>From the Friday, October 2, 1936 Ottawa Republican-Times and a follow-up to an
>article in the latest BRHS Zephyr transcribed by Eric Mumper (after his Dad
>did the hard part of going through the microfilm.)
The first streamlined train ever to visit Ottawa was viewed by thousands
this afternoon in the yards of the Rock Island railroad here.
The train, now on a tour of the United States and Canada, was met upon its
arrival by a welcoming committee consisting of Mayor Fred N. Spurgin, Ralph
Drips, president of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, John Ryan, Chamber of
Commerce secretary, C. E. Gates , La Salle county farm adviser, George Haroold,
chairman of the merchants' committee of the Chamber of Commerce, Howard Geiger,
representing the Ottawa Business Men's association, Charles Sapp, managing
editor of the Republican-Times, and A. M. Corbus, local druggist.
On behalf of the city of Ottawa, Mayor Spurgin presented to officials of the
traveling druggists' convention aboard the train, a plate glass plaque mounted
upon an attractive stained wood base. The plaque, in sand blasted letters,
contained the following inscription: "Presented October 2, 1936, to Rexall
Train by City of Ottawa, Ill., center of plate glass and silica and allied
industries"
The glass used in the plaque was manufactured at the Ottawa plant of the
Libbey-Owens-Ford company.
The 12-car train arrived in Ottawa shortly before 2 p.m. and was to remain
here until 5 p.m. As soon as the doors were opened a continual stream of
visitors began passing through the four cars in which exhibits were arranged.
One Locomotive Used.
The railroad precedent of changing locomotive as the pony express rider
shifted mounts is being shattered by the 350-ton streamlined iron horse that is
drawing the million dollar Rexall convention train.
One engine is pulling this modern business caravan, leased by the United
Drug company, of Boston, on a goodwill rour of 29,000 miles, equivalent to more
than the earth's circumference at the equator.
Convention sessions aboard the train in two cars fitted for the purpose will
be attended by 10,000 Rexall agents and their employes. Meetings will be held
in 109 cities and stops will be made at more than too(sic) towns to permit
public inspection of the train and its exhibits.
In carrying out its schedule, this streamlined locomotive will be the first
to pull a train through 48 states and Canada. Ability to shatter speed records
was not considered in its selection, although the engine is cabable of 100-mile
an hour speed. Emphasis was laid on qualities enabling a locomotive to "take
it" on any grade or curve in any weather and to "pull through" on passenger
train schedule.
97 Feet Long.
The engine, of the oil burning steam type, was fitted out by the New York
Central railroad. It is 97 feet long, 15 feet high and weighs 697,000 pounds,
about 350 tons. Its 52-feet long tender has a capacity of 5,000 gallons of oil.
Each of the locomotive's eight drive wheels measures 69 inches in diameter.
Behind the ladders at the front of the engine leading to the catwalks and
around the hidden smokestack, are tubular recesses which serve as windscoops,
lifting the smoke high above the locomotive when it is in motion.
Regular changes of engine crews are made at division points on the 52
railroads being traversed on the tour. But the locomotive is ridden
throughout the trip by a traveling engine foreman of New York Central. He is
assisting the different railway lines to meet this new and strenuous
railroading test. It involves keeping a schedule in addition to allowing for
testing, inspecting, and perhaps overhauling in addition to providing for
refueling.
The train arrived in Ottawa over the Burlington railroad from Aurora, where
it was exhibited this morning, and was switched immediately to the Rock Island
yards. From Ottawa, the train will go to Priceton.
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