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Re: [CBQ] RE: Strauss books

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Subject: Re: [CBQ] RE: Strauss books
From: "cvlk" <cvlk@comcast.net>
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2010 22:13:40 -0500
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I did not mention the lack of an index to diminish the importance of the two 
Strauss books and am glad to hear that Mr. Wallet will have to let the moths 
out for another, hopefully soon.

I would even come to the defense of him and any author who takes up the task 
of writing something about the CB&Q.    While we are fortunate indeed to 
have the Newberry Burlington Archives (and hopefully soon the Overton files) 
but compared to, say, the PRR we have not too much good information to 
offer.   The BRHS "archives" are an embarrassment; who knows how much 
material starting pre-merger and beyond has been lost because of an 
organized place to receive it.    Some material has been donated in the name 
of the Society but no accounting of what and where it is has ever been made 
to anyone.
I just spent a disturbing couple of days reading the latest PRR Society 
journal in which there is an extensive, well written and documented 
discussion of the development of the Q2 duplex.   Could such an article be 
written on the CB&Q "Colorado" 2-10-4 ?   The answer is no.... unless there 
is a treasure trove of CB&Q documents somewhere that most mortals have never 
heard of!

The Newberry Collection is great if you want to learn about the early 
development of the CB&Q from the perspective of finance, business, and 
management.   There is very, very little material on engineering, equipment, 
track, trains and operation.    And most of the collection stops around 1900 
from what I've seen.
Great stuff, but very, very limited.    For example, something as 
significant as the Dynamometer Test Car Z (and maybe Y from what I've been 
researching) that played such an important role in the Master Car Builder's 
trials of competing systems on Burlington Hill over a two year period is 
virtually totally absent from the records at the Newberry.   No photos exist 
to document the written and printed material in the collection, and almost 
no engineering drawings or other graphics.

Part of the reason the PRR enjoys such a huge following is the publicly 
accessible volume of material about the railroad.  This translates into 
books, models and other merchandise that feeds the flames of popularity of 
the railroad.

So while I may complain about the lack of an index in a book (something 
there is no excuse for well into the use of computers for producing books) 
I am grateful for every book in my collection.... even the ones that are 
hastily thrown together photos montages that are loosely glued together with 
mediocre text.   Strauss' books do have good, previously unpublished photos 
with data that I've never seen before..... so even with no index his books 
still get an A- or B+.   Maybe someone will eclipse them, but I wouldn't 
count on it.

Now if we could get the darn Waycar book.......... and the massive three 
volume set on the Shovelnoses......

Charlie Vlk



>
>
> Per this recent exchange on the Strauss book:
>
> Not to be overly critical of Strauss as he has given us a good trilogy on 
> Burlington passenger service (with the imminent 3rd book re: Q's long 
> distant trains).  However when one looks at his and some other 
> 'authoritive' books on the Burlington, how do they expect to indeed have a 
> thorough book on an aspect of the Burlington (or any RR for that matter) 
> without accessing information from the respective Historical Societies? 
> Yes, the Burlington is among the few RR's with an expansive historical 
> collection accessible to all would-be authors (Newberry library) and not 
> all enthusiasts & former employees of the Q are mbrs of BRHS (just as not 
> all Milw, NYC or SP fans/ret'd emps are mbrs of their respective RR's 
> groups).  Thus BRHS or any other RR group does not have a monopoly of 
> information relevant to "their" road.  However would you or I research & 
> author a book on 'widgets' without contacting the National Widget 
> Association to glean what info they had either as a group and/or to 
> contact their members including former widget workers to see what they 
> could contribute?  Ditto for model mfgs (for example: Con-Cor contacted 
> BRHS before doing the PZ)
>
> It's no conicidence that the very best books on any railroad are done by 
> authors who either are active members of the respective 'historical 
> societies' or have asked members of said groups to share their files, 
> memories, data, photos, memorabilia, etc.   Over the years I have found it 
> very instructive for any of my RR books to see what the authors used as 
> source material.  My thoughts anyway....
>
> Gerald
>
>
>
>
>
>
> To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
> From: drgw18@gmail.com
> Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2010 20:03:23 -0500
> Subject: Re: [CBQ] Pullmans of C&S #29 & #30
>
>
>
>
>
>
> The cars changed over time - they sometimes were
> a 6-6 and a 10-1-2, sometimes an 8-1-2 - it
> varied depending on year & season. The 6-6 was
> the 4084-B variety (originally for the Empire
> Builder, rebuilt from 14 section cars, one bought
> by the Q after divestiture (PIERRE
> CHOUTEAU)). There were two Oriental brass models
> based on these cars - one specifically labeled
> for the 1937 Empire Builder and the other labeled simply 6-6.
>
> Agree, Charlie, worst thing about Strauss's books
> - no index. And then, very short shrift given to
> non-named trains (often without the specific
> consist as provided the named trains) and
> sometimes without the generic consist of the
> named trains. Should be a third volume for such.
>
> At 02:29 PM 10/7/2010, you wrote:
>>
>>
>>Strauss's Burlington Route Passenger Trains Vol. 1 shows:
>>C&S / CB&Q Nos. 29 & 30
>>Denver-Billings via Wendover
>>Coach, Denver-Billings
>>Dining Car, Casper-Basin
>>12 Sections - 1 Drawing Room Sleeping Car, Cheyenne-Casper
>>10 Sections-Buffet-Lounge-Observation Car, Denver-Billings
>>
>>There is another listing but it only shows the
>>last car above for Pullman accomodations.
>>
>>There might be other listings but, as the
>>otherwise excellent book has no #))%*% index, I did not run across any.
>>
>>Charlie Vlk
>>I would appreciate knowing what Pullmans
>>(10-1-2) where used on #29 & #30 from Denver to
>>Billings. I am looking for real names! Any thing between 1948 to 1967. 
>>Thanks,
>>art gibson



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