Vol. VI, No. 2 FEBRUARY, 1945 Cold and 80" Buffalo Snowfall Give NYC Operating Men Battle of Lives

Pictures Showing Some of the Conditions Which Had to Be Fought Repeatedly Near Buffalo in Icy Gales and Cold

Chicago Man Killed; Three Are Wounded Casualty reports from the battle fronts are hitting home at members of the Chicago Passenger Department. Gerry Norris, Reservation Clerk, had word recently that her husband, George Norris, had been killed in action, De• cember 13, in Germany. He formerly worked in the Central's Telegraph Office on the third floor, La Salle Street Station. Lieut. Charles Goodman, Infantry, was seriously wounded in Germany, December 11. Charles was formerly a reservation clerk and has been overseas Gardenville Yard on the freight loop line outside of Buffalo served as the Lower left, looking toward the hump from the westbound receiving yard: best location, to illustrate pictorially the heavy work required to clear up the track men are using shovels and brooms to clean a switch preparatory to six months. results of the blizzard of January 2. Although sharply reduced in its important bringing a train out over the hump to be classified. The heavy wind is He is now recuperating in England operations, this yard was kept functioning all during the emergency. At top blowing the snow back over the track. and would like to hear from his left, the westbound classification yard is seen under a blanket of snow. Snow Lower right, a Jordan spreader is clearing a track, right, in the westbound friends in Chicago. spreaders and flangers have already been at work on most of the tracks, and receiving yard leading toward the hump. In the distance can be seen a diesel Supervisor George Aurenz has been the switches in foreground have been burned out. switcher, one of several at Gardenville which rendered commendable, con• Top right, men are shovelling on the tracks leading to the yard roundhouse. tinuous service during the emergency. notified that his son, Pvt. John Aurenz, has recovered from wounds (Concluded on page 12) Zero Temperatures and Gales Lieut. P. G. W. Fischer, Lieut. Hulseberg, E. M. Comerford, New York Bomber, Dies As Snow Piles in Deep Drifts Chicago Clerk, is New York Clerk, Is in Raid over Germany THE worst blizzard in the recorded history of Buffalo, N. Y., laid seige Killed in Bomber Killed in Germany to that city on January 2 with a violence never to be forgotten by its Lieut. Paul G. W. Fischer, a navi• Lieut. Arthur F. Hulseberg, former residents or by thousands of New York Central employes who toiled day and gator on a Liberator bomber and for• Clerk in the General Freight Agent's night with might and main to undo the harm it caused. merly employed in the Electric Power office at Chicago, who was reported Blinding sheets of snow, driven into six-foot drifts by a 50-mile an hour Department, Electric Division, New missing in action .since August 24 in gale, brought all transportation to a standstill with the single exception of York, as a Groundman, was killed the November issue of the CENTRAL the railroads, of which New York Central is by far the most important to when flying over Germany. HEADLIGHT, was killed in action dur• Buffalo. Mr. Fischer was employed Janu• ing a bomber raid over enemy terri• Nor did the storm end there. Day after day thereafter, during succeeding tory late last summer, according to ary 17, 1940, as a Groundman. On weeks, from one to five inches of snow fell in temperatures which never June 6, 1942, he enlisted and on notification from the War Depart• rose above freezing and the winds blew with 20 to 40 miles an hour force. ment. February 2, 1944, he was reported By January 27 a total of 80.8 inches of snow had fallen. missing in action. On January 2, 1945, Lieut. Hulseberg, who was a Bom• It was the constant driving of the the War Department notified Mrs. bardier stationed in Italy, was pre• dry snow before the powerful winds, The next day, January 3, aid began Fischer that he had been killed in viously reported missing on August 7, drifting back over tracks soon after to arrive from other divisions on the action. His home was in North White but returned to his base after being flangers and spreaders had cleared Lines East. Tourist sleepers were Plains. His parents, wife and a son forced down behind enemy lines. them and packing into the switches placed on a siding in the passenger not long after they had been dug out yard to accommodate the men, while or burned clear, that caused the major some men were put in the Buffalo labor camp. share of the trouble. Work once done Windsor Man Missing did not stay done, but had to be All available men and equipment Michigan Welder done over and over again. were rushed to Buffalo from other Flying Officer J. O. Peltier, for• Mobilization of the Central's forces cities on the Lines East because, for• merly employed as Car Checker with Killed in Germany at Buffalo to combat the snow began tunately, the blizzard had not carried the New York Central at Windsor, before the blizzard reached its peak. on to the other divisions. Two weeks Ont., has been reported missing and Pvt. Edward M. Comerford, former Sympathy is extended to the family All Maintenance of Way employes, in• earlier Rochester had been buried un• is presumed killed. Clerk, Redemption Bureau, Passenger of Pvt. Clarence J. Dixon, furloughed cluding Bridge and Building workers, der 55.5 inch snowfalls, but that city Traffic Department, New York City, was Welder, Michigan Division, who was went immediately to work to keep was spared this latest wintry offensive. killed in action in Germany, November 25. He was killed four days after he killed in action in West Germany clear passenger Tracks 1 and 2 and Syracuse suffered heavy storms, too, November 17. Pvt. Dixon, who en• a total of 102.3 inches of snow hav• Safety is Paramount was discharged from an Army hospi• the passenger yard of the Buffalo Cen• tal, where he spent three months re• tered military service Jan. 25, 1944, ing fallen by January 27. tral Terminal. Through their efforts covering from wounds suffered in is survived by his father, Arthur all passenger service was maintained, The serious manpower shortage in "Stay Alive in '45" earlier action at St. Lo. Dixon, two brothers and a sister. although through trains were delayed. (Concluded on page 12) (Concluded on page three) 2 Central Headlight

