> Why were Chryslers the auto of choice for crews? Did the not like
G.M. for some reason having to do with the EMD equipment? <
Gary, hi,
The young Walter Chrysler was Superintendant of Motive Power and
Equipment for the Chicago Great Western during the first years of the
20th Century. His dad was a Union Pacific engineer. During his years
in Oelwein, Iowa, home of CGW's system shops, Chrysler bought his
first automobile, disassembled and reassembled it in his garage to
figure out how it worked.
Chrysler, in 1911 iirc, feuded with CGW president Samuel B. Felton
and left the company, landing with one of the steam locomotive
builders (Lima or Baldwin) before moving onto automobile
manufacturing greatness. (I'm getting much of this from a recent
thread on the cgw yahoo list; one of the listees has read Chrysler's
(auto-?)biography and might have further info on your question.)
Speculation, but maybe Chrysler had business connections within the
railroad industry that led to deal-making on auto fleets.
-Brian
Brian Chapman
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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