Louis,
I have a Q bell that came directly through the GOB at 547 W Jackson in
Chicago or from 14th st. Here's the true facts of how I came to possess my
bell in the same condition that it came off the loco.and some history about
the orginal owner after the Q. Unfortunately I do not know the # of
the locomotive it came from.
My great uncle Bill had a 1943 seniority date as a trainman so he
worked for years with steam. By the mid to late 50s he had enough seniority to
hold baggage runs and the dinkies as a collector. He preferred these over frt.
Some on the list,with Chicago roots, will remember Bill as the winter swimmer
featured in the Chicago Tribune for his trips to Lake Michigan where he would
break the ice and go swimming. Actually he went swimming in the lake every day
he had a layover in CUS. Bill was a muscle builder and very health conscious. He
had immigrated from Germany where he had been a body builder and gym instructor.
That's what he did for a living upon arrival here and worked at Mt Morris
travelling back and forth to Aurora on the Q. That's how he told me he decided
to go RRing. He thought the passenger trainman had a pretty good thing.
So as steam was being scrapped,Bill had a number of company G.O. office
employees on his morning and evening runs. One of whom worked in the
stores/purchasing dept., Bill pestered the poor guy, you have to picture this
muscle bound German,with his deep accent,standing over a guy in his seat,
repeating over and over how badly he wanted a bell day in and day out . He
insisted on paying for it,those who knew Bill remember he would have
it no other way. So one night after backing in from 14th street yard and opening
the doors; Bill was greeted by the purchasing dept fellow carrying a bell which
he presented to him. The man suprisingly refused to accept payment. Bill proudly
took his bell home. Living in the country on some acres he mounted the bell on a
post surrounding his patio. My aunt rang the bell at lunch and dinner to call
Bill into the house.
Bill dutifully took the bell down each winter when they went to Mexico and
TX and put it back up each spring.
When he passed the bell stayed until my aunt passed and then the executor
sold it to me for the princely sum of $300. None of my siblings had the least
interest. I want to use it in the same manner Bill did but my better half will
not allow "that ugly thing" on our patio so it sits securely tucked away.
It is mounted on a farm dinner bell type swinger rather than the correct
hanger and pedestal. If anyone can help me secure the correct attachments please
contact me off list.
Oh, one last true historical side bar............. As WWII dragged on Bill
decided he had,had enough anti German comments directed at him. His surname was
Wohlschanslaglel(not sure I have the spelling correct) so he decided to legally
change his name to Wohl. After doing so in the legal system he notfied the
Aurora BRT lodge of the change and that's when the trouble started. A few
younger guys maintained that since his name had changed Bill should have a new
fresh seniority date. It was put to a vote and defeated by cooler heads in the
lodge. Talk about characters !
When I made my first passenger trip on 9/27/74 I wore one of his unifrom
jackets with full Burlington hardware and hat. I must have been a site for
a couple weeks until my uniform was ready ! I have a matched set of Q
"airline pilot" Condr and trainman hats that will never be seen on my swap table
at the meets that Bill gave me.
Yes, I just found all my old timebooks and yearly note calendars in the
attic over the weekend. All these years I've been going from memory on this
list,now I have reference material.
Leo