Transportation Central Headlight Corps Insignia Information Booth of MRS Soldiers Published monthly for New York Central System employes and their families BELOW are given the answers to a number of in eleven states and two provinces of Canada by the Department of Public Rela• tions. Contributions are invited but no responsibility is assumed for their questions asked recently by some of our readers. return. Editorial offices, Room 1528, 466 Lexington Avenue, New York City. They are printed here in the expectation that they will interest others besides those who made the inquiries: Editor C. W. Y. Currie 1 — The St. Louis Station, built in 1894, is the terminus of 18 railroads, a total greater than at any other station in Associate Editors the world. Frank A, Jttdd C. A. Radford 2 — Railroad taxes in 1944 were the highest on record — Chicago Cincinnati $1,900,000,000. To pay them, railroad revenues from 73 days of operation were required. Volume 6 FEBRUARY, 1945 No. 2 3 — New York Central employes and their families are served by the Y.M.C.A. at 27 points. These Y's have 14,649 members, a gain of 2,417 over 1943. The Battle of Buffalo 4 — in 1944, the average load of freight per train on the TRANSPORTATION CORPS LD Man winter, his ambition suddenly spurred to new heights American railroads was 1144 tons, the highest on record. ARMY SERVICE FORCES O by the spectacle of a world gone berserk, rushed from his corner, In 1943, it was 1116 tons. fighting furiously, as soon as the bell rang for the 1944-45 season. The winged car wheel on a rail repre• 5 The Iranian State Railway, mainstay of the supply line Ever since early December he has waged a ferocious battle in the sents the Transportation Corps' famed to the Soviet, was taken over entirely in April, 1943, by Military Railway Service, which today territory traversed by the New York Central's main line trains. has troops — most of them erstwhile the Military Railway Service of the Persian Gulf command. These American railroad soldiers, many of them New York The western divisions were first to suffer by his early jabs but, American railroad men — on six con• tinents. These troops — the Railway Central men, upped the road's tonnage from 165,555 tons, early in December, eastern divisions began to feel his punches. The Operating Battalions, the Railway Shop in 1942, to 894,767 tons, in 1943. In the first ten months of Battalions, etc. — are supplying Amer• Rochester and Syracuse districts were rocked by severe sleet and snow 1944, 1,344,151 tons of supplies for Russia were carried storms, coupled with intense cold. ican and Allied troops the world over. The magnificent Russian offensive has the 680 miles from Khorramshahr to Teheran. These preliminary rounds were only the prelude, however, to a been made possible, in great part, by series of body blows delivered continuously for several days, beginning movement through Iran by the Mili• tary Railway Service of a vast amount New Year's, chiefly in the Buffalo district, although the battle extended of military and Lend-Lease supplies attracted a lot of attention both for both west and east and was fought repeatedly in the cut at Silver from the United States. the general idea and for the cut-away Creek, N. Y., near Dunkirk. Heavy snowfall, bringing the total in This winged wheel also is indicative technique of illustration — you prob• ably remember the picture or diagram the Buffalo district to 80 inches in the first month or so of the of the Transportation Corps' direction, through its Traffic Control Division, of showing life on a troop train. Winter, coupled with sleet, bitter cold and continuous high winds all rail movement in this country of The series has been reprinted in a Army personnel and War Department that hit to the marrow, gave Buffalo and its surrounding territory booklet, which has general distribu• materiel. what old residents called its worst weather conditions in 50 years. tion and is sent with a special letter The ship's wheel identifies the Trans• to stockholders. The letter explains The railroads, particularly the New York Central, with its main portation Corps as the operator of the line passing through the worst of the storm belt, suffered grievously. world's largest "merchant fleet" — that the railroad is making a series of sometimes called the "Army's Navy." surveys to learn what the public wants It is doubtful, veterans among the Operating and Maintenance of in future service and equipment from Way forces say, if operating conditions were ever so bad before on so the railroad. One on coaches is almost As the war goes on, the number of great a scale, within the memory of present New York Central men. finished; one on sleeping car service women in railroad service steadily is under way — and a copy of it goes And, in saying this, they do not forget the tie-up caused in January, increases. The latest compilation as of Getting Ready for to each stockholder. 1923, at Syracuse, when the snowfall there, in little more than a October showed a total of 8,986 month, amounted to more than 50 inches. Post-War Traffic What the questionnaire is like — a women employed on the New York good deal like what General Motors Central, an increase of 267 in three As fast as the working forces, under-manned by war conditions, (From Printer's Ink, Dec 8, 1944) did so often and so well — you can months and of 1448 in a year. cleared the switches and, for example, the cut at Silver Creek, which see from this miniature reproduction On the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, of one page, a good sample of an in• is traversed by main line trains, the gale-force winds swept the snow women employes totaled 465, an in• telligent preliminary to post-war plans. back into the cleared spaces. Much of the precipitation froze beside crease of 34 in a year. No dreams here. the rails and switches and on top of them, repeatedly derailing cars They are found in almost every de• during attempted switching operations in the miles of track in the partment. Some are chief clerks, ticket yards, such as those at Gardenville. First Train Between agents, watchmen, motor vehicle op• Paris and Cherbourg erators, section workers, gang fore• Worst of all, there was little or no surcease from the terrific con• The first passenger train service be• men, laborers, stations agents, telegra• ditions that prevailed for four or five days. During the worst of it, phers, truckers, crossing and bridge tween Cherbourg and Paris since be• flagmen and gatemen and switch- when switching was at all possible, it frequently required two loco• fore D-Day was inaugurated January tenders. motives to move a handful of cars and these at the risk of frequent 8, U.S. Army Transportation Corps derailment from ice. headquarters announced. All are doing a good job and help• ing to win the war. As a result, switching operations were impaired greatly. Main line Two trains make the run daily, one passenger trains were subjected to delays heretofore almost unknown. leaving Paris and the other leaving Cherbourg at 0800, and both arrive at Those who bought a $100 War Out of the situation, however, was born an epic of gallant service their destinations in 11 hours and Bond at the beginning of the Treas• and devotion on the part of the forces who had to meet and conquer 50 minutes. ury's promotion in 1941, and held it the record emergency conditions. Conquer them they did but at The service is intended to aid French have the satisfaction today of know• the expense of heartbreaking toil, day and night, under almost un• civilians and Allied Army and Navy ing that soon their bond will have earned five dollars. In the next two bearable conditions of wind and cold. personnel traveling between the two points. years the same bond will earn two The war-born shortage of men available to meet the conditions The new run is the responsibility dollars per year, but during the last two years of its 10-year life, it will adequately, aggravated and prolonged the situation. This shortage was The New York Central's advertising of the Second Military Railway Ser• pay more than five times the interest so severe, in comparison with the task, that the railroad company campaign "to solidify for the future vice and the French National Rail• it earned during its first two years. had to call on the Army to supply volunteer soldier workers from the good-will earned by its war effort" way System. Fort Niagara. These gave appreciated assistance but the bulk of the burden fell on the regular railroad Operating and Maintenance forces, of whom every New York Central employe may well be proud. Public Relations We salute these men, our "shock troops," who gave everything War Bond Owners, Take Note! There is a world of people — they had to keep the trains rolling during this emergency, which CHANGES The Public, you'll explain, reached record proportions. Theirs was an example of devotion to Who do a lot of riding and HE attention of subscribers for War Bonds through the payroll we want them on a train. duty and of self-sacrifice amid hardships that will long be remem• We'd like to get their business T deduction plan is called to the necessity of filing notice as to for today and days to come, bered in New York Central history. changes desired in War Bonds, through the use of the yellow card, For the Central needs those patrons Form A. D. 150, instead of writing a letter about the matter. Such and it's where our pay comes from. Each and everyone was a hero on the home front, for at stake was changes (relating to future Bonds only; not those previously issued) The planes may move them faster the transportation of vital military goods, coal, oil and foodstuffs for may involve the selection of a new co-owner or beneficiary. Yellow and the buses save them dough, A. D. 150 card should be filed through the Departmental Account of The Pennsy may be quite a road eastern cities and the passage of troop trains as well as of trains bear• and there're other ways to go; the district. But the Central moves them safely ing men on business important to the national war effort. o'er a line that's smooth and slick, So they reach their stations happy Unsung heroes, all! ADDRESSES and that's what does the trick. It is also important that information be furnished promptly where the Now there's more than just equipment subscriber changes his home address. Such changes should also be in the makeup of a train, reported on yellow card, Form A. D. 150. Subscribers should also file, And what it is, and what it means New Freight and Passenger Records in 1944 with the local Post Office, a notice showing the new address, including I'll endeavor to explain. There's little tricks of manners the Postal Zone, if any, to which their mail should be sent. and the way the crew appears, ALL previous transportation records were broken in 1944 by the railroads The sympathetic treatment of when they handled the greatest volume of freight and passenger traffic in RECORD OF BONDS "missed connection fears." their history, J. J. Pelley, President of the Association of American Railroads, Government Form WFD-884, a folder provided for the subscriber to There's the handling of the goofy dame announced. This was done without serious difficulties. and the guy that's always right; maintain a record of War Bonds (recently enclosed with War Bonds) Or the art of self-possession, when provoked Freight traffic of the railroads in 1944 amounted to approximately 740 should likewise be used. On this list should be shown the serial num• enough to fight. billion ton-miles. This was 1.8 per cent above that for 1943, the previous bers and issue dates of the War bonds and the list should be kept The knack of feeding "ego" of each George or Jack or Jim, record, and two and one-fifth times the ton-miles moved in 1939. separately from the Bonds. The maintenance of such a list protects So he thinks the Central's "Empire" the interest of the Bond owner and is very valuable in cases where Railroads handled this enormous traffic load with virtually the same number was put on just for him. War Bonds are stolen, lost or burned. Its use is strongly recommended. of locomotives and with hardly more than a nominal increase in freight cars, Oh! there's lots of little factors in compared with 1939. There also was only a slight increase in passenger cars. the Transportation game, Buy More Bonds and Hold Them! Each in itself a trifle, but they Freight carloadings in 1944 totaled approximately 43,500,000 cars, or an bring us ruin or fame. increase of 2.5 per cent above 1943. The increase in the number of freight They're the things we call relations with the Public, so to speak, cars loaded and longer hauls per ton accounted for the increase. And we'll have to watch them closely Passenger traffic in 1944, too, was by far the greatest for any year in history. men having been moved in special trains and special cars alone. This does not to get the business that we seek. It amounted to 96,000,000,000 passenger-miles, an increase of 9.3 per cent include the millions of soldiers, sailors, and marines on furlough who traveled, By John A. Byron, 1943, 1939. Public Relations Leader, above and four and one-fifth times what it was in nor does it include small groups moving on order, nor Navy and Marine Assistant General Manager's Office This resulted in part from Army troop movements, more than 10,700,000 Corps movements, nor prisoners of war. Syracuse, New York Central Headlight 3

