One of my favorite areas around a railroad is the roundhouse, and the attendant turntable. We’ve seen several images these past few years showing railroaders at work in these areas, and also the nearby shops. We’ve also seen photographs of women at work on the railroad. With the war going on and men becoming short in supply, women stepped up to fill many of the roles traditionally done by men. They weren’t afraid to don a pair of dungarees and get their hands dirty.

We’re at the C&NW roundhouse located in Clinton, Iowa. Mrs. Cloe Weaver, employed as a helper, is learning to operate the turntable. She’s the mother of four, and her husband is employed by a structural steel company.

Image by Jack Delano, April, 1943.