Date: 1950
  • Photographer: Unknown

Sometimes the most obvious things are not so obvious. In this case, a Pullman Railroad card is disguised as a diner in Millville, New Jersey.

One of the fun things to do in America in the mid-century was to find creative ways to reuse aging railroad cars, especially the Pullman sleepers. The era of the railroad was drawing to a close and gave way to airplanes and the interstate systems of cars. A novel idea was to turn these Pullman cars into diners throughout the towns of "everywhere" America. Not many of these images exist, as these diners were seen as mundane at the time. Fortunately, this photograph of the Broadway Diner in Millville beat the odds and survived the test of time.

Many Pullman cars were originally made in New Jersey and served as inspiration for diners. It is possible that the car in this photograph was also made in New Jersey and no one knew what to do with it. These old-school diners are now treasured relics. Anyone in Millville know the fate of this diner? 

 From the collection of Fred Bodin of Gloucester MA. Fred was a long time resident and well-known photographer of Gloucester and had one of the best private collections of New England nautical photographs in private hands. Fred was a photojournalist having graduated with this degree from Syracuse University and worked for Yankee Magazine. Fred passed away in 2016 and HIP purchased his collection from his estate.

Regular price $24.99
  • City: Millville
  • State: NJ
  • Country: United States
  • Source: Bodin
  • Approx. Date: 1950
  • Photographer: Unknown

Sometimes the most obvious things are not so obvious. In this case, a Pullman Railroad card is disguised as a diner in Millville, New Jersey.

One of the fun things to do in America in the mid-century was to find creative ways to reuse aging railroad cars, especially the Pullman sleepers. The era of the railroad was drawing to a close and gave way to airplanes and the interstate systems of cars. A novel idea was to turn these Pullman cars into diners throughout the towns of "everywhere" America. Not many of these images exist, as these diners were seen as mundane at the time. Fortunately, this photograph of the Broadway Diner in Millville beat the odds and survived the test of time.

Many Pullman cars were originally made in New Jersey and served as inspiration for diners. It is possible that the car in this photograph was also made in New Jersey and no one knew what to do with it. These old-school diners are now treasured relics. Anyone in Millville know the fate of this diner? 

 From the collection of Fred Bodin of Gloucester MA. Fred was a long time resident and well-known photographer of Gloucester and had one of the best private collections of New England nautical photographs in private hands. Fred was a photojournalist having graduated with this degree from Syracuse University and worked for Yankee Magazine. Fred passed away in 2016 and HIP purchased his collection from his estate.