A. E. Bohonan, N. Y., U.S.O. Lounge, in Springfield, Mass., Station, Serves 8,344 Brakeman Marine Is Killed in France in Month — Now Three Years Old Wounded Twice in Two Minutes on Guam

Word has been received that Private Alfred Eli Bohonan, a former clerk in Somewhere in the Pacific — Two wounds "Q" Telegraph Office, New York, pre• in as many minutes is the story of viously reported missing in action in what happened to Marine Private First France since September 11, was killed Class George T. Gray, of 82 Washing• in the fighting before Metz. His father ton Avenue, Rensselaer, N. Y., during Fred Bohonan, Sr., received the news the battle to retake Guam from the of his son's death recently in a tele• Japanese. gram from the Secretary of War. He was hit first by shrapnel from an Private Bohonan was inducted at enemy mortar shell, then caught a Jap Camp Upton May 14, 1943 and after rifle bullet before he could get to training went overseas attached to a his feet. medical unit in the Infantry. His Gray enlisted November 28, 1942. parents last heard from him Septem• Prior to that, he was a New York Cen• ber 6. He attended Haaren High tral brakeman. School, in Astoria, New York, up to "It was during the offensive on Fonte the time of his employment with the Hill," he said. "We were moving up New York Central. He was a messen• behind the tanks when the Japs let us ger and then a clerk in "Q" Telegraph have it. Mortar and artillery shells Office from January 4, 1943 until May began dropping close and one finally 8, 1943, when he left for induction. sprayed me with shrapnel. While 1 He resided with his parents at 30-23 was lying there trying to figure out 33rd Street, Astoria, Long Island. what had happened, I was hit again, this time with small arms fire. I was bleeding quite a bit, so I tried to run up the hill. My legs gave out before I ESTABLISHING an enviable fame Then their numbers steadily grew, the Springfield Teachers' Club makes Barnett Promoted had moved far and two Marines for its hospitality, the Springfield, until in December, 1944, 8,344 mili• and donates 80 dozen home-made Ralph A. Barnett, former General picked me up. The next thing I knew Mass., Station's U.S.O. Lounge wel• tary people were served. These were cookies each week. The Past Matrons Agent, has been appointed Division I was aboard ship." comed 86,020 service men and women men and women on the move, who and Patrons of the Eastern Star send Freight Agent at Peoria, Ill. Gray, who is fully recovered, re• to the use of its facilities during 1944. were waiting between trains, who cookies; the Navy Mothers' Club pro• cently was awarded the Purple Heart He succeeds David H. Hutchinson, They were greeted by 197 kindly needed a rest from a long journey, to vides special cakes; some of the Ser• by Lieut. Gen. H. M. Smith, command• a New York Central employe for 46 volunteers, who gave 11,206 hours of have a hot cup of coffee (served vice Clubs give contributions from ing general, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. years, who retired January 1. Mr. free service. through cooperation with the Red time to time. Hutchinson had seen service in Bos• When it opened, January 16, 1942, Cross every evening from 9 p.m. until The Girl Scouts of Springfield pro• ton, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Springfield was the first city and rail• midnight) or who needed to shave, or vide and care for a huge Christmas N. Y. C. Man Helped to road station in New England to have to sew on a button, or have one of tree each year in addition to providing a U.S.O. Lounge for Troops-in-Tran- the hostesses sew on newly-earned about a thousand small gifts, which Cut Rome Car Thefts sit, operated under the supervision of chevrons. are given to each service person when by Black Marketers New York Clerk Killed the National Travelers Aid Society. There were also the wives and ba• he leaves the room. ALLIED FORCE HEADQUAR• (Concluded from page one) The Lounge was made possible through bies of service men made comfortable The city of Springfield and railroad TERS, Italy — Private First Class the cooperation and enthusiasm of people who helped make the Lounge Pvt. Comerford entered New York during long waits, and warm bottles Joseph Naimoli, Brooklyn, N. Y., a Central Service as a messenger in the A. M. Scott, Superintendent of the of milk were provided for the babies. possible are proud of their accom• former employe of the New York Passenger Traffic Department in May, Boston & Albany, and the contribution All these services are free and the only plishment. Central Railroad, is serving with the 1926, and was promoted to Clerk in of furniture and other necessities for charge is for the cold drinks, which In charge of operation of the 186th Military Railway Police, an the same year. He entered the Army the room by members of the commu• are dispensed from a cooler. Lounge are Mrs. Sylvester Ryan, AFHQ outfit that guards railroad October 21, 1943. nity. An original $300 grant by the All financial support is received Chairman of the Lounge; Mrs. Mary yards in Rome and part of the main His wife, Mildred, and a daughter, National U.S.O. was found to cover from the U.S.O., which in turn re• Cowles, Chairman of Volunteers, and supply route north to the Fifth Army who live at 615 Vanderbilt Street, only the cost of draperies. ceives its money from the War and Mrs. Marion B. Halket, Supervisor, front. Most of the company are for• Brooklyn, survive. He was 36. also Executive of Springfield Travelers His Company Commander wrote: During the first month of its opera• Community Chest. Many friends, how• mer combat men. Aid. "Ed, a member of a Rifle Company, tion 664 military people were served. ever, help with donations. For instance, Although these soldier railway and others captured 14 pill boxes and guards have had a few gun battles cleared several tank traps. with well-hidden assailants, most of "We know he did not live or die Wounded on Leyte Lieut. Col. George their work is day-to-day prevention of in vain. Pfc. George H. Meyer of the Army Sergt. A. V. Krasner, "Burial service was conducted by a Now in Philippines pilfering. Italian Black Market agents Signal Corps and formerly a clerk in E. Buffalo Car Shop, sneak into freight yards, bore in sides Catholic Chaplain in a typical Ameri• Lieut.-Col. Gustave George, for• the New York office of the General of freight cars and penetrate through can Cemetery in France." Office asso• Wins Bronze Medal merly of Grand Central Ticket Office, ciates attended a requiem mass in New Freight Agent, was reported wounded sacks of wheat inside. The wheat and until recently reported to be in York, January 27. in action on Leyte Island. flows out to the ground. Without con• New Guinea, has written the HEAD• stant guarding, the car would be LIGHT that he is now Division In• moved out and a pile of wheat would spector General of an Infantry Divi• Fred Hoyland, Tower Operator at Jackson, remain to be scooped up and sold. sion under General MacArthur, in 9 Michigan, Ends 55 Years Work the Philippines. The outfit has done duty in French Morocco, between Casablanca and Lieut.-Col. George is a graduate of Rabat, and in Italy, out of Naples and three sessions of a citizens training out of Rome. camp at Plattsburgh Barracks, N. Y., and was commissioned a Second Lieu• Overseas 16 months, Pfc. Naimoli tenant of Infantry Reserve in Novem• wears the Mediterranean Theater Rib• ber, 1924. He entered active duty as bon with one Battle Participation Star a Major in March, 1938. He reports and has been awarded the Good he reads practically everything in the Conduct Medal. HEADLIGHT.

