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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