WESTERN PACIFIC ~~~~p, ~sts What about public reaction tion from a very critical traveler to the ZephY1'? You such as I am." ... "Liked the Cali­ wilL be in teTested in the follow­ fornia Zephyr so much I had my ing actual quotations. r eservations changed so I could make the r eturn trip by the same route." ... "Nothing more to be of­ AUG UST, 1949 No. I On March 20 of this year our new , the , went fer ed on this earth in the way of Depa rtm e nt of Public Re latio ns, 526 Missio n Street, San Fran cisco into daily operation between Sa n luxury travel." ... "We are letting Lee Sh e rwood, Editor C o nstance Beeso n, A ssociate Ediior Francisco -Oa kland and Chlcago. everyone know wh a t a wonderful CORRESPONDENTS Since that time it has been given train the California Zephyr is." ... Ruth Cra ne, Sac ra me nt o Northe rn Hazel Pe te rse n, O a kla nd a world of attention by the press, "As a newspaper man I have made Frank ~ i nd ee, Tidewater Sout hern • Bil l McGrath, Chicag o numerous trips for 50 years on J,m Mil ls, Mrs. Mol ly Fagan, Rita Conn oll y, San Francisco and innumerable r ema rks a nd let­ ters have indicated what the riding , and positively have never ~ 7 publi c really thinks of the new experienced a nything so magnifi­ I N DEX . cent as the Vista Domed California Page Some of the letters have made Zephyr." . .. California Zephyr Acceptance. 3, 4 suggestions, a few h ave frowned at "There aren't many trains I have Sidetracks 5 the "gadgets" - radios, telephones, missed, and the California Zephyr is Along the F eather River Route 6, 7 heaters, etc.-one or two have come the best train I ha ve ever been on." They Retire ... They Take Over 8,9 away disgruntled, but the vast ma­ . .. "Train was delightfu lly cool and W. P. Will Remember 10 jority r eally enthuse about th e th e service and food excellent .. .. Don't Be Half Safe! 11 California Zephyr. Man y comment "The best train operating today." How We Are Doing 12, 13 on the attention and service they . . . "It was everything they said, Western P acific Picnic 14 get from train personnel. And all a nd more." .. . "Rema rkably com­ Caboosing 15 like th e Vista Domes. But remarks fortable, remarkably courteous, All Clear Ahead 16,17 most often h eard ar e about th e train remarkable scen ery." ... "Ridin!1 The Cherry Specials 18 itself; the public's enthusiasm has through the F eather River Canyon "W6ATO Calling Siam" 19 been s urprisingly strong as to ap­ in the Vista Dome was like rid­ Western Pacific Goes to the F air 20,21 proval of our new train. ing through fai ryland in a roller More Caboosing 22 Here are actual quotations taken coaster." '. .. Sports 23 from letters and the press: ABOUT THE SERVI CE ABOUT THE TRA IN "Service was all that could be To Western Pacific Railroaders: "I h ave traveled on every good desired." .. . "Particularly want to train in the United States (with the commend Russell Elster, club" car The little magazine you are reading is the first issue of Western attendant; John. D. Verquevedo, Pacific MILEPOSTS. It is your magazine, and we hope you will like exception of the Super of the Santa F e ) a nd I can assure you that club car attendant; Miss B e tty its contents and its size. Every effort will be made to cover the Pitschke, Zephyrette, and Zeb entire Western Pacific System, and we earnestly solicit your the California Zephyr is the best · train which I have ridden." . .. "Th e Evans, dining cal' steward." . .. assistance in gathering news of our road and its employees. The "Much impressed with the excellent editors will welcome your suggestions and constructive criticisms. equipment and the smooth opera­ tion of the train are worthy of m en - service rendered by Harry Hill- 3 2 i\1 I L EPOSTS M IL EPOSTS "Conductors, train", ' n, Zvphyrettes SIDETRACKS and porte rs a ll s em d to go out of their way to be h e lpful." ... "Wish to thank E. E. Scotl, Li·k 1 agent, for arranging such won I ,.ful ac­ Win Apprenticeship Up the Ladder commodations." . .. "Bill Cook. din­ Honors The following men have received ing car steward, was so cou rleous new appointments: Nine Western P acific men r e­ and helpful he added greatly to the C. D. FabTin is n ew manager of ceived apprenticesh ip certificates at pleasure or the trip." ... Time Service in San Francisco. H e a special Sacramento completion The new California Zephyr has succeeds the late Mr. S. A. Pope . . . . made a hit, of that there is no doubt. ceremony in June under the State The train is completely filled every D epartment of Education Appren­ John G. Edwa"ds has been ap­ trip and wise travelers make r eser­ ticeship Training program. pointed passenger traffic r e pre ­ vations well in advance, pm·ticu­ They are: Machinists - J . C. sentative in . . . . larly after once having ridden the M. M. Ch"isty has taken over the crease." . . . "Food was excellent, Caughey, h .; J. E. Lamey, N. V. Western P acific train. duties of auditor of payroll accounts but found one of your employees in Sm·jan. Boilermakers - D. J. Ha,'­ in place of the late Mr. F. A. King, the snack bar to be impertinent." "ington, J. L . Lee. Sheet Metal San Francisco...... "We were neve r treated nicer Workers - E. J . Robinson, N. G . than we were by your porter , D. Queen Rid es Zephyr Owens. Carman - R . K inzel, J1"­ In the legal department the fol ­ Dwyer." ... "I consider George B. Mrs. Richard Greene of Rich­ Electrician- L. J . Lib1"O. lowing changes have been made : mond, Calif., was "qu een" on Charles W. Dooling is now general Watson a real credit to your organi­ GLEASON TALK zation; his manner was very warm KFRC's "Queen for a Day" pro­ counsel; Mrs. Ha""iet P. Tyle,', gen­ and friendly.". . "Porter Albert gram recently and won a free ride E. E. Gleason, general superin­ eral attorney; E. L. Van Dellen, Buchanan did much to make our on the California Zephyr to Glen­ tendent of motive power with head­ commerce attorney-with h ead­ journey a comfortable one." .. . wood Springs, Colo. She left Oak ­ quarters at San Francisco, talked quarters in San Francisco.. .. "Your gracious Zephyrettes are a land June 27. Oh, yes, her husband on Management's Interest. E. T . Cuyler h as been appointed credit to any man's railroad." . accompanied her. assistant superintendent of motive power. His headquarters are in ::;acramento. Position of assistant to WP Attends Convention superintendent of motive power was abolished. Western P acific employees joined R obert A. Hansen is now district employees of the Southern Pacific, passenger representative at Sacra­ Santa Fe, Union Pacific and Rio mento .... Grande railroads in the 13th annual west coast convention of the Broth­ C. E. Elliott is new division engi­ erhood of Locomotive Firemen and neer, with h eadquarters at Sacra­ Enginemen and its auxiliary in a mento .... three-day meeting in Oakland. W. T. Richards has been pro­ H. C. Munson, vice-president and moted to engineer maintenance of general manager of WP, was among way and structures, with head­ those to speak at the convention. quarters at San Francisco. He was Delegates present numbered 500. former division engineer....

