BRHSLIST
[Top] [All Lists]

Fw: The end of mixed train service

To: "BRHSlist" <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Fw: The end of mixed train service
From: "STEPHEN WYLDER" <crewswylder@m...>
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2003 23:09:37 -0500
----- Original Message ----- 
From: STEPHEN WYLDER 
To: BRHSlist 
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 10:43 PM
Subject: The end of mixed train service


Some time in 1968, the CB&Q discontinued its mixed train services. On April 1, 
1968, I wrote to W.F. Burke, urging him to restore the service, as it really 
did not constitute any expense to the company to sell a few tickets for 
passengers to ride in cabooses. 

Mr. Burke replied quickly (April 5) and courteously, but negatively. In 
addition to mentioning the undependability of mixed train service and the small 
number of passengers, he wrote: "We also had some unpleasant experiences in 
handling passenger trains on some of those branch line trains in recent years."

I had ridden the "Capital City Limited," between Des Moines and Albia, in 
December, 1966, and it was a wonderful experience, thanks to a very friendly 
crew. But after I received Mr. Burke's letter, I asked fellow railfans about 
the "unpleasant incidents" and heard from someone that crewmen had been 
assaulted by passengers on one of the Q's lines--I believe it was one of the 
Fort Madison routes.

Can anyone supply details of any such "unpleasant incidents," which helped 
bring down the mixed train service?

Thanks,
Steve Wylder


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>