[CBQ] interesting use of HW Pullmans, CB&Q in the 1950s

["Dave Lotz" <Dave_Lotz@bellsouth.net>]

From The PCL Yahoo Group - Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:26 pm (PDT) . Posted by: "jshorvath10583" jshorvath10583

I happened across a sequence of photos today that show CB&Q passenger train #47-48 in late 1955-early 1956. I only have a July 1953 OG to go by but apparently these were St. Louis-Minneapolis trains (on paper at least) that took the long way via an all-Q routing on the east side of the Mississippi (as opposed to the more-direct jointly-operated Q-RI routing along the west side). It was a sloooow ride, almost 24 hours, with extended station stops in several places.

In any event, in 1953 at least #47-48 had no through cars between St. Louis and the Twin Cities. I get the impression they were primarily all-stops coach + M&E locals between St. Louis and the Chicago-Twin Cities main in Savanna, IL where connections were made with mainline trains. In 1953 at least these trains also handled a sleeper to/from the Quad Cities that made connections in Savanna for forwarding to/from the Twin Cities.

What caught my eye is that on several days at least during the aforementioned timeframe it appears a HW sleeper not owned by the CB&Q was used as the coach between St. Louis and Savanna. Here's the photos showing a total of three different trains on two different days. The sleepers are C&NW and L&N owned, the former a Plan 3973A 10-1-1 (recently renamed) and the latter a Plan 3410 12-1:

29 December 1955:

http://www.westernrailimages.com/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/7248140_p6xkXz - !i=627021867&k=3R2Fa

http://www.westernrailimages.com/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/7248140_p6xkXz - !i=1835388792&k=8xxrx6b&lb=1&s=A

http://www.westernrailimages.com/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/7248140_p6xkXz - !i=1835388053&k=p366LdL

http://www.westernrailimages.com/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/7248140_p6xkXz - !i=1835384332&k=xn2Gc4J&lb=1&s=A

http://www.westernrailimages.com/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/7248140_p6xkXz - !i=1835385982&k=DQ3N3NL&lb=1&s=A

3 January 1956:

http://www.westernrailimages.com/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/7248140_p6xkXz - !i=627022695&k=DZvHD&lb=1&s=A

http://www.westernrailimages.com/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/7248140_p6xkXz - !i=627008577&k=iGYF4&lb=1&s=A

http://www.westernrailimages.com/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy/7248140_p6xkXz - !i=1835398759&k=hJ3drhN&lb=1&s=A

Can someone who's knowledgeable about the Q explain the reason for using HW Pullmans like this? Was the Q so strapped for coaches during the holiday period that they needed to go to the Pullman pool for sleepers to use?

Thanks.

John S. Horvath

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