Here's a letter sent by C.E. Melker, Lines West superintendent of motive power, to Denver master mechanic B.F. Meligan on June 27, 1952 under the head, "Lease of Diesels to C&S."
"Under date of June 25 Mr. Urbach wrote Mr. Ward, copy to me, as follows:
" 'In connection with my nessage of June 5th and subsequent correspondence about moving Diesels 9904 and 9906A to Ft. Worth for use on Zephyr trains No. 1 and 2 between Denver and Ft. Worth and the subsequent movement of 9906-A back to West Burlington because of repairs.
" 'C&S Lines now advise they will not need the 9906A or any other unit in its place; therefore, you will arrange to place it in service on CB&Q when released from West Burlington.'
"For your information."
I've seen one or two photos showing a shovelnose trailing an E-unit on the Texas Zephyr, and this confirms their assignment. But it would appear the 9906A made only a trip or two before being sent back; I don't know how long the 9904 remained, but it was less than a year.
As part of the monthly correspondence relating to changes in the locomotive assignment sheet, an Urbach letter of Jan. 31, 1952, to Ward and Melker states, in part:
"The following changes will appear on the locomotive and motor car assignment sheet February 1, 1952.
"DE 9938-B from 'Leased' to Aurora Divn.
"DE 9918-A from Aurora Divn. to 'Leased.' "
A similar April 29, 1952, letter reads, in part:
"The following changes will appear on the locomotive and motor car assignment sheet May 1, 1952.
"DE 9918A from 'Leased FW&D' to Aurora Division.
"DE 9944B from 'Leased FW&D' to Aurora Division.
"DE 9940AB from Aurora Division to 'Leased FW&D.' "
The 9940AB set is not shown returning from the FW&D during the remainder of the year, but it would seem probable that it came back in June, replaced by the 9904 and 9906A. I need to look at my assignment sheets to verify this. The acquisition of E8s 9981AB by the FW&D in December 1952 put an end to the need for leasing Q power for the Denver-Fort Worth passenger trains. When the need arose again in the mid-1950s, the Q responding by beginning to sell off surplus E5s to the two subsidiaries.
Hol
P.S. -- Checked the 1952 assignment sheets and 9904 only appears leased to the C&S -- not FW&D -- on the July sheet; 9906A never appears due to its short stay. The 9940AB remain leased to the FW&D through the end of the year, then return to the Aurora Division at the start of 1953, just as expected.