4 M ILEPOSTS M ILEPOSTS .5 "YUkon 2-2100 , Please" Gentlemen Prefer 'Em SUtter 1-1651 is no more. B u t for .. . So Do the Fish 41 years in the history of the San Western PaciEc Agent L. Peter Francisco offices of WP the number Hanley of Kedd ie, Calif., hasn' t was used by millions to contact bought a Hy 0 1' a salmon egg this Western Pacific. A n ew number has year-nor has h e dug for worms. taken the place of Ihe old - it is Yet he's h aving more luck fishing YUkon 2-2100. on the Feath er River than ever be­ R eason for the change is due to fore. The secret of his success lies W P 's expan sion -ever s ince t h e in h is bait - strands of h is wife's California Zeph yr went into service blonde hail'. the lines have been swam ped with Unlik e Ih e O. Henry story, "The telephon e calls for r eservation s and Gift of the Magi," abou t the gi rl who information. The increase in busi­ saddened h er spouse by cutting off ness necessitated more tr unk lines her waist- long tresses, Mrs. H an ­ for direct outside lin es. ley's golden blonde ha ir fits per­ The YUkon 2 prefi x is compara ­ fectly into Hanley's bait - making tively n ew, having been opened by project. H e fash io ns his own fli es, the Telephone and Telegraph Com­ copying nature and usin g th e ideas Cresta Dam, as see n from W P's ma in lin e. pany last November to take care h e fo und in fis hing - fl y instruction of th e demand for more telephone books. c hann els e verywh ere. The n e w NO FISH STORY n umber will be less crowded and Hanley's h obby has met with s u ~h w ill give fastel' service, the tele­ success this fr iends and neighbors T wo Army telephones are play­ All of the d ump cars a re equipped phone COlllpany pointed ou t. Th e ing an important role in th e riprap w ith hooks welded to the ir s ide have been using his fli es. L ike a SUtter prefix is crowded by lines to pre- mixed biscuit batter, Ha nley's operations going on at the PG&E's doors. Wh en the engine backs from large hotels and department stores. hydro- electric project wh ere cr ews th e trainman dW'ing dumping oper­ fli es are a sure thing; they always dump 100 - pound to 10,000 - pound ation s , th e connecting telephone MANUALLY OPERATED get th ei I' fi sh. boulders along the railroad 's em ­ wire is unrolled from a reel and In 1908, wh en WP was located in bankments to protect WP's right ­ hung on th e hook to keep it from the Mills Building, 220 Montgomery of- way. Between tunnel 17 and the dragging 01' bein g run over by the St., th e switchboard was manually west portal of tunnel 22, wh ere an wh eels of the train . operated . In 1932 a dial system was installed and an additional P BX ellgine, a spreader, a caboose and Wh en dumping is completed the operator was hired . 20 cars loaded with r iprap edge train is sh oved back to plow down About a year a fter Western P a ­ around curves and throu gh tunnels, the riprap with the spreader, and cifi c moved into its new San Fran­ it is impossible to hand signal. while being shoved back the wire To overcome this difficulty the cisco offices at 526 Mission St. in is taken from th e hook and again Janua ry, 1942, a third operator was telephones come in h andy. One of rolled on the reel for the next use. the telephones is used by a fi reman hired. The number of locals jumped on the locomotive. T he other is used Directing the WP operation is from an original 100 to a present 300. by a trainman on the ground where Assistant T rainmaster Grant S . Operators are Mrs. Hazel Wochos, he can see operations and give th e Allen. Roadmaster C. R. Barry is ch ief operator ; Miss Marie Daley, necessary verbal signals to pr oceed. overseeing rip rap operations. and Mrs. Kathryn J ackson. 7 6 l\IILEPOSTS l\I I LEPOS T S July, 1949. He came from the Chi­ In 1942 Mr. Woolford went into They Reti,.e .. . cago, BW'lington & Quincy Railroad, the Army in the Railroad Operating They Take Over working his way up from a laborer Battalion, serving in Africa, Italy, to become the line's general super­ France and Germany, leaving the More than 250 Western Pacific intendent of its Western District in service as lieutenant -::olonel. Railroad employees honored foul' 1947. top executives on June 30 at a spe­ ALSO AN ARTIST A graduate of Harvard Univer­ cial banquet in San Francisco. Those Mr. Craig will always be remem­ sity, he received his AB degree in retiring were Mr. Harry A. Mitchell, bered for the Western Pacific me­ 1919, and an MBA degree in 1921. president; Mr. Thomas L. Phillips, dallion which is the result of his He was born in Cambridge, Mass. chief engineer; Mr. Charles F. Craig, artistic talent. It is he, also, who drew an accompanying safety me­ assistant to the general manager, LONGEST WORK RECORD and Mr. P ercy H . Emerson, trans­ dallion. Mr. Craig has the railroad Mr. Phillips retires with a longer portation inspector. They total 161 business in his blood-having got­ employment record than any other years loyal service. ten his first taste for railroading WP employee. He came to the road Taking over their duties are Mr. when he was on the Burlington and in 1905 when his engineering expe­ the Northern Pacific Railroads. Frederic B. Whitman, Mr. Frank R. rience was already considerable. Woolford, Mr. Richard C. Beltz, and When Mr. C. M. Levy joined Starting as an assistant engineer, Mr. Leo F. Delventhal, Jr. Western P acific in 1909, he brought it was not long before h e was his friend Craig with him, and Craig Mr. Mitchell, president of the locating and constructing Western railroad for the past six months, was became chief clerk h ere. Dur ing Pacific's first tracks, bridges, and World War I h e became assistant to vice-president and general manager tunnels. of WP prior to becoming president. the general manager. He became chief engineer in 1941, He rounds out his 41-year railroad Mr. Craig attended schools in but not before many years of con­ career with a many-times president Ohio. His daughter P atricia, for structing drainage structures, build­ record. He was president of the years a radio actress, became the ing bridge foundations, riprapping, Sacramento Northern, the Tidewa­ first woman sound effects techni­ and estimating costs. ter Southern Railway and the Oak­ cian on the P acific Coast. land Terminal Railway. He was a One of Mr. Phillips' hobbies is His hobby is sketching, and he two-term president of the Califor­ fi shing, and he claims there is not plans to do more of it in the future. nia State Chamber of Commerce a tributary in the Feather River he has not fished. He plans to travel the ENJOYS RAILROADING and was lately elected its treasurer; California Coast with his wife. Mr. Richard C. Beltz, who admits h e was president of the Rotary Club there is nothing like railroading, of San Francisco and of the Pacific NEW TO WP commenced working for WP in 1921 Railway Club. He is also a past Mr. Woolford is new to the West­ in the Traffic Department. In 1927 president of the California Transit ern Pacific and to California, and he became secretary to the vice­ president and general manager, and I. Mr. Harry A. Mitchell. 2. Mr. Frederic B. Associa tion. well pleased with both. He comes in 1937 became chief clerk and man­ Whitman, 3. Mr. Thomas L. Ph ill ips, 4. Mr. from Little Rock, Arkansas, where Frank R. Woolford, 5. Mr. Charles F. Craig, GOOD BACKGROUND he was for 25 years an engineer ager of the pass bureau. "It is mov­ ing, inter esting work," Mr. Beltz b. Mr. Richard C. Beltz, 7. Mr. Percy H. Mr. Whitman came to Western with the Pacific Railroad. Emerson , 8. Mr. Leo F. Delve nthal, Jr. Pacific in October, 1948, as execu­ He joined WP as engineer, main­ said, "for there is always something tive vice-president, and was slated tenance of way and structures in new." then to take over the presidency in January of this year. Mr. Beltz and his family live in 9 8 M ILEPO STS M IL EPOSTS Berkeley. His son, Howard, is WP WILL REMEMBER .... studying to be a dental technician. Don'l Be HALF Sofe! The following men served West­ EM ERSON FAM ILY ern Pacific well, and are now re­ For the third consecutive year, Mr. Emerson, father of five chil­ tiring under the Retirement Plan. Maintenance of Way and Structures dre n , and grandfather to seven Jesse R. Van Zant, telegrapher, foremen are getting together to dis­ grandchildren, was with WP for 36 Halls Flat. cuss their problems. Most of these years. Two of his children and one Roy Patterson, bridge tender, La­ foremen are from widely scattered son-in-law work for the Company. throp. areas and have little opportunity He began his railroad career 48 Ge01·ge Mak,·es, section laborer, to get acquainted with each other years ago in 1900 with the , Concord. or with officers other than their im­ Milwaukee and Saint Paul and Pa­ ALvin OverHn, train dispatcher, mediate supervisors or to discuss cific Railroad. In 1913 he began Elko. problems peculiar to their responsi­ working for Western Pacific as an John W. Porte,·, store laborer, bili ties. assistant chief clerk to the super­ Elko. Because of the importance of their intendent of transportation. Haro-y P. Robertson, machinist, work, dinner meetings are being His son, William Clifford Emer­ Elko. held at the various terminals. After son, handles car distribution in San Wmiam W. McDonaLd, water each dinner, a business meeting is held in which interesting and in­ Francisco. His daughter, Mrs. Mad­ service foreman, Keddie. formative moving pictures are sen (nee Eleanor G. Emerson), is Bert F. Rosa, conductor, Portola. shown and a general discussion of in the car service department. Mr. ' So I set. to the Trainmaster. 'what ulely rul.?'" George J. Conrad, crew caller, problems is held. Emphasis is Herbert Auston, husband of a Portola. placed upon accident prevention, daughter, Edna, is in the freight safety plaques were forty - two Sidney E. Branch, car repairer, both as regards train movement and claims department. Mr. Emerson's Oroville. Winnemucca employees. William two other children are Howard, a their maintenance work, according Roy Hood, brakeman, Oroville. to O. H. Brya n, who is overseeing P arry, master mechanic of Elko, chemist; and Mrs. Helen Steele. John R. Vasquez, track laborer, the meetings. presented the award to them. Other Western Pacific members STARTED AT BOTTOM Oroville. To pl"Ovide entertainment at the earning bronze safety plaques are OraL M. POindexter, engineer, meetings, "Wheels A'Rollin'," a 40 - When a bright fellow goes to employed in Oroville, Portola, Oroville. minute movie in color and sound, work as a mail clerk, chances are Sacramento, Stockton, and Wen­ John H. McGuire, roundhouse taken at the Chicago Railroad Fair he won't stay a mail clerk. Mr. Leo dover. foreman, Winnemucca. last year, is shown. Delventhal, J r., who began work­ The Eastern division earned a ing for Western Pacific in August, John F. Fo,·d, telegrapher, Niles. plaque for the best accident pre­ 1934, as a mail clerk, is now Trans­ Aure!iano N. YsLas, section GOOD SA FET Y RECO RD laborer, Pulga. Western Pacific roundhouse work­ vention performance of the oper- portation Inspector. Working his ating division. . way up, he has been a car distribu­ Robert B. Scott, engineer, Marys­ ers and car-men in both the Eastern tor, assistant scale inspector, and ville. division, from Portola to Salt The maintenance of way depart­ car service inspector. George W. Jones, machinist, Lake City, and the Western di­ ment in three districts - Winne­ mucca to Elko, Elko to Wendover, The new transportation inspector Sacramento. vision, from Portola to Oakland, and K eddie to Bieber-share the was born in San Francisco, attended Joseph J. DunLap, carman, Sacra­ hold safety plaques for their con­ Alameda schools, and lives with his mento. tinuous achievement in accident outstanding r ecord for 1948. To family in . He does cabi­ G eorge McIntosh, conductor, prevention. their credit are 900,000 man hours net work in his spare time. Sacramento. First among those to be awarded without accident.

