These are great stories. I'm to young to have known the CBQ or the J in Aurora but I've been drawn to both for as long as I know. The Q has lots of info and the J Aurora Branch activities are nearly non existent. So I'm very appreciative of you sharing. If anyone has any more on the J Aurora Branch or J at Eola please feel free to join the EJE yahoo group or email me. I'd love to hear more. Happy 4th everyone.
Dan
On Jul 4, 2014, at 4:56 PM, "Leo qutlx1@aol.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> Steve you brought back a long forgotten memory w/ that comment on running to see the J Aurora run. This has nothing to do with the Q(well almost nothing) but I think it's a story that shows how RRing used to be.
>
> E.B. (Smitty) Smith retired after 43 years and 10 months employment on the Q,with 38 of those years a switchman in the Aurora/Eola terminal. If your a BRHS member your going to learn about him in the upcoming Alley Job article. Buy the way he was my grandfather.
>
> When Smitty retired he sold the big old two story house on Grove St to my parents and moved to a bungalow on south Broadway very near the Js Aurora branch. Every so often when the J made their twice a week run into Aurora; Smitty would hear them coming,get up from the lazy boy and walk to the rte 25 xing. There he would flag the engine down and proceed to have a 10 or 15 minute conversation with the crew about the state of RR affairs and who on the J had retired,etc,etc. All this time the flashers and bells are doing there thing, cars are stopping, looking around then proceeding. When all the pertinent info had been exchanged a highball was given,the train proceeded and then another highball was given as the caboose went by.
> I don't know why I never asked for a ride!?
>
> In the 70s we would bump into the J Aurora job crew at the office on So Lincoln ave as they ate dinner. The train would be resting behind the office. The office,well it's name might be a little misleading, but it sure gave many a husband the excuse to say "Honey at was at the office late"
>
> Leo