Here's an interesting letter from the time when Burlington company service equipment was still painted mineral red instead of Omaha orange. It's dated Chicago, May 15, 1934, and was sent by Edward Flynn to the Lines East and Lines West superintendents of motive power, O.E. Ward and H.H. Urbach"
"When repainting Comb. Pass. and Way Cars, Drovers Coaches or Company Service cars made from old passenger cars, please omit the word "BURLINGTON" on letter board, and stencil initials and numbers on sides similar to stenciling on way cars, using freight car stencils.
"The use of freight car stencils will make it more convenient for points that do not have passenger stencils.
"Trade mark will be omitted on cars mentioned above."
Flynn at this time was presumably general superintendent of motive power. If that was indeed the case, he made a very unlikely climb up the corporate ladder, as by 1940 he was executive vice president of the company. His successor as GSMP would be Harold Urbach, who would hold the position until retirement in 1952. He was succeeded by C.E. Melker, who was also nearing retirement age, retiring in 1955 to be succeeded by J.D. Rezner.
The last sentence of Flynn's letter was followed only with drovers coaches and company service cars, as the combination passenger-waycars continued to receive the Burlington Route herald beneath the cupola, with the black background until 1941 and without it thereafter.
Hol