10 MILEPOSTS M I LEPO STS 11 HOW DID WE DO LAST YEAR? HOW ARE WE DOING THIS YEAR? 1948 1949 WHERE WESTERN PACIFIC'S MONEY CAME FROM: WHERE WESTERN PACIFIC'S MONEY CAME FROM: Dollars Per cent First I ncrease or From customers for freight service ...... $40.907,177 91.)0\ 6 months decrease Per over 1948 cent From passengers for transportation ...... 1,966,672 4.41 1949 1. From customers for freight service ...... $18, 165,583 $215.427d 1.l7d All other transportation service revenues ... 1,164,388 2.61 2. From passengers for transportation .. 1,399,456 528,044 60.59 T otal transportation revenues ...... $44,038,237 98.76 3. All other transportation service revenues ... 596.859 47.102 8.57 O ther non-transportation income .... . 551,131 1.24 4. T otal transportation revenues ...... $20.161.898 $359,719 1.82 5. Other non-transportation income .. . 320.437 62,290 24.13 Total...... $44,589,368 100 % 6. Total ...... $20,482,335 $422,009 2.10 WHERE WESTERN PACIFIC'S MONEY WENT: , WHERE WESTERN PACIFIC'S MONEY WENT: Paid employees as wages or for their account as payroll taxes and pensions ...... $20,900., 224· 46.87* 7. Paid employees as wages or for their account For materials, fuel, services of others not on WP payrolls as payroll taxes and pensions ...... $10,048.557* $122,7 67' 1.24* and net cost of joint facilities ...... 12,7 38,455 28.57 8. Materials, fuel, services of others not on WP payrolls and (Fuel for locomotives cost $2,954,227) net cost of joint facilities. (Fuel for locomotives cost F or income and other taxes (excluding payroll taxes) .. 3,876,233 8.69 $1 ,363,500 in 1949 and $1,257,774 in 1948) .. 6,623.576 494,962 8.08 19.02 Interest on borrowed money and other deductions ... 2.145,700 4.81 9. Reserved for taxes on properties and income.... 1, 129,142 180.412 10. Interest on borrowed money and other deductions. 682,532 725.410d 51.52d 2,205,166 Dividends for 4,800 stockholders to date ... 4.95 11 . Set aside to pay for wear and tear on road. equipment Set aside to pay for wear and tear on road, equipment and tools and tools (Del'reciation and Obsolescence) ...... 834,998 71,627 9.38 (Depreciation .and Obsolescence) ...... 1,582,428 3.55 12. Remainder in res-erve accumulated for dividends to stock­ Balance available for payments on debt, cost of additions and betterments holders. debt reductions, additions and betterments to to property and oth.er similar requirements .... 1,141,162 2.56 property and other corporate purposes... . 1,163,530 277,651 31.34 TotaL...... $44,589,368 100% 13. Total ...... $20,482,335 $422,009 2.10