Cincinnati Woman Veteran Sets Gifts Buffalo Man Retires Miss Katherine Mundhenk, of the Patrick J. Bowley, Reclaim Clerk, Pass Bureau, office of Vice President Car Service Department, Buffalo, re• and General Manager, Cincinnati, re• tired January 15. tired January 15, after a continuous Mr. Bowley was born in Cork, Ire• service of forty years. land, July 27, 1873. After attending Saturday prior to her leaving, J. J. school in Ireland he worked with the Brinkworth, Vice President and Gen• Latest news from the 35th Tank Great Southern & Western Railroad Battalion in the European Theatre is eral Manager, called together his that Sergt. Alfred V. Krasner, East for a period of twenty-nine years, the entire office staff to honor Miss Mund• Buffalo Car Shop, has been awarded last ten years being Agent at Queens- henk. He paid tribute to her long the Bronze Star Medal for putting back town Junction. service and loyalty to the company into action a tank which would other• Mr. Bowley arrived in the United and expressed the good wishes of all. wise have been abandoned. States April 5, 1915, and on July 20, Miss Mundenk was the recipient of Krasner has been in the Armed 1915, entered the service of the New a huge bouquet of flowers, a card Forces since May 13, 1941, and prior York Central in the Car Service De• with the signatures of officials and em• to his entry into tne Armed Forces partment. was employed as a Rivet Heater and ployes, a purse, a rookwood vase and Operator Hoyland, who retired recently, and his brother, James Hoyland, also Bucker. Mr. and Mrs. Bowley left for Flor• candy. Miss Mundenk lives with her retired, have a total of 107 years' service with the railroad. Both have His father, Joseph Krasner, also ida, where they intend to make their mother and sisters at 321 Helen received Gold Passes. works at the Car Shop. home. Street, Mt. Auburn, Cincinnati. Central Headlight

we are trained for any emergency and Buffalo Post, V.F.W., Presents Projector Detroit WAC have the best equipment that can be Downed by Flak had, and we accept whatever the to Veterans' Hospital at Batavia, N. Y. Army sets before us — putting our Writes of Trip trust in them, and above all — God."

to East Indies Penna Division Boy First Auditor Passenger Accounts WAC to draw overseas duty is Pvt. Dies at Luxembourg Carol Cook, who is now in the Quar• termaster Corps in the Dutch East Pfc. La Rue L. Hostrander, son of Indies section of New Guinea. A let• Mr. and Mrs. Raymond E. Hostrander, ter from her, written aboard a trans• Jersey Mills, was killed in action at port on the way over, reads: Luxembourg, November 28, according to word received from the War De• "I'm writing this while sitting on partment by his wife, Mrs. Elaine the deck of our ship. It is a beautiful Hostrander, Pine Prairie, La. morning and the sun is shining down on us. The ocean is just a little Private Hostrander, a fireman for rough, but nice, and it's the most the New York Central, entered the gorgeous shade of blue, with white Service September 18, 1943 and caps playing about as far as the eye trained at Camp Chaffee, Ark. He can see. went overseas August 1, 1944. "The deck is divided, the port side His wife, parents, four brothers, for the girls and the starboard for Louis R., Harold B., Ray, Jr., Coro- lours E. and a sister, Mrs. Betty Er- the fellows, and we don't mix except T/Sgt. H. B. Quentin, former stenog• during church services, which are gott, at Jersey Shore, survive. rapher in the Assistant Master Me• held every day at 12:15 and in the chanic's office at Harmon until he evening at 5 until sundown. Then, joined the Army Air Forces, October too, we have dances once in awhile. Liked NYC Xmas Card 1, 1942, is now a radio-gunner on a Recently the members of New York Central Post No. 515, Veterans of Foreign Liberator stationed in England. Since Wars of the United States, gave a 16 mm. projector and portable screen to Luther H. White, Consulting Geolo• June 12 he has been on 17 missions enable bed patients in the wards to enjoy movie shows. Some of these veterans gist, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, recently saw and has received the Air Medal with have been bedfast for years and have been unable to see the shows given in a New York Central Christmas card two oak leaf clusters. His Bomber the auditoriums. The doctors say they believe the ward showings will benefit which had been sent to one of his Group, the 467th, has been commended by Gen. Doolittle for having completed the veterans materially. Left to right: C. F. Sargent, Manager of the hospital; business friends by F. W. Trinka, 100 missions in 140 days after arrival William McFarland, Engineman, Syracuse Division; William Kiley, who was General Agent, Passenger Department, wounded on Saipan and is a member of the Buffalo Post; Mr. Hollenback, V.F.W. in England. Quentin's plane was dis• Oklahoma City. This card, which bears officer at the hospital; Mr. Collesta of the Batavia staff; Bill Rydlewsky, Com• abled by flak and gunfire and forced mander and Yardmaster, Buffalo Division, and F. Blitzinger of Post 515. on its cover a reproduction of a paint• down in recently liberated Brussels. The ing of the New York Central Build• crew was flown back to England in a ing, New York, carries the following transport. greeting: Pfc. Ripple Is Corp. Clardy Killed; The Lights Go On Again Back With Wounds One by one, the Christmas lights Comrades in France Pfc. Otto F. Ripple, Jr., son of go on again ... in teeming cities Traveling Freight Agent O. R. Ripple, and quiet villages of America . . . Operating Men Send Bonds to Son Chicago, who was wounded in Ger• in each newly liberated nation of Corp. James B. Clardy, Jr., former many in November, returned to the the world. Lights of Victory! Take New Posts fireman on the Illinois division, whose United States January 3 and is hos• Lights of faith! Faith that out of home was at Alton, Ill., was killed in pitalized at Staten Island, New York. War's darkness will spring a A number of changes in the Oper• action in France, in August. His son, He will be there for five months. steady flame of Peace to shine ating Department were announced at Jerry Edward, now fifteen months of forever down the years ahead. the beginning of the year. Among them were: age, recently was the recipient of $350 Company Surgeon Mr. White made the following com• in War Bonds as a gift from officers ment: J. J. Daley, appointed Assistant to and men of the railroad battalion in Higinbotham a Colonel "I said to Miss Pendleton: If there General Manager, with headquarters which Clardy served. Norman L. Higinbotham, former is even one railroad which possesses at Cleveland. A letter from Capt. Harold L. Barr Company Surgeon, whose office was such a remarkable sense of values and J. H. Spooner, appointed Superin• told that he and a group of men in• at New York, has been promoted to can find time to give it expression in tendent, Ohio Central Division, with cluding Corp. Clardy were returning the rank of Colonel and is Chief of the midst of the trials and tribulations headquarters at Columbus. from a reconnaissance mission when Surgical Service, Army Service Forces, Private Carol Cook of a war-torn world, then I am going J. W. Crowley, appointed Assistant Germans, who had slipped in behind Regional Hospital, Camp Swift, Texas. to raise all railroads in my opinion." Superintendent, Ohio Central Divi• them, opened fire on their automobile. "There are usually two variety sion, with headquarters at Columbus. Capt. Barr was wounded and the re• shows a day and daily inspection of E. C. Johnson, appointed Assistant mainder of his party was killed. Charles E. Myers quarters, the trip to the PX and Superintendent, Western Division, Charles E. Myers, Record Super• waiting in an endless line to buy a Cunningham Retires; The letter also said the Bonds were with headquarters at Chicago. visor, Car Service Department, Buf• box of 'Cheezits' and candy bars, as a token of regard of the battalion R. J. Barnes, appointed Train Mas• for Corp. Clardy, who had seen Jerry falo, died suddenly January 12, while we eat only twice a day — in the Freight Claim Changes on duty. morning around 7:30 and in the after• ter, Pennsylvania Division, with head• twice before being shipped overseas William F. Cunningham, Assistant noon at 4:30. The meals are really quarters at Jersey Shore. in January, 1944. Mr. Myers entered the employ of General Freight Claim Agent, New delicious and plentiful. We stand to R. J. Dorey, appointed Assistant Clardy had entered the service in the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad, York, retired December 31, after eat, at high tables. I experienced that Train Master, Hudson and Mohawk Car Service Department, Pittsburgh, more than forty-three years of service. July, 1943. Divisions, with headquarters at Al• Pa., July 7, 1902, and served in vari• much talked of seasickness for a day Mrs. Alice H. Clardy and Jerry The following appointments be• bany. ous capacities until March 14, 1920. or two, but now that I have my sea live at 2219 Halliburnton St., Alton, came effective January 1: On March 15, 1920, he was made legs I enjoy every minute of this — Ill. T. A. Ward, Assistant General Chief Car Record Clerk, which posi• though crowded. We're headed some• New Bituminous Coal tion he held until that department where at least, and I'm glad of it. Freight Claim Agent, with headquar• ters at Central Terminal, Buffalo. Film, "Power Unlimited" Chicago Man Is was transferred to Buffalo, September It took awhile, but it's worth it. 1, 1929. Mr. Myers was appointed C. J. Conklin, Freight Claim Agent, Prisoner of War "At night after the ship is blacked A two reel picture telling the story Record Supervisor upon arrival in out, all of us girls lie up here on and W. M. Stewart, Assistant Freight of bituminous coal and the part it Marion Leckner, Reservation Clerk, Buffalo. the deck, where the air is fresh and Claim Agent, with headquarters at plays in the daily life of every Amer• was notified that her husband, Pvt. sweet, and look at the stars and the 466 Lexington Avenue, New York. ican was released in theatres last Clarence Leckner of the 88th Infantry moon shining on the ocean. It's truly J. R. Stevenson, District Freight month. Entitled "Power Unlimited," division, has been a prisoner of war Martlock in Italy a lovely sight — so peaceful one would Claim Agent, with headquarters at it will be shown nationally. in Germany since September 4. Later Arthur Martlock, Carman at Cen• never dream of going to a war-torn 123 West Polk Street, Chicago. It was made by Pathe in cooperation Pvt. Leckner sent a message to Marion, tral Ave., Detroit, was recently re- world, or even have the slightest feel• J. T. O'Connor, District Freight with the Bituminous Coal Institute. through the medium of a German ported serving with a Railway Shop ing of fear or danger. It's funny how Claim Agent, with headquarters at The film points out that 94 percent propaganda broadcast, which was Division in Italy. you feel no fear, but I guess we know 315 Piatt Street, Rochester. of the railroad locomotives in the picked up by an American short-wave United States are powered by coal. set and relayed to her via telegram. Since then, she has had a letter from him, telling her he is in good health, and regards this as just another ex• Boston & Albany Accounting Folk Snapped at Party Danville, Ill. Notes perience in his life. William Coffey, track laborer at Danville, retired recently after 21 Rita Hunter, Wire Clerk, has been years of service, all of which was on transferred to the Consolidated Ticket the Danville Division. A farewell Office. party was given in his honor at which Mr. Coffey was presented with a trav• Dorothy Holland was promoted from eling bag. Ticket Order Clerk to Ticket Seller in the Boulevard Ticket Office, re• Joe Sapienza, retired track laborer placing Bob Grant, who was trans• on the Danville Line, died November ferred to the Consolidated Ticket 22 in Chicago, to which he had moved Office. recently. Mr. Sapienza retired from Service June 1, 1937.

