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[CBQ] Re: Banana Shipments

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Subject: [CBQ] Re: Banana Shipments
From: Norm Metcalf <n.metcalf@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:39:19 -0600
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HOL WAGNER wrote:
> The recent thread on banana shipments by the Q was in my mind yesterday 
> as I was researching C&S topics in the library of the Colorado Railroad 
> Museum, and what should I run across but a file some 2 inches thick on 
> banana shipments over the FW&D-C&S in the 1920s.  The bananas were 
> loaded into reefers at New Orleans and moved to Fort Worth by the Texas 
> & Pacific, thence to Denver via the FW&D and C&S.  Bananas destined for 
> northern Utah and Idaho points were delivered to the UP in Denver.  At 
> the risk of boring everyone to tears, I'll transcribe some of the 
> voluminous correspondence on the subject:
>  
> *Dec. 24, 1920, from FW&D General Freight Agent W.F. Sterley in Ft. 
> Worth to his C&S counterpart, H.A. Johnson, in Denver --*
>     "Have lined up all concerned with reference to handling the 
> bananas.  Arrange to have heaters removed from cars upon arrival 
> destination and returned in baggage cars to Agent Fort Worth.
>     "We have fifty heaters on hand and it will require close attention 
> and prompt handling to make these fill our requirements if the movement 
> is as heavy as we anticipate.
>     "Have told Mr. Covington it is essential that the first few trains 
> be given the closest attention in order that we may systematize the 
> handling of these shipments and get the traffic to move as it did up to 
> the time we lost it about a year ago."
>  
> *April 8, 1921, again from Sterley to Johnson (who by this time was C&S 
> Freight Traffic Manager)--*
>     "As a matter of information and interest, I am giving you below the 
> performance of twenty seven banana trains, New Orleans to Denver.  The 
> first train is not included because I did not get the leaving time at 
> New Orleans or the time of arrival at Denver:
>  
>         PERFORMANCE OF TWENTY SEVEN BANANA TRAINS NEW ORLEANS TO DENVER
>                                         NOS. 2 TO 28 INCLUSIVE
>                                         T&P                  FW&DC            
>  C&S                Average  
> Average time in transit          41 hr. 46 min.     29 hr. 18 min.*  27 
> hr. 8 min.** 98 hr. 12 min. 
> Average speed per hour         12.7                 15.5                 
> 12.8               13.6 
>  
> *   From time of receipt to arrival at Texline
> ** From time of arrival at Texline to arrival in Denver 
>  
> 85 hr. 30 min. shortest time made
> 127 hr. 45 min. longest time made
>  
> All but 8 trains were put through in less than 100 hours.  Since 
> February 1st only three trains were enroute over 100 hours."
>  
> *May 11, 1921, from H.A. Johnson to J.D. Walker, C&S Superintendent of 
> Transportation, Denver -- *
> *    *"Some of the banana men have taken up with us the question of 
> handling banana shipments for Salt Lake City and state that the only 
> train the Union Pacific have out of Denver that can handle these bananas 
> leaves at midnight, and asks that if the bananas are due in Denver in 
> the neighborhood of midnight if we can hurry them along a little so we 
> can make delivery to the Union Pacific in time to make connection with 
> their train."
>  
> *April 23, 1925, from J.D. Walker to C&S Vice President & General 
> Manager Robert Rice --*
> "-Reduction in Schedule on Bananas Ft. Worth to Denver-* *
>     "Our Traffic Department has request from Mr. C. M. Wynns, Traffic 
> Manager of the Banana Fruit Dispatch, requesting us to reduce our 
> schedule from Ft. Worth to Denver covering trains handling six cars or 
> more of bananas.
>     "Our present schedule is 59'55", divided as follows:
>     "FW&DC Ft. Worth to Texline...................30'00"
>     "C&S from arrival Texline to Denver...........29'35"
>     "They request that we cut this schedule to 55'00", or 4'35" less 
> than our present time.  The FW&DC has wired us that this time should be 
> divided as follows:
>     "FW&DC.....30'00"
>     "C&S.........25'00"
>     "Our present running time on No. 50 Denver to Ft. Worth is 55'50", 
> divided as follows:
>     "C&S Denver to Texline............................................25'05"
>     "FW&DC from arrival Texline to Ft. Worth....................30'45"
>     "You will note from the above that the FW&DC do not contemplate 
> reducing any of their time on bananas, but feel that we should reduce 
> our time 4'35", which you will note practically agrees with our 
> southbound movement of train 50.
>     "Our Traffic Department ask that we comply with Mr. Wynn's request.  
> Mr. Buckingham is now in New Orleans, and has conferred with Mr. Wynns.  
> He advises him that other lines including the CB&Q, KCS, etc., have been 
> reducing their schedules.  The T&P just recently reduced their schedule 
> two hours from New Orleans to Ft. Worth, and if we reduce our schedule 
> as requested it will shorten the time a total of 7'35" New Orleans to 
> Denver, which the Traffic Department states will materially offset the 
> competition developing thru the Pacific Coast.
>     "We handle approximately two banana trains per week, or about an 
> average of nine per month.  Our average time on these trains for the 
> past nine months was as follows:
>  
> Month    Trains    Avg. Time    Avg. Time    Avg. Time
>                         On C&S       On FW&DC   Ft. Worth to Denver
> 1924
> July          9        26'42"         27'25"         54'07"
> Aug.         9        26'41"         28'47"         55'28"
> Sept.        9        27'01"         29'08"         56'09"
> Oct.        10        28'07'         30'38"         58'45"
> Nov.         8        28'33"         31'51"         60'24"
> Dec.         9        20'29"         32'00"         61'29"
>  
> 1925 
> Jan.         9        25'08"         30'50"         55'58"
> Feb.         9        27'12"         28'04"         55'15" 
> Mar.         7        25'01"         30'23"         55'24"
>  
>     "If we can comply with this request and reduce our time to 55'00" on 
> banana trains it will ultimately mean we have to reduce time on No. 19 
> to approximately this schedule; this is about the same time as our 
> southbound schedule.
