Two recent exchanges off list gave me the idea to share something a few of
you may be unaware of; i.e. what & why is the Burlington's "birthday"?
For 90 plus years, corporate felt it was 1850 as that was when the first
track was laid from Turner Jct (now West Chicago) toward Aurora. IL and trains
operated. Indeed publications were issued and other 'collectibles' provided
denoting the 50th, 75th & 90th anniversary years (1900, 1925 & 1940) The
latter year is most commonly found in terms of collectibles as Richard Overton,
already compiling his massive history's of the Burlington was commissioned to
provide a summary history of the Burlington: "The First 90 Years" as a handout
to Emps and the public in 1940. The country was pulling out of the Depression
due to the build up of defense production, Zephyrs were a great success, etc.
When you think about it, not a lot of companies make a big deal out of a 90th
Birthday but the Burlington did. However in 1946 or "47 when it was learned a
national Railroad Fair would be celebrated in Chicago in 1949, the Burlington
reconsidered its 'founding' date by backdating a year to 1849 when the Aurora
Branch was incorporated*. Thus the 90th anniversary promotions and the
subsequent centennial promotions (special timetables, etc) are only 9, NOT 10,
yrs apart! As the late Paul Harvey would say; 'now you know the rest of the
story'. (this change of 'anniversaries' is also noted in Annual Reports as
milestones are usually noted; especially as former competitors fell by the
wayside, were absorbed by other roads or went into bankruptcy: Milw, Rock, etc)
Only a guess but I would think Mgt felt it better to be able to say 'the
Burlington is a 100 yrs old' in press releases etc when so much focus was on
RR'ing during the RR Fair in "49 than to wait til 1950. It also gave them more
of a history lead on some competitors. There is a reason, obviously, why
corporations often tout how many decades they have been in business as evidence
of their stability and good management!
*The Q could have considered alternate dates based on when other components
came into existence either by charter, incorporation or track laying such as
Hannibal & St. Joe, Northern Cross, etc. When you are comprised of 206
railroads (some however 'paper' railroads wholly conceived & owned by CB&Q from
day 1), there are a lot of birthdays!
This year will be birthday 161 or 162 depending on 'charter' (1849) vs' track
laying/operating (1850) of the Aurora Branch. And Burlington is still the
first name or at least first initial in American RR'ing! (if UP considers
themselves bigger aka better apparently Warren Buffett who lives in Omaha did
not think so!)
Gerald
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