Eastern Freight Notes Albert Roadruck, former track la• Major J. J. Ford returned to New borer on the Danville Line who re• York Central Service as a City Freight tired from service July 1, 1937, died Agent after two and one-half years January 9. Interment was in Morocco, in the service of our country. Indiana.

J. F. Brady, City Freight Agent, was promoted to Foreign Freight Rep• Safety Hint: resentative. Tape Your Rubbers Strips of strong adhesive tape put F. B. Mackey, Assistant Chief Clerk, crosswise on the soles of rubbers or was promoted to City Freight Agent. galoshes will help to keep you on your feet. The adhesive gives added F. J. Batton, Assistant Chief Clerk, traction on rubber soles which are was promoted to City Freight Agent. worn smooth. Central Headlight 5

St. Louis Foreman Pilot R. E. Davis, Indianapolis, Missed Trip, Fatal Some N. Y. Central Men Pictured in Burma Feted as He Retires to Ship and Crew, in China After 45 Years' Work

Charles Aye, Passenger Car Fore• man at St. Louis for 37 years, was retired on pension recently after 45 years of service. Mr. Aye has a large circle of friends who will miss his never failing courtesy. 648

Almost to a man, his employes gath• ered at the office to honor him and bid him farewell. With them were pen• sioners Thomas King, Thomas Mor- iarty, William Gausmann and Mi• chael Weinhardt, and H. R. Copen- haver, retired Assistant Foreman, now living at Indianapolis. Mrs. Cath• arine Phillips, former clerk to Mr. Lieut. R. E. Davis, furloughed Telegraph Operator on the Indiana Division, now Aye, but now clerk at East St. Louis, a pilot for the Army Air Forces in China, wrote his brother-in-law, Sam Abbott, also was present as were numerous Operator at Vine, Indiana, that he had missed several recent trips with his plane foremen from other railroads at Ran- because of a sprained ankle. The last mission was fatal to the ship; she did not ken Yard. return and the entire crew is missing. Lieut. Davis is the first man, left, in the quartet in front. A. B. Wolz, Electrician, presided and presented the above guests, who made short talks. He then introduced Trendel, Peter, Pipefitter, E. Buffalo, smith, and S. L. Choat, former Lab• 33 years 6 months. E. S. Burton, promoted from Assist• Turner, Clifford B., Loco. Engineman, orer, have received honorable dis• ant Foreman to become Mr. Aye's suc• Hudson Div., 50 years 2 months. charges from the Army and returned Waldinger, Jacob, Carpenter, Erie Div., cessor. Mr. Burton spoke briefly as 23 years 9 months. to their former positions. did E. F. Davis who becomes Mr. Ward, James A., Waterproofer Fore., New York. 35 years 4 months. Burton's assistant, and A. E. Fear- Westbrook, Clayton, Clerk, E. Roches• Ted Arthur's son has now been heiley, promoted to Assistant Fore• ter, 32 years 3 months. assigned to the south, at the AAF in• Woodward, Charles R., Warehouseman, man. Some older employes gave short London, Ont., 47 years 4 months. struction school at Selma Field, La., talks. Wullschlager, Arthur, Loco. Engine- instructing in aerial navigation. First man, Ohio Div., 41 years 2 months. Lieut. Arthur is a veteran of the Mr. Wolz then presented to Mr. Baker, William H., Trainmaster, Pitts- field, 45 years 2 months. Aleutian theatre and a charter mem• Aye, for the employes, a billfold let• Bale, Archie, Lead. Signal Maintainer, ber of the "I Bombed Japan Club." tered in gold and containing a sub• Windsor, 39 years 7 month. Caldwell, Carl B., Pump Engr., Spring• stantial amount of "folding money." field, Pa., 26 years. Oakley W. Bloir, with the Com• Mr. Aye expressed his thanks and ap• Cook, Joseph, Sec. Laborer, Ohio Cen• tral Div., 41 years 7 months. pany since June 1, 1916, as a Car• At top, left to right, standing, Holton, Georgia; Ken Hillers, Kansas City; preciation for their cooperation and Counsell, Henry, Sec. Foreman, Sen- man in the Freight Shop, recently McKie, Albany; Sergt. W. F. Barnett, Albany; Will Pendergast, Watervliet; asked that they give to Mr. Burton nett, N. Y., 39 years 8 months. retired. Connors, Mendillo, Logan and Welch, all of Albany. In the next row, among Cunningham, Wm. F., Asst. Gen. Frt. this same help. Claim Agt., New York, 43 years 3 months. others are J. Saybolt and Don Blair of Albany; T. Vooris, New York and Devine, Joseph L., Conductor, Belief on - Shiehart, Indianapolis. In the picture at bottom, left to right, Holton, Georgia, Mrs. Aye was presented with a vase taine, 40 years. Owen S. Morris, Carman, retired John Logan, Albany; Will Pendergast, Watervliet; Ken Hillers, Kansas City, and of flowers. Dowdle, Charles A., Yd. Brakeman, with 32 years service. Greensburg, Ind., 37 years 4 months. native fireman. Sergt. W. F. Barnett, Engineman, is in the cab. Garboline, Andrew, Car Repairer, Corn• ing, 35 years 4 months. William G. Paul, S2c, furloughed Heck, Charles E., Carman, Avis, 24 Home on Furlough years 6 months. Sheet Metal Worker, is in training Houghton, Joseph F., Clerk, Allston, at the Naval Air Technical Training Mass., 24 years 6 months. Some Recent Retirements Johnson, Carl A., Carman Helper, Center at Norman, Oklahoma. Besides Stores Dept.. Ashtabula, 39 years 10 mechanics, he is taking up gunnery, months. Recent retirements included: 25 years 6 months. Kessler, Peter L., Painter, Linndale, signaling and radar. He hopes to be Gilbert, Charles T., Supervisor, Mech. Amoroso, Guiseppe A., Laborer, Electric 25 years 11 months. an aerial gunner for a Navy flier. Div., 14 years 2 months. Exams., Albany, 48 years 1 month. Gildner, John H., Loco. Engineman, Lynch, Elija P., Carpenter, Hudson Anderson, George H., Stores Foreman, Div., 18 years 6 months. Collinwood, 42 years 4 months. Mohawk Div., 45 years 3 months. Golden, Andsell H., Sec. Laborer, Hast• Metz, Ray E., Car Foreman, Battle Pvt. Raymond G. Kinsinger of the Ball, Herman E., Loco. Engineman, Creek, 39 years 1 month. Western Div., 45 years. ings, Mich., 19 years 6 months. Station Maintenance Department, who Graber, Charles P., Conductor, Ohio Morrock, John P., Laborer, Syracuse Ballard, Charles A.. Mine Clerk. Off. Div., 34 years. was home recently on furlough, has Supt., Frt. Trans., Cleveland, 24 years Central Div., 30 years 4 months. Graves, Charles F., Loco. Engineman, McFadden, Wm. J., Painler, Linndale, 4 months. 