Leo,
My Grandfather's name was Charles Jacobson and lived most of his married life on
Spencer St., although he did sell that place and moved in with us on Center Ave.
in the early 40's. I remember every day he would come home, go directly to the
basement where he would shave and change cloths before coming upstairs. Since he
did not trust banks, on payday he would go to Stein's Deli, cash his check and
buy two smokes Lake Superior smoked white fish and he and Would "snack" before
we went upstairs. I start working for the "Q" Sep.. 1949 when the railroad went
from 44 hr week to 40 hr. week. By the way, my gr-grandfather, Gustave Jacobson
worked in the shops as a "fireman". He maintained the steam driven system that
turned the overhead drive shafthe machinery. He lost his job when they
electrified s that powered the machinery (according to family lore.)k
Chuck
qutlx1@a... wrote:
> Chuck,your grandfather probably knew all my neighbors and my grandfather and
> Uncles as they were all Q employees. Most of my neighbors in the "old"
> neighborhood along Grove and Front Streets were shop employees: names like
> Zwartz,Terrebessy(sp),abens,Heinz,etc,etc,etc, they worked in the coach
> shop,pattern shop,air brake shop,etc. One of my earliest memories is a guided
> tour of the Aurora shops when my next door neighbor John Zwartz retired from
> the pattern shop(I was his "grandson" for the day).What that man could do
> with a piece of wood was amazing!
> As a kid the shop starting and quiting whistles were a routine part ssof my
> day(7:00 and 3:30)
> The last of the shop buildings were torn down in 1977(somebody will correct
> me if I'm off a year or so. The only thing left is the old original limestone
> roundhouse and backshop(later the air brake shop).They are now the Aurora
> Transportation Center "station" and suburban service HQand the Rdhse itself
> is the Walter Payton brewpub(good food and refreshments).Site of a recent
> BRHS annual meet.
> I switched the "hole" and "hill" yds,frt house,storehouse,long trk,etc in
> 1974 when things got a little tight and it was 4:00 PM swing or get laid off.
> At that time the shop supt and Aurora ydmstr still existed and had offices.
> But it was clear the end was near. About where the coach and paint shops
> stood is now occupied by the Central Aurora Post office complex. About where
> the pattern store house and lumber sheds were is occupied by the BURLINGTON
> credit union. The "depot" on South Broadway is boarded up and part of
> proposed land development that covers everything from roughly Benton St to
> North Ave on both sides of the river . It seems to be in limbo at present.
> Leo
>
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