* Wages shown above relate only to work performed for current maintenance and operations during d- Oecreasc. 1948. During the year, the Company's employees received $1,526,056 additional in wages related to addition * Wages shown above relate o nly to work performed for current maintenance and operation. Dll;f!ng and betterment work, which funds came principally from the balance of 1948 income and similar savings periods shown, the Company employees received the amounts shown below for wages related to addttlon of previous year. and betterment work paid out of reserves accumulated in 1949 and prior years: 6 months 1949 ...... $773.364 6 months 1948 ...... $699.185 This is the first endeavor to supply all members of the Western P acific organization with a report on the Company's earnings and expenditures resulting from operation of the transportation business in which we are all, in our varying capacities, engaged. Although the regular financial reports of all large companies are necessarily lengthy and detailed by reason of the many and complex transactions which must be recorded, the basic principles are no different from those each of us u ses for his own financial records. The railroad takes in money from its customers for transportation services performed and has to payout money for wages, materials. services, rents, taxes, interest on borrowed money and other purposes. From what is left, after paying costs of current maintenance, operation and taxes. provision must be made for payments on principal of loans for new locomotives and cars and for other additions and improvements to keep the railroad and its equipment modernized for competition with other forms of transportation and then, if possible, for dividends to the stockholders who own the road, equipment and tools which make up the physical plant necessary for operation of the Western Pacific business. Western Pacific has approximately 4,800 stockholders widely scattered over the United States and during 1948 employed an average of 5,727 men and women. The figures are necessarily condensed but an effort has been made to generally explain the character of the various items comprising the transportation revenues and other income as well as to identify the principal groups of expendi tures required in the operation and maintenance of the railroad. We hope you will be interested in this report and that you WHERE IT CAME FROM -1948 WHERE IT WENT-1948 will let the editor know if any part of it has not been made clear.