40 years 1 month. been shipped to California with a Bennett, Irvin W., Sec. Foreman, To• Rochester Div., 43 years 2 months. Hamilton, David, Blacksmith, Michigan Rogers, Andrew F., Frt. Trucker Buf• San Francisco A.P.O. address. He was ledo, 36 years 5 months. falo, 25 years 9 months. Boddy, Oscar, Millman Helper, Detroit, Div., 18 years 11 months. attached to the Amphibious Engi• Hasbrouck, Nicholas, Master, Marine Smith, Frank H., Yd. Conductor, Wee• 17 years 3 months. hawken, 39 years 10 months. neers and has been training troops Bowyer, John B., Car Inspector, Louis• Dept., Weehawken, 21 years 8 months. Hauseman, Philip F., Cross. Watch., Tierney, William, Road Brake., Hudson ville, 21 years 11 months. Div., 34 years 9 months. in the handling of landing craft. Brown, Homer D., Conductor, Detroit, Dumont, N. J., 28 years 8 months. High, Barton S., Laborer, Elkhart, 25 Williams, Charles E., Yd. Foreman, 27 years 7 months. Gibson, Ind., 24 years 3 months. Byrnes, Hugh, Yd. Condr., Lansing, 37 years 11 months. T. B. Beales, former Victoria, Ont., Houghton, Jos. F., Clerk, Allston, Taubman, Ben, Delivery Clk., Chicago, years. yard checker, has been promoted to Buckley, William W., Car Repairer, Mass., 24 years 5 months. Dickinson, W. Va., 38 years 7 months. Hunton, John B., Cooper-Tinsmith, Sergeant in the R.C.A.F. Bullock, Alva A., Loco. Engineman, Weehawken, 15 years 8 months. Beech Grove Toledo, 46 years 10 months. Hutchinson, David H., Div. Frt. Agt., Peoria, Ill., 46 years 3 months. Burnett, George D., Loco. Engineman, Freight Shop News The Joe Porachs, of the Auditor Johnson, Edward H. M., Deckhand, River Div., 28 years 10 months. Passenger Accounts Office, Detroit, Burton, George, Sig. Maintr., Tilbury, West Shore Ferries, 42 years 2 months. D. E. Stevens, Carman Apprentice, Ont., 40 years 8 months. Kelley, Nelson, Bridge Carpenter, Can• have done it again. This time it's an• ada Div., 34 years 6 months. has enlisted in the U. S. Navy Air Bussell, Charles A., Conductor, Ind'pls., other girl, Katherine Ann. 41 years 4 months. Kelly, James J., Loco. Engineman, Buf• Corps, stationed in Jacksonville, Florida. Carpenter, William A., Conductor, In• falo Div., 44 years. Krebs, Joseph, Cross. Watchman, De• diana Div., 35 years 10 months. It has just been learned that Pfc. Chatham, Frank C, Trainman, P, & troit, 15 years 3 months. L. E. R. R., 27 years 6 months. Krebsbach, Joseph, Machinist, Beech Pvt. J. E. Brouwer, former Carman Edwin Wirsing has been one of that Grove, 34 years 7 months. Cleveland, W. H., Trainman, Boston Helper, and S 2/C H. H. Phillips famous troop, Merrill's "Marauders," Div., 37 years 4 months. Lapan, Edward, Car Inspector, Pitts- Coffey, William H., Laborer, Danville, field, 20 years 11 months. visited the Shops during recent fur• in Burma for several months. He LaRock, Leon P., Loco. Engineman, St. Ill., 21 years 9 months. loughs. says, "We walked the mails, through Cross, Lloyd M., Conductor, Michigan Lawrence Division, 46 years 5 months. Div., 33 years 11 months. Lewis, Andrew J., Painter, Mattoon, valleys and mountains blocking and 26 years 11 months. Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Scott, son-in- Cross, William B., Conductor, Syracuse Pvts. C. J. King, former Black- surprising Japs whenever possible." Div., 39 years 2 months. Lewis, John L., Signal Maintainer, De• law and daughter, respectively, of Daily, William, Sec. Foreman, Rensse• troit, 41 years 1 month. W. E. Buck, Superintendent of Shops, laer, 42 years 8 months. Lorenz, Jacob, Carpenter, New York, 22 years 1 month. Jackson, Mich., and known these days DeLuca, Gaetano, Laborer, New York, as Master Sergeant Scott and Yeoman 17 years 2 months. Lubs, Louis, Enginehouse Foreman, Jo- DelVesshio, George, Trucker, Rochester, liet, 48 years. Second Class Q of the U. S. Waves, 200th Locomotive Repaired by Railway Shop 24 years 5 months. Malcolm, George A., Conductor, Boston Div., 45 years 1 month. were home on furlough early in De• Downs, Floyd C, Loco Engineman, cember. Battalion in Italy Ohio Div., 45 years 11 months. Malia, Joseph, Pipefitter, Indianapolis, Franklin, Robt. J., Elec. Foreman, New 30 years 11 months. Sergt. Scott, who entered the Army Mankin, Edward S., Loco. Engineman, York, 37 years 9 months. June 26, 1941, formerly was a machin• Gallo, Julian, Laborer, Electric Div., Ohio Central Div., 42 years. Marchetti, Samuel, Laborer, Boston ist helper in the Jackson locomotive Div., 16 years 6 months. shops. He is in the Army Air Corps, Marino, Prospero, Sec. Laborer, Garden• ville, 31 years 7 months. assigned to the Fifth Fighter Squadron Matzinger, John W., Frt. Condr., Air and was home after having been in In Cited Squadron Line Jct., 37 years 7 months. the south Pacific at New Guinea and Meyer, Charles N., Loco. Engineman, other islands for approximately three Western Div., 46 years 2 months. Moore, James C, Sec. Foreman, Utica, years. 49 years 5 months. Wave Scott formerly was employed Murphy, Michael J., Cross. Watchman, Bergen, N. Y., 22 years 7 months. in the office of the Superintendent of McCabe, Edward M., Supervisor, B&B, Shops as a stenographer, and enlisted Pittsfield, 46 years 8 months. in the Waves April 5, 1943. She is sta• McClintock, Walter, Yd. Conductor, To• tioned at Washington, D. C. ledo, 32 years 11 months. Nagel, Charles A., Clerk, Detroit, 41 years 10 months. Null, Charles M., Train Dispatcher, Illinois Div., 36 years 7 months. Sebast, Harry A., Piecework Inspector, Opie, Thomas E., Yd. Conductor, Sel• W. Albany, 41 years 10 months. kirk, 53 years 7 months. Sell, Edward W., Yard Conductor, De• Payne, Walter A., Conductor, Canada troit, 47 years 4 months. Div.. 43 years 1 month. Seltzer, Philip, Loco. Engineman, P. & Pierce, George H., Electrician-Foreman, L. E. R. R., 44 years 11 months. Detroit, 27 years 7 months. Shaw, Perry, Loco. Engineman, Erie Pollak, Steve T., Insptr. & Repairer, Div., 46 years 9 months. Cleveland, 34 years 10 months. Sheppard, William, Lampman, Electric Power, Edward J., Machinist, St. Div., 39 years 5 months. Thomas, 50 years 3 months. Skehan, Henry J., Yardmaster, Boston, Price, George W., Crossingman, Mil- 43 years 3 months. ford, Mass., 27 years. Smith Alvin T., Clerk, Utica, 21 years Proper, William H., Sec. Foreman, Ma- 10 months. Shown is the 200th locomotive repaired by Railway Shop Battalion, "somewhere lone, 50 years 7 months. Sprague, Charles A., Agent, W. Carroll- in Italy." This shop battalion contains a large number of men from the Central's Reynolds, William J., Engine Watch., ton, Ohio, 38 years 5 months. Corp. Girolamo Russoto, son of Felice Little Falls, 25 years 1 month. Stanton, Daniel J., Loco. Engineman, Beech Grove Shops. Alongside the locomotive are, left to right: Capt. Michael Russoto, Carpenter at Putnam Junction, Ryan, William G., Conductor, Mohawk Syracuse Div., 54 years 3 months. J. Quinn, former Clerk, Stores Department; Lieuts. Everett Bryant, Machinist, Div., 50 years. is a member of a heavy bombardment Steel, John, Jr., Sec. Laborer, Illinois Locomotive Dept.; Walter Banks, Boilermaker. Locomotive Dept.; Paul White, Sampson, William, Electrician, Detroit, Div., 26 years 2 months. unit which was recently cited in Italy 20 years. Sullivan, Miss K. R., Secy, to Asst. Machinist, Car Dept. and Paul T. Roberts, Power Plant Engineer; Capt. Fred. for its part in attacking and destroying Sanford, Frank L., Loco. Engineman, Treasurer, New York, 45 years 4 months. Kirkwood, Boilermaker, Locomotive Dept. and Lieut. Russell J. Hamilton, Mill• air factory installations in Vienna. The Michigan Div.. 41 years 2 months. Sznek, Michael J„, Car Inspector, Buf• Schnell, John, Pipefitter Helper, Har• wright Foreman, Locomotive Department, all of Beach Grove. attack was pressed home through heavy falo, 44 years 7 months. mon, 25 years 8 months. Tash, Herman J., Loco. Engineman, The photo was taken by T/5 Walter T. Kendall, Patrolman. NYC, Indian• anti-aircraft fire and the Liberator Schroeder, Wm. F., Carpt. Fore., Bay Buffalo Div., 46 years 6 months. apolis, who has been with the Railway Shop Battalion ever since it was formed, bombers had to fight 30 enemy planes, City, 35 years 9 months. 32 years 3 months. Scorzo, Joseph, Sig. Maintainer, Chi• and, with the other members, is a veteran of the African campaign. He is losing three of their own. Trapasso, Francesco, Car Repairer, cago, 35 years 6 months. Weehawken, 38 years 10 months. Battalion photographer. 6 Central Headlight

