Since the discontinuance (during WWII) of the summer season Buffalo Bill (trains 25-26) between Denver and Cody, Wyo., providing service to Yellowstone National Park by way of the Cody Road and the park's east entrance, the only passenger service the Q had provided to Cody was a summer-only steam-powered train from Billings to Cody, offering connections there with Q trains from Lincoln and Alliance and with Northern Pacific trains from the Twin Cities and Chicago. The NP also provided a smiliar connection service down its branch to the park's north entrance at Gardiner, Mont.
This Jan. 15, 1952, letter from C.E. Melker to H.F. Roesch addresses 1952 plans under the head, "Yellowstone Park Service for 1952" --
"Under date of January 14, 1952, Mr. Potarf [E.L. Potarf, then general manager of Lines West] wrote Mr. Thomas and myself as follows:
" 'I attach copy of Mr. Murphy's letter of Jan. 8 concerning Yellowstone Park Service for 1952. You will note that he objects to the use of GP-7s.
" 'I presume that we could restore the Warren Water Plant to service and perhaps get along with the steam engine [an oil-burning S-1-A or S-2-A Pacific] on this run, assuming that the NP would make the necessary inspections and repairs. If they would not so handle, presumably it would be necessary to run the engine into Sheridan for work.
" 'Will you please give this consideration and advise what it will mean to us in the way of added cost if we are forced to return to the use of steam power on this train.'
"Please advise."
Unfortunately, there is no other correspondence accompanying this letter, so we do not know why President Harry Murphy opposed the use of one of the new GP7s on this service, or what was ultimately done about powering the train during the summer of 1952. If steam was used, it certainly would have been about the last regular, daily assigned use of steam power on Q passenger (not suburban) trains.
Hol
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