Pete:
Yup, I checked an Alliance Division ETT and he was indeed division superintendent. Thanks!
Hol
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com From: Jpslhedgpeth@aol.com Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:46:03 -0500 Subject: Re: [CBQ] Boxcars in Passenger Service
E.R. Shrader was a Superintendent...He was at St. Joe in the 1950's...I have a personal letter from him turning down my request for Jim Christen and I to ride the "head end" of No.93 from Corning to Villisca.
Shrader's nephew lives here in Lincoln and we have had several conversations recently about "uncle Ed". He is buried near York, NE...His nephew is going to take me out to his burial site sometime next spring.
Pete
-----Original Message----- From: HOL WAGNER <holpennywagner@msn.com> To: CB&Q Group <cbq@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thu, Jan 24, 2013 10:05 am Subject: [CBQ] Boxcars in Passenger Service
OK, here's one for all of you interested in boxcars in passenger service (Bill Glick and Rich Gortowski for sure). It begins with a Nov. 9, 1951, letter from Alliance general foreman (I believe) E.R. Shrader to Lines West SMP C.E. Melker at Havelock:
"As you know, we handle a carload of merchandise on the rear of No. 43 five days per week.
"It comes to my attention it is impossible to keep the markers on these cars, and when they do stay on it is almost impossible to keep them burning.
"While the markers should be kept lighted, the serious feature to me is the fact we are losing many of these markers, and while some of them are found they have the lens broken out and are usually badly dented so, in most instances, it means new markers.
"Isn't there some way these markers can be applied so they will not fall off?"
Copies of the letter were sent to Lines West GM E.L. Potarf and Alliance master mechanic C.J. Harty. Melker began looking into the matter by addressing Lincoln master mechanic C.E. Bloom in a Nov. 19 letter that began by reciting Shrader's letter, then continued:
"Inasmuch as the cars Mr. Shrader is having trouble with originate at Lincoln, please arrange for these cars to be gone over and see they are equipped with standard marker brackets and that same are in good condition.
"It is rather hard to understand how these markers are being lost if they are poperly placed in the marker brackets, unless there is some defective condition exists. Suggest you try the markers in each bracket before releasing same."
On Dec. 6 Bloom replied to Melker:
"Your letter of Nov. 19, file 562, on above subject [Markers on Freight Cars].
"We have made a check of freight cars which are used in train #43, loaded with Scottsbluff merchandise at Lincoln freight house, and have not found any cars with brackets on which we could not hand a market. Have made a check for the past ten days, and also had the night passenger yard foreman contact flagman on #43 and he advises they have not lost any markers between Lincoln and Ravenna.
"We will continue to have marker brackets checked during the day at the freight house to see if we are able to locate any of these cars which will not take the marker when hung on the car by brakeman, as the same cars are not in this run all of the time."
On Dec. 12 Shrader wrote to Melker:
"Referring to your letter of Nov. 19, file 562, to Mr. C.E. Bloom about markers on merchandise cars which we are handling on Train 43.
"A recent check indicates that the marker brackets on these cars have not yet been replaced with standard brackets. I also have information that merchandise car 8514 has a broken marker bracket, B end, north side, and will not hold a marker lantern.
"Will you please have necessary repirs made."
On Dec. 19 Melker wrote to Bloom in Lincoln, forwarding Shrader's report and concluding, "Will you please have necessary repairs made."
There the matter rested until this Jan. 19, 1952, wire from Shrader to Melker:
"Marker brackets on Q-8521 on train 31 this a.m. have been damaged to extent markers will not slip down into brackets. Understand have been in this condition for some time and condition reported to Lincoln. Please see that car not continued in service until markers repaired."
Next, on Feb. 8, Alliance master mechanic C.J. Harty wrote his Lincoln counterpart, C.E. Bloom:
"You have Mr. Melker's letter of November 19, file 562, regarding markers on freight cars, with particular reference to the car of merchandise on the rear of No. 43 arriving in Alliance.
"This passenger box car arriving each day still has marker brackets that are cast too small in slots and the markers will not set down in them, causing loss of markers.
"We have tried to spread these here in the short time we have, but they are made of cast iron and break when attempt to spread them.
"Won't you please arrange to again go over these cars so we can avoid this trouble?"
Harty sent a copy of this letter to Melker, and when Bloom replied on March 14, he also sent a copy to the superintendent of motive power:
"Your letter of Febr. 8, file 562, regarding markers on freight cars, with particular reference to the car of merchandise on rear of #43 arriving at Alliance.
"Since receiving this complaint the second time, we have inspected following cars on different dates as shown:
"Car No. times Condition
Number inspected of brackets
8521 3 OK
8533 2 OK
8548 2 OK
8513 1 OK
8521 1 OK
8534 1 OK
8537 2 1 bracket found broken Febr. 21 - new one applied, BR.
8531 1 2 brackets broken, B end - renewed.
8520 1 2 brackets broken, B end - renewed.
"Have lined up to have the brackets on all of these cars which handle merchandise inspected at Lincoln and tested with the marker bracket holder to see if it will fit in the bracket on the car, as the same cars are not kept on this run.
"If any of these cars show up at Alliance with which you are having trouble, would like to be so advised, furnishing me car numbers so can be checked and corrected on return of car to Lincoln.
"In checking over this file of papers, note only one car number is shown, namely Q-8514. It is very important that car numbers be furnished so we may take corrective measures."
Note that car 8521 is listed two times, and it seems likely the second listing should be another number.
There is no further correspondence in the file, so presumably the problem was taken care of. These cars were being used to take merchandise from Lincoln to Scottsbluff, Neb. (OK, Rich, it's not Lines East!), on the rear end of Lincoln-Billings train No. 43 as far as Alliance, then on the rear of Alliance-Casper No. 31. Since specific cars were not assigned to the service, and no reference is made to return trips on trains 32 and 42, so it must be assumed that the cars returned east, empty or loaded, in freight trains.
Hol
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