Columbus A. A. Structural Work on Concourse Ceiling of Elects Sutherland N. Y. C. Elkhart Man Has Made 3,100 Photographs Grand Central Terminal Begins The New York Central Athletic of Railroad Subjects Association of Columbus, Ohio, elected these new officers and directors: President, Ben Southerland, Passen• ger Brakeman; First Vice President, C. C. Sampson, Division Freight Agent; Second Vice President, D. F. Schlicher, Conductor; Secretary, C. F. Johannes, Clerk, Office of Superin• tendent; Treasurer, H. E. Tarleton, Assistant Chief Clerk, Office of Super• intendent. Directors: W. C. Wardwell, Mas• ter Mechanic; E. H. Lehman, Division Storekeeper; E. E. Martin, Engineer; Robena Fleming, Clerk, Office of Su• perintendent; Lawrence King, Boiler Foreman; C. E. Jefferis, Storekeeper, and H. R. Tilton, Passenger Conduc• tor.

W. E. Jones in England AN EIGHTH AAF COMPOSITE STATION, ENGLAND — Protecting personnel and equipment from sabo• tage and other dangers is the task to which Corp. William E. Jones, of Since this picture showing the suspended scaffold, the largest one ever erected Westview, Pittsburgh, is assigned at in the country, was taken, the scaffold has been completed. Work on the this B-17 Flying Fortress station. structural changes in the ceiling of the huge Concourse is under way. When Jones, who has been in England a this is finished, a large crew of painters will take over to repaint the ceiling in blue, with eight figures of the zodiac outlined in gold. It is expected work year, is a Corporal of the Guard in will be completed sometime next Summer, after which the 2,500 stars which a Military Police company. He is the adorn the simulated sky will shine as of yore. son of Ernest A. Jones, of 125 Har• vard Avenue, Westview, Pittsburgh. He was employed as a clerk by the The Red Cross Blood Bank was Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad be• Bell Detroit Boy, visited by many more Auditor Passen• fore entering the Army in February. ger Accounts employes recently, among 1943. Landed in Philippines them these "Gallon Club" members, Girls at Gibson William Bell, F l/c on a LST, and who have donated the indicated num• a former Auditor Passenger Accounts ber of pints: Ilene Reitzin (8), Clare Hold Grab-Bag Party employe, reports taking part in the MacGregor (9), Ida Brandt (9), A grab-bag was one of the high• initial landings on the Philippines. He Walter Warren (10), Julia Conlon lights of the annual party held by the LaMar M. Kelley at work with his camera. He has a collection of 10,000 writes: "We were under air attack (11), Leigh De Vault (9) and George girls from the office of Auditor Freight railroad pictures. constantly and we shot down two Linder (11). Accounts, Gibson, Ind., in the LaSalle bombers and one Zero. We now have Hotel, Hammond, Ind. Most people when taking up hob• cation to enlarging his collection of three Jap flags painted on our ship. Entertainment included humorous bies turn to some activity entirely un• A promotion noted among Auditor locomotive pictures and estimates that The Philippine people were happy to readings by Joan Haehnel, Christmas related to their daily work, but not he has traveled about 200,000 miles in see us and many of them came out to carols by Billie Yescitz, accompanied LaMar M. Kelley, Pipefitter in the the pursuit of his hobby. For most our ship. They were hungry, so we by Mildred Kimbrough, community Bridge and Building Department, Elk• part he has concentrated on the mid- gave them food. They told us how Artilleryman singing and a bingo game. Serving as hart, Indiana. Mr. Kelley, who has western and eastern sections of the badly the Japs had treated them." co-chairmen were Rosa L. Schaub and been in railroad work for more than United States. 22 years, and whose hobby is photog• Julia A. Otto, assisted by Mrs. Anna His pictures have been exhibited on raphy, specializes on locomotives as Nelson and Mrs. Frieda Kunde. numerous occasions and in 1939 one Two pairs of boys who worked to• subjects for his pictures. Miss Betty Arvay and Mildred of his pictures of the Commodore gether in the Auditor Passenger Ac• Gumm were appointed co-chairmen for He began working with the camera Vanderbilt train was awarded first counts office, Detroit, have had the the 1945 Christmas party. in 1936 while employed by the In• prize in a contest sponsored by the thrill of running into each other in diana Harbor Belt, and since then Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, con• far corners of the earth. Corp. Arthur has amassed a library of approxi• ducted through the local newspaper. "Bud" Higgins, transferred from one Gets Purple Heart Medal mately 10,000 pictures and 3,100 Another award was that of second Aleutian Island to another, and know• Technical Sergt. Howard J. Dona• master negatives, taken of 80 main prize in a Kiwanis Club hobby show, ing his old friend, Pfc. William Wed- hue, 26, was wounded September 16, line railroads and about 100 short in 1938. digen was located there, immediately in Italy, while serving with an Infan• lines. Included are 248 pictures of Mr. Kelley started work with the set about to look him up. When "Bud" try Hospital Unit. Recently his father, New York Central locomotives. New York Central July 4, 1922 at found his old pal, he observed, Bill W. J. Donahue, Chief Clerk, Freight Mr. Kelley has devoted every va- was "plenty surprised to see me." House, Columbus, Ohio, received the the old back shop at Elkhart. For a Purple Heart Medal awarded his son. few months in 1936 he was with the Indiana Harbor Belt, but in 1937 re• Additional Auditor Passenger Ac• turned to Elkhart as a pipefitter with O. B. Klinglesmith, former laborer Unusual Record counts folk to be sent overseas re• the Bridge and Building Department, cently are: Pvt. Carol Cook, of the in the passenger shop, Beech Grove, At Porter, Ind. returned home for a furlough after under H. E. Davis, supervisor, and WAC, to the Pacific region; Pfc. Mar• Corp. Philip Porach, former Auditor three years in service and two and Upon the retirement of F. E. Peter• E. L. Glassburn, foreman. He en• vin Brandt, of the Medical Corps, to Passenger Accounts employe, Detroit, son, yard clerk at Porter, Ind., re• tered military service in the present France; and Sergt. H. Carl Schuler to is with a Field Artillery Battalion in one-half years in the South Pacific. cently, after 26 years of service, a the Philippines; Brandt and Schuler the European area. war but received a medical discharge combined total of 280 years of con• are already known to have seen con• January 13, 1943. tinuous service was rolled up by the siderable action at their assignments. Passenger Accounts folk in military Wins D.F. Cross employes at that station. He is one of the original members service is that of WAVE Phyllis; of the Railroad Club of Chicago, Fournier to Seaman First Class. R. C. Hubbard, Agent, heads the oldtimer list with over 52 years to his when that group was organized in Lucille Cramer, Interline Audit credit; and was recently awarded the 1936, and also belongs to the Rail• Clerk, of the Auditor Passenger Ac• coveted fifty year gold pass. Employes road and Locomotive Historical Soci• counts office, Detroit, was recently An Auditor Passenger Accounts boy and their years of service are as fol• ety, the Central Electric Railroad Fan married to Pfc. Clinton Jenkins, a to leave for military service is Vernon lows: R. C. Hubbard, Agent, 52; member of the well known Red Ar- Association, the Railroad Camera Club O'Connor, who reported for his Army W. A. Wood, Operator, 41; L. H. of New York, the Elkhart Camera row Division of Southwest Pacific Air Force training at the University House, Operator, 31; R. A. Sherwood, Club, and the National Railway His• fame. of Wisconsin, December 6. His star Operator, 42; S. R. Child, Yard Clerk, torical Society. was the 74th on this office's service 31; H. L. Michaels, Yard Clerk, 30; flag. C. A. Peterson, Yard Clerk, 27, and Radar Man in Italy F. E. Peterson, Yard Clerk, 26. Train Auditor Joseph C. Rehill, of Porter employes, proud of this rec• In Belgium the Auditor Passenger Accounts Office, ord, challenge any other station with Detroit, has been recuperating at home an oldtimer roster of eight men to from a serious operation. beat it.

