I wish I could have attended your presentation Leo. I had many relatives that worked (at least for a few years) for the CB&Q in Aurora, including my grandfather, Dad, and Uncle. My mother was a early female railfan who rode the Aurora streetcars, the CA&E, and remembered the other interurban lines out of the city,(including the De Kalb line) and my Dad recalled C&NW passenger trains at their Aurora station. He rode his bike downtown to witness the construction of the new Aurora station and the elevated grade through downtown in the early 1920's. Mom took her first train ride from Aurora's old street level station back in 1916. I was the "baby of the family" that came along later, but Mom made sure I enjoyed our trips from Aurora to Denver, including introducing me to my first ride in dome coaches, observation cars, etc. in the 1960's.
Verne Brummel,
Fitchburg,WI