12 M IL EPOSTS MILEPOSTS 13 eaboosing

Chicago and this year on his vacation he GERRY COFFEY, Export Depart­ went to Bellingham, Washington ... m ent, is the papa of two, Charles SAM EVANS, Engineer, vacationed Francis and Carolyn Helen. in Nebraska. K. R. STONEY surprised co­ Woman driver FRANCES Mc­ workers by coming in with a gold I NTEER, Secretary, stopped too band on his left-hand fo u rth finger. quickly, thus giving her car a face­ lifting job. Tidewater Southern ERNIE SKINNER, wh o has retired as agent at Manteca, can be fo und A picnic can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To From the W. P. subsidiary be­ tween Ortega and Hilmar, with most often and easily at the Man­ some 800 at the eighth annual Western P acific picnic held in Shangri La teca Freight Office. park in the Los Altos hills, it meant having a wonderful ti.me. It meant lines to Turlock and Manteca-the swimming to some, sun bathing to others-playing baseball, hiking, relax­ Tidewater Southern R ailroad­ Superintendent JACK KENADY is ation. Whatever a picnic meant to them, according to reports, they found comes the following news (F. G . riding around on occasion in a new it at Shangri La. There was a baseball game going most of the day with Lindee, reporting) : '49 Chevrolet, which the Company Spencer Lewis, assistant chief clerk, acting as umpire. There were people One of the agents at Modesto, has furnished him while on the job. everywhere-eating, drinking soda pop, dancing to a rhumba conscious GEORGE LYON, left the heat of the orchestra. Officers and employees, their families and friends from near valley to find snow at Sun Valley. and distant Western P acific offices and shops, came to the event. Frank FRED BRANDES has transferred lJu ~l'utnriaut Rauwolf, inspector, freight claims at San Francisco, was the chairman of from the Oakland Freight Office to Mr. James H. Brady, retired machinist, the picnic. George Welch, h ead clerk interline bureau, and Vernon Geddes, take Walter H. Samuels' place upon Elko, passed away at Elko on July 17, assistant auditor, were in charge of arrangements. the latter 's death. 1949. Roy COLLINS of the Turlock Mr. John Page, WP employee of Photos by Boyd Sells Agency, it is reported, secu'red the Portola, died recently at the Western Pacific Hospital, after an extended ill­ necessary passports "to enter his ness. He was a native of Kentucky, former home in Amarillo, Texas," Mr. Bob Waistell, chief clerk , car rec­ on his recent vacation. Another va­ ords, died at his home in East Oakland cationer, BILL ST. JOER, Roadmaster, on June 12. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Waistell, and her son, Joe Booth­ went after his usual quest of fish. royd, mail truck driver. TOM TIIORLA, Brakeman, is re­ Mr. Walter H. Samuels, clerk, Modesto covering from a major operation, Freight Office, died suddenly after an but should be thoroughly r ecuper ­ apparent recovery from an operation. He was with Tidewater about ten years at ated by the time of the busy season. Turlock and Modesto. He is survived by BILL TRU ITT, Conductor, always his widow who has moved to Chicago, goes to Bellingham, Washington, her former home. MILEPO STS 15 There are three control machines like the one above at Sacramento. On the top of the board is a miniature diagram of the section of track covered by one dispatche r. Small lights indicate the movement of trains.

