Bill,
Actually, there may have been at least four trips to Colorado, operated by the Illini RR Club. I rode the first two in 1959 and 1960 (still can't believe that my folks let me go alone at a mere 16 years old, although I did travel with a friend of the same age on the first trip). No. 5632 pulled the first trip from Chicago (with a night departure from Union Station at 9 PM) to Lincoln, NE where no. 5626 took over to Denver (it failed on the way back). My friend and I rode the cab of #5626 along with 6 other rail fans and four RR people over the last division into Denver. What a thrill for a 16 year old! Twelve people in the cab pretty well filled it even though those O-5 all weather cabs were quite large. One of the rail fans was a girl. The crew gave her the seat behind the fireman.
I think the recording on the Mobile Fidelity "Sunday Only" album leaving Burlington was made on the first trip as I met Brad Miller from MF who rode the trip and recorded much of it. That recording is one of my favorites except I believe that Maury Klebolt, president of the Illini RR Club, had asked the Q to temporarily replace the whistle on #5632 for the trip with one from another RR, maybe IC. The whistle in the recording is too shrill for the normal Q 5 chamber. Never the less, #5632 put on a bone chilling show leaving town and charging up the grade. It was a big train (17 0r 18 cars) and the big O-5 made short work of it. I created a ringtone for my cell phone from that recording which I use for a friend who worked for the Q, BN and Amtrak over the Q. A little embarrassing when it goes off in McDonald's My son works for U.P. and his ringtone is from a recording of Challenger #3985.
In 1960, #5632 pulled the train from Chicago (morning departure) to Lincoln where two E8s took over to Denver, mostly at night. I seem to recall that the Colorado trip was operated at least two more times in 1961 and 1962, but I don't have confirmation or the specific dates. The operation was the same as the 1960 for the later trips.
In 1959, while #5626 was laying over in Denver, it pulled at least two excursions there. One, I think went to Colorado Springs and the other to Cheyenne. I know I have seen photos of at least one of those trips showing the 5626 with a really short train, maybe three or four cars. Again, I don't have specific information on dates and destinations to include them in the list.
Bill Barber Gravois Mills, MO Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:14 pm (PST)
you are only showing two trips west of burlington iowa with 5632. If my memory is right one of those two trips is the recording on Sunday Only going from Burlington to New London
Bill Ewinger
Burlington Iowa
__._,_.___
![]()
__,_._,___
|