I was lucky to have ridden many of the 5632 trips. The crews were
called from the respective extra boards. There was always a Road
Foreman on the engine and a Trainmaster on the train. I rode the
first fantrip with 5632 in November 1958, to Galesburg and return.
The best trip was July 1959, Chicago to LaCrosse and return. We left
Chicago at 8AM and made it back 2AM the following day. It was small
by fantrip standards, only 6 or 7 cars. The ticket price was $30.00,
big bucks in 1959. Most fantrips were $10.00. I even remember part
of the crew: Road Foreman, McPherson; Trainmaster, Craven and
Conductor, Fitzpatrick. Going to LaCrosse was good. Coming back was
GREAT. It was night and the sound of the 5632 reverberating along
the Mississippi River bluffs is indescribable. Plus we were
following a freight and kept catching his yellows and finally a red
when the freight had to set out a BO car. We ran around him using
the hand throw Xovers scattered along the LaCrosse Division. And
finally made it back to CUS at 2AM. No other fantrip I was on could
ever come close to that one.
BRAD
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