Murals being made, part 83: Third mural at Southern AZ Transportation Museum

On May 8, 2024, we posted photos of two murals at the train station downtown in Southern Arizona Transportation Museum. Since then, Bill Singleton has finished the third and final mural showing passengers coming off the train in the mid-1900s. This is Bill finishing the third mural on July 13, 2024:

Next are two photos showing all three murals, then just the new third mural. I took these on July 21st:

(As always, you can click on a photo for a slideshow of larger views.)

Here are six closeups from left to right. I took them July 21st. The two mariachis are portrayed by Bill's sons:

Around the corner from the first and third murals are railroad employees. Here's the one to the left of the first mural on July 21:

And the employee on the right end July 21st:

When I was there on July 13th, this part of the mural didn't have a shadow — only an outline:

The murals are rich with detail — and historical accuracy. Bill told me how much research, and discussion with experts, happened before the design and painting — and also, I think, during the painting. This story from ThisIsTucson.com (and the Arizona Daily Star) has more: This new mural chronicles the arrival of the railroad in Southern Arizona.

Southern Arizona Transportation Museum

 The two murals below are on the front of the museum facing Toole Ave.

                                  Tulley, Ochoa & Co.

By Bill Singleton.

Tully, Ochoa & Company was a freight line in early Tucson.  Railroads put them out of business.

                           Welcoming the new railroad to Tucson.

By Bill Singleton

Click on either photo for larger images (recommended).

Update by Jerry Peek (May 13, 2024): Bill Singleton's Facebook page has lots of photos of the murals in progress. Here's his three-minute video of the first panel from start to finish:



He's currently working on a third panel.

Update (July 13, 2024): Jerry met the artist as he was finishing the third panel. Bill told me a number of things about the history he designed in. For instance, the tents in the first panel were for the Chinese workers. The tents were moved along the tracks as work progressed:

In the second panel, the man holding the silver spike was Tucson's first Hispanic mayor (or maybe in the whole US?). The silver was from Tombstone:

Jerry took two more closeup photos, one of the first panel and the next of the second panel:

Update (December 6, 2024): Today's post Murals being made, part 83: Third mural at Southern AZ Transportation Museum shows the last of three mural panels.