>     "The Traffic Department feel there is competition growing thru the 
> Pacific Coast, and if this develops it will no doubt take away some of 
> the business which we are now handling, such as the Utah and Idaho business.
>     "If the schedule is reduced we have not much of an argument with the 
> FW&DC to take up any of the time, and we will have to take up all of the 
> time, as you will note our southbound schedule on No. 50 is 
> approximately the same as that being requested for the bananas, and 
> divided about as the FW&DC request.
>     "Will you please advise your wishes in this matter."
>  
> *November 8, 1926, from G.B. Hoover, C&S Superintendent of 
> Transportation, Denver, to division superintendents H.A. Tice, Pueblo, 
> and J.D. Walker, Trinidad --*
>     "Banana shippers are making complaint in regard to the slow movement 
> of banana shipments over our line.  Under date of May 26th, 1925, we 
> issued instructions as follows:
>     " 'Effective at once banana trains consisting of six cars or more 
> are to be operated on fifty five hour schedule Ft. Worth to Denver, the 
> FW&DC using thirty hours from time of receipt at Ft. Worth until arrival 
> at Texline, the C&S using twenty five hours from time of arrival at 
> Texline until arrival at Denver, this time to be divided on our line as 
> follows:
>     " 'Sixteen hours from time of arrival at Texline until arrival at 
> Pueblo.
>     " 'Nine hours from arrival at Pueblo until arrival at Denver.'
>     "Will you kindly caution all concerned to see that these shipments 
> are handled as outlined above."
>  
> *August 8, 1927, from J.J. Kelleher, Traffic Manager, Banana 
> Distributing Company, New Orleans, to Gen. J.R. Hulen, Traffic Manager, 
> FW&DC, Ft. Worth --*
>     "I beg to enclose herewith copy of letter from Superintendent of 
> Messengers Harmeyer in regard to the movement of 14 cars of bananas ex 
> S.S. Atlantida from New Orleans July 27th, routed via T&P, FW&DC, 
> Colorado Southern to Denver territory.
>     "It has been our understanding that bananas in round lots would be 
> subjected to special service, as otherwise we cannot continue to route 
> the business via Fort Worth and your line and will have to use a 
> northern route where service has been very satisfactory.
>     "I therefore will be glad if you would investigate this matter and 
> advise me what we may expect in the future."
>  
> *August 10, 1927, from FW&DC General Freight Agent L.M. Hogsett to R.L. 
> May, FW&DC Superintendent of Transportation, Fort Worth --*
>     "Herewith copy of letter from Banana Distributing Company in regard 
> to delay of fourteen cars of bananas and threat to discontinue routing 
> business via this line.
>     "Will you please investigate and advise promptly what answer we 
> shall make in the premises?
>     "Our records indicate that these cars were delivered to the Fort 
> Worth & Denver City on July 29th at 10:10 AM, forwarded at 11:30 AM.  It 
> further appears that these cars arrived at Denver August 1st, at 2:10 
> PM, with time in transit on FW&DC-CS of ninety-six hours, twenty minutes.
>     "Just preceeding [sic] these, or out of Fort Worth on July 20th, 
> there were seven cars which it appears took sixty-eight hours, fifteen 
> minutes to move from Fort Worth to Denver.
>     "Considering these facts and that the specific cause of complaint is 
> alleged to be the failure to give shipments special train service, where 
> five or six or more cars are offered, I trust you will include in your 
> letter just what we may say to these people in repsonse to their request 
> as to what they may expect for the future."
>  
> *August 15, 1927, from C&S Freight Traffic Manager J.E. Buckingham to 
> G.B. Hoover, C&S Superintendent of Transportation, Denver --*
>     "Attached is some correspondence received from General Freight Agent 
> L.M. Hogsett of the Fort Worth & Denver City Railway in regard to delay 
> in handling shipments of bananas for the Banana Distributing Company, 
> which confirms conversation with your Mr. McGill today:
>     "Please investigate the handling of the specific shipments referred 
> to in that correspondence, advising if any of the delay is chargeable to 
> our line and the reasons for same.
>     "Five carloads of bananas reached Denver this morning on train 19 at 
> 8:55 AM, and although all concerned were lined up to handle these cars 
> as quickly as possible they were not set to the team-track until 11:15 
> AM.  We have been previously advised by your office that all shipments 
> of bananas should be set to the team-tracks within one and one-half 
> hours after arrival in Denver.  The banana people were consequently 
> informed that they could expect to receive their shipments within that 
> time and naturally we are receiving numerous complaints on account of 
> the additional time required to handled these shipments after arrival in 
> Denver.
>     "You will note in the attached correspondence that the shippers 
> threaten to route this business via the northern route [I.e., KCS to 
> Kansas City, UP to Denver] if we cannot maintain our schedule, and the 
> consignee in Denver also threatens to request routing through Kansas 
> City if we are not in a position to give better service, especially 
> after arrival of the shipments in Denver.
>     "Please make a thorough investigation, and with the return of the 
> attached papers advise me what service can be expected on this traffic 
> in the future."
>  
> It appears, however, that service over the C&S-FW&DC did not improve and 
> the banana business was lost to the UP before 1930.
>  
> I hope some of you find this of interest.
>  
> Hol Wagner



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