Found my hardbound Kroehler salesmen's books from the 1923-1928 period. Per
the view of the main plant in Naperville, herein the tracks @ that time (note
they also had plants in Bradley & Kankakee, IL, Binghamton, NY, L.A. & San
Fran, CA & Stratford, Ontario, Canada.) Naper was the hdq with showrooms in
Chicago, NYC & S.F. Sales were over a $1 a month by mid-20's (a LOT in today's
dollars) and they were the biggest mfg of living room furniture in America
(including their then unique 'davenport beds' which we know today as hideabeds).
Carloadings @ Naperville were undoubtedly major. They got overextended in the
Depression and in the post-WWII era switched from just selling to independent
furniture stores to chains; a mistake. Thus the one time "General Motors" of
furniture is no more. We have a child's upholstered wood rocker purchased from
the plant at its closing. Nice to know the wood & cloth in it came to the
plant via CB&Q!
The views in the catalogs are 'aerial' from the SW with Q mainline in
foreground & plant on N side of tracks. Clearly seen is the triple track with
a switch opening to an eastward lead that in turn led back west with two
sidings coming westward the length of the plant (with the one closest to the
plant crossing the street that formed the west border of the plant). There is
also a single track leading partially into the plant complex from the east. As
its mostly hidden by the plant I can't say much as to its use (power plant
appears to be on south side of this siding - coal?).
Thus from the plant south wall outward there are two sidings, the 1st extending
westerly beyond the west end of the plant & probably used for loading
furniture. Next is a siding that begins somewhere to the east & ends at west
end of the plant. Then there is the switching lead that also crosses the
street at the west end of the plant and finally the lead from the northside of
the triple track into Kroehler. There is a large bldg for collecting sawdust
between the two sidings and the switch lead toward the west end apparently used
to load out sawdust (Farley & Loetsher Sash & Door in Dubuque shipped out 6
carloads of sawdust DAILY) on the Milw in its heyday as a reference). It would
appear the 2nd siding from the plant was for inbound lumber as stacks are shown
on south side of same (many freight cars shown, some legibly lettered CB&Q &
NYC; all are boxcars). A K class 4-6-0 is on the switching lead with 2 Q
boxcars & a westbound passenger train is on the center of the triple track (the
artwork is credited to W.F. Schhuessler of Chicago) Compared to other
industrial ads I've seen, I'd say this is probably pretty accurate as to
trackwork. Significant piles of lumber are seen east of the plant so some
unloading may have occured there too.
PS - I have 4 of these 'catalogs' - if you know of someone into vintage
furniture, I will either sell one or swap for CB&Q item(s) of equivalent value.
They run about 160 pp with a few color illustrations and are 9" x 14" in a
horizontal format. If anyone wants a xerox of the illustration, send me a
LSSAE (contact me off list) and/or I'll bring a catalog to Geneva. NOTE: other
illustrations that have a signature are a different name than the source of the
Naperville plant view.
PS - hope this helps Rory! Also have that real photo postcard view of the
plant from the 20's but taken from the SE at ground level. As Leo stated, a
lot depends on the era you model - this was the 'heyday'!
Gerald
.
_________________________________________________________________
The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with
Hotmail.
http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multicalendar&ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_5
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
CBQ-digest@yahoogroups.com
CBQ-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
CBQ-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|