#5010

Dateca. 1939

Mediumbrass

Dimensions3 × 10 1/4 × 3/8 in. (7.6 × 26 × 1 cm)

ClassificationsAwards, Plaques, & Signs

Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, gift of John Fertig

Object numberPC2006.36.6

DescriptionThis brass number plate was likely produced between 1910 and 1940 for use with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. The railroad had a significant impact on New Mexico, opening it up to the rest of the country, facilitating trade, and enabling the exchange of goods and culture with the broader United States. The plate is made entirely of brass, with the number "5010" engraved on the front and the number "263557" on the back. The donor’s father, John L. Fertig, worked for the Santa Fe Railway, initially in the tank (tender or coal car) shop, later becoming the machine shop foreman. He also served as the master mechanic in Clovis, New Mexico, before moving to Albuquerque in 1932, where he worked until 1942. This object is significant as it honors the vital role the Santa Fe Railroad played in New Mexico, particularly in the lives of the state's mechanics and tradespeople.

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