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A question came up regarding the use of the name “Owl” for passenger trains. Bill Glick had the image of an owl used by the CB&Q in advertising their train “Old Eli” and I wondered about the origin of the name. A quick Google search turned up a amusement park that named a locomotive “Eli” and it is an explanation that sounds plausible.
The image of an Owl named “Old Eli” was used by the CB&Q for a passenger train running between Chicago and Kansas City. The attached files illustrate the image of an owl that appeared in advertising and timetables. The race horse may have been named after an owl, the connection being obvious to people in the 1880s but completely lost on us and likely to history as well. There are also Eli connections in the Bible, popular literature, and references to Yale University. It is also possible the night time scheduling of the train may have earned it the image as a mascot.
This explanation appeared in a “Worlds of Fun” description of a Crown Metal Products live steam 4-4-0 operated by them named “Eli”:
“ELI's name itself has its own story, and it is one that can be just a touch confusing. ELI was named after a route on the Chicago, Burlington and & Quincy line (became Burlington Northern) that operated for 80 years from 1888 to 1958, that ran from Kansas City to Chicago. When the train began running in 1888 some now-forgotten Missourian likened its speed to that of a popular Chillicothe racehorse of the day named ELI, and shouted "Git thar, ELI!". The name stuck and the train that ran the line was named "ELI”.”
Charlie Vlk
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