IIfl1l elRalt, (jJuuul"

On June 2, at 10: 01 a.m., lights Installation of the Oakland to on a large board in Sacramento lit Portola CTC system culminated a up, tracing the movements of West­ signal project begun in 1943 to ern P acific freight trains traveling handle main line operation on the to and from Stockton and Oroville. Western Division (Oakland to Por­ Another section of Western Pacific tola) exclusively by signal indica­ track equipped with Centralized tion. The project is part of an Traffic Control was now operating. overall plan to equip the entire A master hand at a three-sided line with CTC and plans are al­ board pulled little switches, opened ready under way to electrically levers and pushed buttons ... sig­ signal most of the Eastern Division nals miles away changed lights to from Portola to Salt Lake City. give the proper information to an CONTROL BOARDS on-coming train. Through Centra lized Traffic There are three control boards at Control all train movements and Sacramento and three shifts of dis­ whereabouts under a particular patches to each board. The origi­ dispatcher's jurisdiction ar e known nal control machine was at Keddie and under his control at all times. when the F eather River Canyon was CTC installed in 1944 and 1945. When additional contro 1 signals ~ Western Pacific freight trains clear were anticipa ted this machine was through Keddie. Wayside signals can be moved to Sacramento in July 1947. seen in the foreground. Electrical train traf- fic control has greatly increased safety. Every time a train passes each

M ILEPOSTS 17 end of a controlled sid ing area, the The Che,.,.y Specials HOBBY ... machine actually graphs a r ecord of its movement. These graphs can "Going, going, gone to the highest be fil ed away for future reference. bidder!" A fifteen- pound box of The graph also records the time (he cherries has been auctioned off in signals were cleared by the dis­ Chicago. A wholesale bidder views Richard F . Czeikowitz, chief tele­ license, and became a full-fl edged patcher . his purchase-neatly arranged rows graph clerk, San Francisco office, "ham ." The three CTC machines cover of large dark, Bing cherries. Cher­ ries from California. talks to Africa, on occasion, before three sections-from Oakland to The English language is used by Each year from May through breakfast. Stockton, just completed , from most amateur operators, for out of June, shipper packers a rrange with Sometimes it's Siam or Liberia, Stockton to Oroville, and from Oro­ approximately 100,000 radio ama­ Western P acific to ship tons of tree­ a nd sometimes the party h e's talk­ vi lle to Portola. The boards a re 15 teur stations in the world, 80,000 ripened cherries from the valleys of ing to has just finished his dinner . and 17 Y2 feet lang and each is ar e in the United States. San J ose-Santa Clara, and Lodi, Dick specializes in talking to for­ housed in a separate room. During the war, Dick was a lieu ­ Stockton. These cherries of all va­ eign countries, the farther away the From Oakland to Stockton the tenant, senior grade, in the Mer­ rieties, the early-season Chapmans better. Distance is no handicap be­ trainman operates "take siding" chant Marine in charge of all com­ and Tartarians and the late-season cause he has built out of his own munications aboard the U . S. S. switches by hand. On the other sub­ Bings, travel to Salt Lake City in ingenuity and the necessary mate­ divisions switches operate by re­ Du n away. special pre- iced Express refriger­ rials a radio transmitting and r e­ mote contr ol. But for his service in the war , ator cars and from there move into ceiving station that enables him to Dick has worked continuously for However, regardless of whether most of the large Eastern cities­ directly contact any part of the Western P acific since June 30, 1927. the switch is handled by hand 01' by Minneapolis, St. Louis, Washington, world. H e h as t wo children - a girl, power machine, the trainmen al­ D. C., Buffalo, Cincinna ti, New His interest in radio dates back Judy, 9, and a boy, Richard, Jr., 16. ways know by the color and posi­ York, Chicago. so far, he notes, that he can 't ever His wife, Marjory, is now continu­ tion of the signal lights whether remember not knowing what a ing her education in psychology at they are to proceed, enter a siding, FRO M THE VALLE YS megacycle is. When he was 10 years San F rancisco City College. Dick or stop. First cherry train shipments each old he was stringing baling wire was president of the San Francisco Operation of signal equipment year come from Stockton in the San between his and another fellow's Radio Club in 1948. and its maintenance on the Western J oaquin Valley. Shipper - packers house-his fi rst telegraph line. Division is under the supervision buy large quantities of the cherries TRIAL AND ER ROR of L. B. Cartel' at Sacramento. He from the farmers who deliver their Next he built his own crystal reports to Signal Engineer C. W. fruit to a central packing shed. sets. In those days- the 1920'5- Ellis in San F rancisco. The shipper - packer then inspects, Dick relates, radio knowledge and When equipment is installed in gr ades and packs the cherries ac­ materials were scarce, and his set the Eastern Division, control ma­ cording to size and stor es them from was built on a bread board. There chines will be located at Elko and 24 to 36 hours in a pre-cooled re­ were no dials, and one had to build the same electronic facilities for frigerator, which pre pares them one's own parts. It was a trial-and­ controls and telephones will be for the "refrigerator" aboard the error procedure, and it took months used. Certain of the sidings on the "cherry train." before he tuned in K P O-one of Eastern Division will be lengthened Unlike ordinary freight cargo the first stations to broadcast. to 125 cars to permit the handling carried by freight trains, cherries It was in 1926 that he was first of larger trains. WP expects to be are handled by r efrigerator express able to contact the European conti­ fully signall ed in 1952 , the major specials on passenger train sched­ nent. At this time he built a trans­ portion of which wi ll be CTC. ules. m itting set, got his amateu r radio

