February 26, 2023
All - William "Bill" Franckey, a retired CB&Q/BN/BNSF locomotive engineer and lifetime railroad historian has just uploaded to YouTube his masterful two hour and sixteen minute video documentary "Steam To Stainless" that records the transition from steam to
diesel on the Galesburg Division:
Bill comes from a generational railroad family of locomotive engineers dating back over a hundred years. During his career, Bill sat down and interviewed senior or retired Galesburg Division engineers
and other mechanical department employees to record their work life memories.
This is a very personalized documentary that focuses upon the everyday life of engine crews and the many challenges they faced in getting their steam and diesel powered trains over the Division
either west to Ottumwa, IA, or east to Chicago, IL (Cicero and Chicago Union Station).
Plus, Bill interviewed retired Galesburg Roundhouse employees including a steam locomotive boiler maker and diesel locomotive electrician who maintained the motive power to get the trains over
the Division. There is a wealth of information in these interviews that is seldom heard elsewhere.
The Burlington Route Historical Society is in the process of adding Bill's documentary to the video area of their website. Included in the video are a number of interesting historical photos and
motion picture segments depicting Galesburg railroad scenes over the past hundred plus years - Louis
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope, AL