,Hi Rupert,
My father, (John or "Jack" or "Johny" Carroll to some on the Q, was an assistant superintendent at Clyde Yards in early to mid 1950s and was sent to La Crosse and the Twin Cities for a 12 or 18 month stint in 1957-58 (maybe 1956-57) answered that question for me when we were in Golden Co. in the 1990s. I asked because I had photos and the brochure for the
locomotive and waycar on display in Ottawa (since then relocated up and over to Mendota, IL). I had brought the photos for my brother in Denver. My father said that the white line indicated lines west since waycars had a tendency to collect in lines east sometimes as far as Eola for updates and repairs and the white line helped to make sure these waycars went back to lines west quickly rather than sit.
Why they would not be updated in Lincoln and ended up coming to Galesburg or Aurora is beyond me and my father died in 2000, so I have no one to ask for any confirmation or explanation.
On another note on things I wish I knew and probably can't get anything on is the projects and work my father did in the 1940s and 1950s. A couple of people from the depot and two of the engineers always followed his statements about his time as an assistant superintendent with "the youngest one in the history of the road." Which I guess was a joke about something he used to remind people of when he talked about it, apparently to the point that they were tired of hearing it and would put it in themselves to needle him. I have no idea if that is true, but Murphy selected him personally for the position based on his performance as a foreman over a couple of other foremen and several gangs during the initial phase of the expansion of Clyde in the post war period. He also ran about 120 men in three gangs and sometimes a bridge crew during the upgrade of the mainline during the postwar period. He was doing everything from Eola west across at least Bureau County (Princeton) at some point near Galesburg his responsibility ended. I wish I knew more about what he did on the line and when before backing off the career route to return to Ottawa and his position as section foreman. I know that the mainline work was when he was a foreman and the Clyde Yards expansion saw him start as a foreman and then quickly became an assistant superintendent. So if anyone has paperwork on either the work on the mainline in the 1940/50s when they replaced a few bridges and put new heavier rail on the mainline or the Clyde Yards expansion of the same general period, then I would enjoy knowing.
I hope my little bit of information on the white line proves useful. I also hope that if someone comes across my father in the records that they will let me know.
Ed
From: CBQ@yahoogroups.com [CBQ@yahoogroups.com] on behalf of Rupert & Maureen [gamlenz@ihug.co.nz]
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 2:29 AM
To: CBQ List
Subject: [CBQ] Waycar white lining
Whilst working through the "Burlington Waycars" book, I notice that a number of cars had white lines added below the road numbers on the body sides, but there doesn't appear to be a pattern for this. The only common factor is the location (where known) is Nebraska / Wyoming / South Dakota.
Any suggestions?
Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ
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