18 M I LE PO S T S M I LE P OST S 19 on practically every trip, only an aluminum quonset- type build­ seated passengers being handled. ing seating 200. Two twenty-minute About 5,000 persons a day are mak­ films are shown: "California', ing the trip. Golden Beginnings," produced by the California Centennials Commis­ W P REMINDERS sion; and "Go West (ern Pacific) Interior car cards were furnished to San Francisco." by San Francisco firms. In addition to our own exhibit, The cable car has been featured W. P. has been well.represented in on several coast to coast radio pro­ the Fair's theme pageant, "Wheels grams and on television. Articles on A'Rollin'." Our Mallet locomotive, the design and construction of the No. 402, newly painted and striped, system will appear in Popula,' Me ­ was used in the -finale during the chanics, Engineering News-Record, first four weeks. and Construction Weekly. On opening day the California GONG CONTEST FOR KI DS Zephyr was actually brought on­ Western Pacific Goes to the Fair! A gong-ringing con test for the stage in the pageant finale as the children of Chicago has been ar­ culmination of a century of railroad The Chicago Railroad Fair last sees on entering the main gate is ranged for August 18 in connection progress. The "stunt" will be re­ year was an outstanding success. the Western Pacific lot. Here we with publishing of a children's book, peated on Western Pacific Day, The attendance record of 21f2 million have transplanted a complete San "Cable Car J oey," which will be September 9. Guests from the ranks in 67 days astounded everyone. Francisco cable car system and introduced on our car. of prominent shippers and the press Western Pacific did not take part erected an attractive movie theater. The " Theater" is were entertained. in last year's Fair, but upon being The installation of the San Fran­ invited to participate in 1949, ac­ cisco cable car system at the Fair cepted with the determination to consists of a turntable and of have an exhibit the road could be track 600 feet long. While short, the proud of. The Fair opened on June ride is very colorful, running along 25, and the first thing the visitor the shore of Lake Michigan and then climbing a 10 per cent grade back up to the turntable. P owell Street car No. 524 was borrowed from the Municipal Railway and is operated by three San Francisco gripmen, who were chosen at a gong-ringing contest in Union Square. A long double line is usually waiting to ride on the car and a ca­ paci ty load of 35 persons is carried

Western Pacific shipped to the Fai r the Virg inia & Truckee's "Genoa," a wood burner built in 1873. The eng ine ha s been stored in WP's ro undh ouse in San Jose. Th e cable car o n exhibit by Western Pacific at the Chicago Railroad Fa ir is a huge success.

