Tom,
To answer your question as to who picked up the tanks it would depend on the year for a couple reasons. Since you model “the late 1960s” I began my research with C&A ETT #11 dated 10/31/65 which shows the Rockford way freight leaving Rockford around 9:30PM. Then returning from Rochelle around 1:30AM. Keep in mind the times are strictly “for information purposes only” as wayfreights rarely operated on the times shown in the ETTs. This listing stays more or less the same thru ETT #13 of 10/30/66. After that date the ETTs don’t show the locals in the footnotes. Why is this germain to the discussion ?
Because there were no Rochelle road switch crews until sometime in 1966.See page 5 of BRHS Bulletin 64 in the Earl Currie article about CJ MIller. They were what got Earl Currie assigned/promoted out of West Quincy to the Aurora div. As an assistant trainmaster,where Asst Supt Miller gave him the introduction to “big rail railroading”. The Rockford way freight did all the switching from Rockford to and including everything at Rochelle. It routinely died on the hog law on the way back to Rockford 16 hours after going on duty. This would most likely mean that prior to the advent of the two Rochelle road switchers the diesel tanks were not lined up in time for the night maid of all chores headed to Savanna in the middle of the night and sat another 24 hours at Rochelle.
Once the night Rochelle job came into existence the cars would be ready when the maid of all chores went through in the early AM. Which train was that ? Definitely not 97 which was a priority train. So depending on the date it would have been #81 listed as the “Rockford and Savanna way freight”. Keep in mind based on the many conversations I had 45-50 years ago with former Q men I was working with 81 only went to Rockford and back to Flag Center and on to Savanna on the night the Rockford way freight was off. Now if you go back earlier in the ETTs there was some changing of duties between #81 and #83 farther back in time.
Now moving into BN days whatever train number was hung on that maid of all chores from Cicero to Savanna would set out and pick up at Rochelle. Over the years the number could be #353, 11621, or 181.
Leo
On Nov 20, 2024, at 6:53 AM, Tom Mack via groups.io <thommack=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:
Leo,
That's great information about the tank cars coming from Standard Oil in Rochelle. I looked on Google Maps and see exactly how it would work. That also gives me some really neat operating opportunities since the tank cars can come into Savanna Yard, sit for even a day, and then head out to Galesburg (I would imagine on Train 80, 88, or 156).
Would one of the road freights like 81, 83, or 97 pick up the tank cars on their way to Savanna? Or was there a wayfreight (181?) that worked the line west to Savanna and picked up cars?
--
Tom Mack
Cincinnati, OH
Modeling Chicago-Mpls/StP 1965-merger