Albert J. Wolff Collection

A. J. “Jack” Wolff (1945-2022) grew up and spent most of his adult life in Cheyenne, Wyoming. With the Union Pacific Railroad’s main line just a short distance from his home, Jack became fascinated by trains, especially the Union Pacific, and he dedicated countless hours to taking photographs of its operations. As his collection of photographs grew, he began buying photo collections from other train enthusiasts and selling prints from the negatives. He authored or co-authored several articles and books about the railroad, including: Union Pacific’s Sherman Hill in the Diesel Era (1999), Union Pacific’s Turbine Era (2001), and Union Pacific’s Cheyenne Facilities, 1868-2015, written in conjunction with J. L. Ehernberger, (2015).

Wolff, however, did not limit his efforts to the Union Pacific. He also had an interest in the operations of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and the Chicago & North Western railroads in Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota, with a special emphasis on the Black Hills. Wolff took many photographs of rail action in these areas and acquired several more photos from other rail enthusiasts.