It's been awhile since I've posted anything from the volumes of old Q and C&S records I'm gradually sorting and filing at the Colorado Railroad Museum library, so I thought I'd try to transcribe a few of the more interesting ones this afternoon.
First off, a Sept. 26, 1952, letter from Chicago attorney Walter ("Wally") F.J. Krawiec to C.E. Melker, then about to retire as Burlington's superintendent of motive power for Lines West, with his principal office at Havelock. Krawiec was among the better known participants in the art of locomotive roster shot photography, and his letter to Melker is self-explanatory:
"Due to the rapidity of dieselization, I have devoted most of my leisure time to my hobby of collecting photographs of steam locomotives. Thanks to the excellent cooperation and assistance of Mr. O.E. Ward [superintendent of motive power for Lines East] and his clerk, Mr. Coleman, I have been very fortunate during the past year in obtaining a number of the rarer types and classes that still operate on lines east of the Burlington. However, there are a few classes that are assigned exclusively to lines west, and in a number of instances, possibly your engine terminal at Lincoln would be better suited in photographing certain engines. I am most anxious to obtain class S-3, B-1, and O-4 power and I plan to include, if I may, your facilities at Alliance and Lincoln in a one-week western trip for that purpose.
"In that Mr. Ward is without jurisdiction, he has suggested that I contact you prior to my departure.
"I hope that I shall be able to make the trip during the period of October 4 to October 12, 1952. I probably will stop first at Alliance, then at Lincoln toward the end of that week.
"If for reasons of bad weather, or otherwise, I am unable to leave, I shall postpone the trip to October 17 to 26.
"I shall appreciate an opportunity to visit these terminals, and sincerely hope that you are free to entertain my request."
Melker's brief reply was not sent until October 4, the day Krawiec planned to leave Chicago:
"I have your letter September 26, which came while I was out of town.
"It will be satisfactory for you to visit our Alliance and Lincoln terminals for the purpose of taking photographs of steam locomotives."
At the bottom of the office copy of the letter, Melker's clerk penned, "Called Lin & Alli; OK to allow."
The Q and its subsidiaries were always open and welcoming to fans, and photography in even the busiest and most congested terminals was never a problem. I was never asked to leave Burlington property and was never denied access. All that changed, of course, in the years following the BN and, later still, BNSF mergers. And in the wake of 9/11, such access has become difficult if not impossible to obtain.
I think I'll stick to one topic per posting, just so responses are easier.
Hol
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