20 M ILEPOSTS M IL EPOSTS 21 CABOOSING .. . Oakland SIGN UP FOR SPORTS J Western Pacific has several offices S. F. BASKETBALL in Oakland-the city ticket office Practice is under way for at 1944 Broadway; gen eral agent Sacramento Shop W. P.'s entry in th e Industrial and freight department at 405 Four­ Recreation L eague, which be ­ A top contender in Sacr amento teenth S tr eet; passenger station at gins Se ptembe r 19. Games sports for the past twenty years, Third and Washington Streets; will be played in K ezar pa­ Western P acific A. C. again broke road master's office at Ninth and vilion. into the limelight, this time coming Adeline Street; a yardmaster's of­ To sign up for the basket­ from behind to tie for the City's fice at 1399 Middle Harbor Road; ball league, phone J im Mills, and a commissary at 1699 Pacific Sunset Division first half night soft­ Local 497. Street. ball title. BAD COMPANY? C o-workers of the abo',e A J une bride is DORIS (J EPSEN), three sU9 gest that th e expression of the dog Composed of clerks, machinists, expense clerk, married to GORDON is evidence of th e fact th at the pup mu st be carmen, electric ia ns and boile r­ SCHNEIDER on June 15 at the Grand in bad compa ny. They a re, lefl t o right: Sacramento Northern makers, the railroaders combined Lake Lutheran Church, Oakland. Tra inm aster Harry M. Yoe; Assistant Chief President R. T. KEAR NEY and his Dis patcher Pe rry L. Hucaby; a nd Chief Dis- their best efforts to brush aside the B efore the wedding Margaret patcher Georg e W. Naylor; all of E:ko. family ended a long search for a league's top- seeded tea m s and Evans, Bill Clerk, and Marge Glatt, home r ecently when they found one forge into the lead after dropping Junior Clerk, gave her a kitchen on one of the green-Iawned sections Miramar Hotel in Santa Barbara ... two early season contests. shower. of Sacramento. Looking r ested after his vacation A championship play- off is Roadmaster JOHN CONNELLY and is GLENN MCCORMICK , yard clerk. his wife ann ounced the engagemen t sch eduled for the week beginning D ORIS BROWNE, PUD clerk, plans DOREEN McDANIEL, wife of our of their daugh ~ e r , PATRICIA (switch ­ August 8. In pre- season contests, on enjoying her vacation at home Division Accountant, GLENN Mc­ board operator) to WILLIAM R. AB­ the Sacramento nine won seven, -sh e h as a new television set. DANIEL, sang at a dinner meeting BOTT, son of Capt. and Mrs. Abbott while dropping only one. The v ic ­ of the North Sacrame nto Lions of Gilroy. Wedding wi!! take place San FranciS co Club. She was accompanied by tory string included two succes­ August 2l. Adding to the city's population MILTO N ZIEHN, Secretary. Inci­ sive wins over the strong Western Assistant Storekeeper OTIS AL­ are at least three A. F. and P . A. - dentally, Glenn has his hat in th e Pacific team of Stockton, Calif. BR ITTON picked up a ra ilroad pam­ employees, all of the San Francisco ring for a directorship in the Lions Post- season games being sch eduled phlet and found a picture of another office. JIM MILLS and wife, Ellen, Club, which probably expla ins the will include contests with WP's Otis Albritton, in charge of pur­ announce the birth of their son, lack of said hat on his h ead. P or tola and Oroville teams as well chases and sto res fo r the J ames R aymond , 8 pounds 13 Central. as anoth er match w ith the Stockton ounces, on April 7 . . .. JOHN SAND­ aggregation. LER OY F 03To il , ATTM, a nd h is STROM and his wife, B ~ tty, have a YVONNE DUNISCH is pinch-hitting wife, on vacation, visited ED little gi rl as of May 23. Her name for CHRISTINE WILKES as P ower The Sacramento roster includes THOMPSON, retired TTM at Mt. is Lynda Elizabeth . . .. VIN HOWAR D Departme nt Tim e k eepe r while Albert S tadler, Axel P aschane, Bob Shasta. They report Thompson met h as a new baby daughter , born on Christine takes a ninety-da y leave Cunha, J ack Schenk, George Nye, FRED SARGENT, W. P. retired indus­ June 14th, named Dorothy Cla ir. of absence. Bert Finchley, Horace LaTona, Jim try clerk. The new owner of a sea - foam Musillani, Tony Cusenza, Forest BILL WILKINSON spen t his va­ gr een Oldsmobile conve rtible is JIMMY T A.YLO R h as just pur­ Drake, K en Gull, Art Rodriguez cation with his family at the fa mous J ACK OAKLEY. chased a new Sacramento home. 8nd Hy O'Rullian, manager.

22 M J L E POSTS MILEPO STS 23 New York Central's new stainless steel "New England States" (Boston­ Chicago) debut was June 9th.

Pennsylvania Railroad's $266,000,000 postwar equipment program now under way.

Pacific Railroad Society excursion over Santa Fe August 7th. Fan trip interest at new high.

"National Parks Special" over North Western and Union Pacific in daily service through Sept. II tho o 0 86th meeting American Association of Passenger Traffic Officers in Atlantic City, .October . . lOth. Northern Pacific re-establishes through standard sleepers between Seattle and Chicago on "North Coast Limited."

Class I railroads charged $129.5 million to "loss and damage" in 1948, largest amount in history. o • • 1948 total income of Class I railways 8112 % over 1947 but national income rose. .10.8% . LCL service using highway tractor-trailers inaugurated by New York Central between 100 freight. stations in Illinois . Southern Pacific's new Shasta Daylight in service July 10. Carrying capacity loads.

Chicago Railroad Fair attendance now running ahead of last year.

Tourists miss colorful English trains. Socialist government has painted every­ thing black.

City ticket offices in Detroit about out of business-tax free tickets across the border.

Pennsylvania celebrates tenth anniversary of its all coach streamlined "Trail Blazer." First run terminated at New York World's Fair, 1939.

24 M ILEPOSTS