New 3-D Interactive at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum
Visitors can now view historic 3-D images from the 1860s at Union Pacific Railroad Museum's newest interactive through one of two electronic stereo card viewers.
Stereo cards were created with a camera that took two simultaneous images. Cards were then printed with these dual images that, when viewed with a stereo viewer, tricked the eye into believing it was viewing one clear 3-D image.
The two new viewers digitally display the images while still relying on the nineteenth century trick to merge the image when viewed. With over 60 images on display, guests can view the construction of the transcontinental railroad like never before. While both viewers show photos from 1866-1869 taken by AJ Russell, A. Hart and JC Carbutt, each machine focuses on different topics. One viewer shows images of communities and people along the route, the other viewer displays images of equipment and construction. Locations stretch along the original transcontinental railroad from Omaha, Neb. to Sacramento, Calif.
