December 28, 2004
Gerald and all - Reference placement of CB&Q business cars, as I recollect
from what my late father told me, it was standard operating procedure during
the
1960s for the cars to be placed directly between the last baggage car and the
first coach in any Zephyr passenger train carrying a rearend observation car.
Normally, the open platform faced the baggage car so train crew and
executives riding the business car could go back and forth safety into the
passenger
train. Plus, the passenger department did not want the rear view blocked for
premium paying passengers in the observation car.
If the business car was to be switched out at an intermediate division point,
then the Zephyr passenger train would have to be broken in two so that the
business car could be removed. This would, of course, entail some additional
station delay time that the engineer would have to make up with alittle fast
running to the next station stop. Only if the passenger train no longer carried
an
observation car, then, the business car would be attached at the rear end
with the open platform facing to the rear. I'm sure that there were exceptions
to
the rule, but, in general, that was how the business cars were handled in the
1960s.
I personally saw Mr. Murphy waving his straw Panama hat from the open
platform of the stainless steel "Burlington" to track repair crews in the
summer of
1965 on the LaCrosse Division where I was working on a steel gang as a college
student. The business car was on the rear end of, as I recall, a combined
North Coast Limited and Empire Builder (two complete trainsets coupled together
end-on-end with all the E units coupled elephant style leading). This was the
first train to pass over newly reconstructed tracks along the Mississippi River
near Winona. My gang had taken part in repairing the washed out tracks caused
by the flooding river. I'm pleased to remember that when I waved back to Mr.
Murphy, I caught his eye and he waved his hat a second time to me. It sure made
me feel "appreciated" at the time. This in one of the many reasons why CB&Q
employees had such deep respect and reverence for Mr. Murphy.
Where passenger trains had been taken off, the business car was placed
directly behind the last diesel locomotive and the first freight car with no
particular attention being given to which direction the open platform faced.
This
placement was the "safest" spot in the freight train to prevent slack action at
the rear end from damaging the car itself and injuring its occupants. I don't
ever recall hearing about any extra movements where just a locomotive and a
business car were used. The CB&Q was far to frugal to move business cars in
such
an expensive manner when there was always a passenger or freight train to
carry them.
My late father also related that train crews were usually welcome to hot
coffee, rolls and occasionally "to go" meals when a business car moved in one
of
their passenger or freight trains. The CB&Q of those days was much more of a
big, happy extended family than what today's BNSF employees might ever imagine.
I hope my recollections will help those CB&Q modelers wondering where to place
a business car in their miniature Zephyr or freight train. Best Regards,
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope, AL
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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