A bit off the subject, but the airlines had some of the same problems shipping
human remains. In this case, I believe the remains were shipped in the coffin
or a coffin used for transport. I had a cousin that died in NYC in 1972 and he
had to be transported back the Quad Cities. Rather than using rail, Amtrak
from Penn Station to CHI Union Station and then the QC Rocket to Rock Island,
the body was shipped via air on Ozark Air Lines. They forgot to unload the
coffin in Moline and it stayed on the plane and went on to Cedar Rapids, so the
visitation that evening at the Hill & Fredericks funeral home was not only with
a closed casket, but an empty one. The Casket did arrive later than evening or
the next morning in time for burial at the Mt. Nebo Cemetery in Davenport.
--- In CBQ@yahoogroups.com, "domelinerdude" <domelinerdude@...> wrote:
>
>
> I remember one night when I was working as the evening Amtrak ticket
> clerk/baggageman at the Burlington, IA in 1976, the westbound San Francisco
> Zephyr, train #5 arrived in Burlington. Since there was no train baggageman
> for that segment of the train's journey, the ticket clerk was required to
> open the baggage car door, locate and unload the luggage for Burlington and
> then load the luggage originating at Burlington in the car heading westbound.
> This was to be done during the 3" station dwell. You were then required to
> signal the Conductor that you were done and in the clear.
>
> One night the train arrived and I opened the car to find the lights were not
> working. I climbed aboard the baggage car with my flashlight to find a large
> wooden remains crate that Chicago Union Station had loaded with the
> Burlington luggage trapped behind it and other stacks of luggage against the
> wall.
>
> After looking unsuccessfully for someway to reach the Burlington bags with on
> a couple of minutes remaining, I realized that I would have to climb across
> the remains to retrieve the bags. Afte aplolgzing to the occupant I did just
> that and gently straddled the top of the crate and managed to unload and load
> the bags in time for the SF Zephyr to head west. It was the last thing I
> wanted to do, but I got the job done.
>
> I remember in the early seventies when I was a baggageman at Kansas City
> Union Station (I was a boomer) a remains arrived from Chicago head ed for
> Louiville, KY. Due to flooding on the route of the "Floridian" between
> Chicago and Kentucky, the train service was annulled and Chicago Union
> Station sent the remains to Kansas City. So we sent the remains early the
> next morning on the eastbound National Limited to Indianapolis, if my memory
> serves me. But I do remember thinking this departed soul was going to be late
> for their own funeral.
>
> Hubert
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In CBQ@yahoogroups.com, "Daniel" <no17eng654@> wrote:
> >
> >
> > As part of the Manly Jct. Railroad Museum (Iowa)displays, we will have 17
> > flat screens depicting different North Iowa-Southern Minnesota railroads.
> > In addition, we will feature things like Railway Mail Service, Railway
> > Express, etc. Many human remains were transferred in North Iowa and
> > Southern Minnesota by rail up to discontinuance of most trains in the late
> > 60's.
> >
> > Would anyone out there be able to share a photo that would demonstrate the
> > common scene of handling human remains by train?
> >
> > Dan Sabin
> > No17Eng654@
> >
>
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