And do not forget the hoppla of 1964 and the centennial of the Chicago to Aurora
Be 147 this year
Trying to keep history alive
Steve in SC
________________________________
From: Gerald Edgar <vje68@hotmail.com>
To: cbq@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, February 11, 2011 9:00:40 AM
Subject: [CBQ] CB&Q's centennial
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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