Pete - It's all a little amazing to me how quickly my fussee has
elicited promises of a roaring fire of Q stories and reminiscences. I've
received several other Emails off-line on this subject and all the
originators have promised to contribute, too. There's evidently more of "us" out
there that what I had earlier thought. I've always been a big believer
in recording oral histories. All the technical information and images are
fine, but if you don't have the people side of events, it's just so much dry
information to me. You could have a roundhouse full of S-4's, O-5's, M-4's and
O1a's, but they would just sit there inanimate until a fire starter laborer
climbed-up into their cabs, lit them off and brought the locomotives
to life..... Same for the Shovelnoses at the Zephyr Pit, someone has got to
crank 'em first to get them to CUS.... Nothing happens with out people....and
from people come the stories! I think it's very important this Q oral
history is preserved as our generation is the last link in the chain
stretching back, at least in your case as being a decade older, to the 1930s and
earlier. There is one Group member and lifelong friend who is a retired engineer
that my dad hired on right out of high school. He has been active over the
years in gathering oral histories from retired Q employees. Most of
his interview subjects has since passed away. I hope he would consider
sharing some of his collected transscripts, as well as his own memories,
with us as this thread expands. The same for every Group member reading this. If
you don't put down in writing what you think is important, then it's almost
guaranteed to be lost at some later date. Better yet, Charlie Vlk plans to
do something to more permanently preserve the stories and reminiscences
appearing here, past and present. So, to all who participate, we're slowly
but surely saving Q oral history one post at a time. And I don't want this
thread to be weighted towards train service, it's completely open to
every department from clerks to operators to dispatchers to road masters to
dining car stewards to everyone who ever drew a Q paycheck and their family
members who have something to contribute. No story or memory is too small or
unimportant not to be recorded here. Good to know that my dad would
recognize your name. I look forward to your future posts. My son Miles, who
is supervisor of demurrage for NS in Atlanta, particularly has enjoyed the posts
about how railroad accounting was handled before computers by a legion
of clerks without telephones mired in bureaucracy - Louis
In a message dated 1/28/2013 11:16:39 A.M. Central Standard Time,
Jpslhedgpeth@aol.com writes:
Louis
I've been jumping up and down in my chair wanting to get started with
names stories and reminiscences which you have sparked.
I think that you and I are the only folks on this list who knew and were
closely involved with the CB&Q as it was back then..I don't have time to
give you the "whole thing" on me right now, but here's a start.
You said you were born in 1946...well I've got 10 years on you.. I'll be
77 come March next. My grandfather whose name I carry was President and
General Manger of the Rock Port Langdon and Northern Railway Company from 1917
until his retirment May 1, 1946...If you lived inSt. Joe in the 50's you and
especiallly your dad know where Langdon is..or should I say was..There is not
even a station sign there now...The siding, house track and even the former
RPL&N main are gone.
Every Burlington name that's been thrown out here is very familiar to me
and I've even met some of them..My grandfather was on a first name basis with
all of them and they would give him anything he wanted for his railroad.
E.P. Bracken was probably one of the best if not THE best VPO the Q ever
had..He was my GF's hero and I have some of my GF's pesonal correspondence
with him written on his personal stationary and in his own handwriting.
GF always said...Bracken's initials stood for Every Person
Busy. My GF attended Bracken's funeral at Tecumseh, NE in 1937 and I've
got a story about that that might even bring a tear to your eye.
When I'm able to spend an hour or so here at the computer I'll starting
putting stuff out that some of these guys have never heard
before...It;'s from when the Burlington was "family" as you said.
MY GF knew these guys and often took me with him when he went to Chicago and
other points to see them. I got lots of "stuff" and You're the guy who
can know and appreciate it like no one who didn't know the "real" CB&Q
can.
I'm sure if your dad were still wilth us he would instantly recognize the
name....
Pete Hedgpeth
-----Original
Message----- From: LZadnichek <LZadnichek@aol.com> To: CBQ
<CBQ@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sat, Jan 26, 2013 4:12 pm Subject: Re:
[CBQ] Official Correspondence
Bill - Your sentiments are most welcome. I, too, really enjoy the
reminisces and first person accounts that occasionally appear,
particularly from those who spent their careers in train service as
conductors, brakemen and engineers. This is what has drawn me into the Group
to start posting after years of being a silent member. Plus, I'm not getting
any younger and when I go to the big roundhouse in the sky what I haven't put
down in writing will be lost as my dad's experiences would've been if I
didn't start posting them here. There are some excellent story tellers among
the other members and at times I can almost hear the motors in Run
8, calling out signals, the slack running in-and-out, bacon sizzling on the
way car stove and the ballast crunching beneath their boots. Whereas I
only worked for the Q during summer vacations (one summer at the GOB as
a clerk auditing tickets and "secret passenger" reports and the
other running a t rack machine on a steel gang....that was a real
experience) and didn't make railroading a career, coming from a
generational railroad family insured that I'd be a fan all my life. One
of dad's best friends was Leonard "Lonnie" Hall who was a Q road master
and division engineer. Do you remember Mr. Hall? Do you have any memories
of Mr. Hall or reminisces of your own to share like dodging rattlesnakes
cuddled-up to the warm rails on cold nights, sun kinks, wash outs, gandy
dancers, camp cars, steel and tie gangs, mechanization and the
coming of welded rail....all the other things that made life as a road master
interesting? Are you a generational railroader, too?
Louis
In a message dated 1/26/2013 3:10:08 P.M. Central Standard Time, macon249@yahoo.com writes:
You have no idea how much I enjoy these posts, I went out as an asst.
Roadmaster right after the BN- Frisco merger and heard most all these names.
It really is a joy, after all these years, to know more about these folks. I
knew lots of people off the old Q.
Bill Jackson
Sent from my iPad
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