The photography collection of Michael A. Eagleson, a well-known photographer and former columnist for Railfan & Railroad in the late 1970s, has been preserved by the Industrial Archives & Library in Bethlehem, Pa.

Eagleson was born in New Jersey in 1943 and was taking railroad photos by the time he was 11. He was fascinated by steam locomotives and after the fires were dropped in North America, he would spend years tracking it down around the globe, eventually venturing to at least 77 different countries in his search. He chronicled it all in a column called In Search of Steam, first in Railroad and later in Railfan & Railroad.

Professionally, Eagleson was a trained graphic designer and owned a design firm. He also worked as an agent on the Erie Lackawanna and a fireman on the Central Railroad of New Jersey when he was in college. Eagleson died in 2022. He is survived by his wife Florence, and his daughter, Catherine.

“It is through their generosity and desire to share his works with researchers and historians that this one-of-a-kind collection now has a permanent home here in Bethlehem, Pa.,” said Stephen G. Donches, President & CEO of the Industrial Archives & Library. “We are very

honored to care for this incredible collection and to be able to preserve the amazing visual legacy of Mike Eagleson for future generations.”

The Industrial Archives & Library was founded in 2015. Current holdings include records relating to banking, slate quarrying, coal mining, silk and textiles, steel, shipbuilding, transportation and railroads. Officials said they expect it to take a few years to fully process Eagleson’s collections. —Justin Franz