Congratulations to Frieda R. Caw- Ends 46 Years' Work ley, Comptometer Operator, and Hugh Lieut. D. H. Callahan, member of a Charles N. Meyer, 66, Engineman C. Campbell, who were married re• bombing squadron overseas, recently on the Western Division, retired De• cently at Hammond, Ind. was awarded the Distinguished Flying cember 1 after 46 years of service. Mr. Cross for extraordinary achievement in Meyer, who was born in Elkhart, Ind., flight as a pilot of a B-26 bomber. On January 15, 1878, started as a loco• February 3, 1944, upon return flight motive fireman, October 6, 1898, and June Cieplucha, T 3/c of the from a mission in Central Italy, more was promoted to engineman, January WAVES, visited the office while on than twenty enemy fighters attacked 5, 1904. furlough from San Francisco. Lieut. Callahan's flight. In the ensuing battle, five fighters concentrated their fire on Callahan's aircraft and de• B. & A. Girls to Wed stroyed both engines. Despite the com• The office enjoyed reading letters plete lack of power, Callahan, "dis• Two employes of the Boston Dis• recently received from Corp. M. C. playing great courage and superior trict Station Accounting Bureau have Beckmann, stationed in New Guinea; flying ability as he skillfully controlled announced their engagements. Miss Pfc. Leonard T. Napieralski, Car Pfc. K. T. Robinson, in France; Corp. the stricken aircraft in a dive, levelled Rosemarie Tremblay of Cambridge, Builder Apprentice, East Buffalo Car C. J. Mund, now in England; Sergt. off into level flight a few feet above Mass., is to be wed to Edward Reid the water and eased the bomber into J. S. Spiegel, serving in France; Pfc. of Newton, Mass., a Seaman l/c now Shop, is now a "Code Clerk" in the Sergt. Technician Byron C. Bair, for• the sea, thereby enabling four mem• serving in the South Pacific. Radio Signal Corps, after completing merly a signalman on the Erie Division, B. L. Swieringa, in Burma; Corp. bers of his crew to escape before the 18 months' training at Fort Leonard, is now in an Army Signal Company in Paul Stern, Charleston, S. C; Sergt. plane sank. He is the son of Daniel J. Miss Lillian Rockwood of Somer- Italy. In 20 months overseas, he reports L. C. Schultz, in England and S/Sergt. Callahan, Blacksmith's Helper at Put• ville, Mass., is engaged to Pfc. Ralph Mo. He is now in Belgium. He spent he has gained weight. C. J. Miller, New York. nam Junction, N. Y. Garvey, stationed in England. several months in England and France. Central Headlight 7

U.S.O. Lounge, Detroit, Three Years Old U. S. Army Turns Utica Troop Carrier Pilot in Four Invasions Railroads Over to the French CHERBOURG, FRANCE — A 210- mile network of railway lines sprawl• ing over the Normandy region — of great military value in the early days of the Battle of France — was trans• ferred to French control here on No• vember 30, it was announced here by Communications Zone Headquar• ters. Wrested from the Germans and whipped into operating shape by ex• tensive repair work of U. S. soldiers, thousands of troops and tons of equip• ment rolled over the tracks in a swift follow-up of the advancing battle lines. Representing the U. S. Army 2nd Military Railway Service. Lieut. Col. Garrett C. White, 703 West Ferry Street, Buffalo, New York, gave

possession of the track, rolling stock Official Photo, U. S. Troop Carrier Forces The U.S.O. Lounge in the Michigan Central Terminal, Detroit, observed its and installations to M. LeRoy, Chief third anniversary in December. Food for the occasion was furnished by the of Communications, Caen, and Lieut. Railway Business Women's Association. Serving were, pictured above, left to A U. S. TROOP CARRIER FORCES BASE, EUROPE. — Among the courageous right: Irvin Johnson, of the Auditor Passenger Accounts office, and his wife, Moulinier, Chief of Operations, Cher• and resourceful glider pilots whose untiring work has greatly contributed to Mrs. Edith Johnson, both faithful workers at the lounge; Gertrude Mackey, bourg, both of the French National the Allied success in western Europe is Flight Officer Robert B. Kniffin, formerly who acted as hostess for the M.C. Third Street Freight, and Sally Wyman, Railways. of Utica, New York. who was hostess for the Detroit Terminal. Both Miss Mackey and Miss Wyman Lines coming under French con• Flight Officer Kniffin is now flying large cargo carrying gliders with a veteran are members of the Railway Business Women's Association. Troop Carrier Forces Squadron which has participated in four major invasions, trol include those from Lison to Vire, in Sicily, Italy, Normandy and most recently in Holland as Air Component of St. Lo to Coutances, Falligny to Ar- the new First Allied Airborne Army in its initial debut. When he is not gentan, Folligny to Coutances, and engaged piloting these army gliders, which are used to carry troops and LaHaye du Puits to Sottevast. sometimes large field guns behind enemy lines, Flight Officer Kniffin has Renewed Rationing Stresses "We are giving the French posses• assisted ground personnel as a capable censor. He has been awarded the sion of portions of the railway system," Distinguished Army Unit Badge. said Col. White, "just as quickly as Flight Officer Kniffin is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Kniffin of 4 Faxton Need of New Victory Gardens the military situation permits. Ameri• Street, Utica, New York. Prior to his army service he attended the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York and was employed by the New York By E. J. Leenhouts can crews and equipment will be moved Central. Shown with him is Corp. R. G. Woolfolk of Iowa. up to the forward areas." WITH the placing of most of our Executives of the New York Central Under the arrangement, the French canned fruits and vegetables un• express their gratitude to employes assume complete control over the der the ration plan, the urban dweller who had gardens last year for the ef• operation and maintenance of the rail The railway is now one of the most finds himself in the same spot once fective contribution which they have Elkhart Man lines. Military traffic has first priority. important lines of supply for Amer• more that he did in the winters of made toward insuring us with suffi• American locomotives and crews will Railroads in Assam ican and Allied troops in India and 1942 and 1943. cient food during the past three years. be provided to aid French personnel ASSAM, INDIA — Clifton J. Mar- Burma. It also takes materials of war They hope that these people will con• This time, however, we are told in the movement of American freight. key of Elkhart, a former New York destined for China to places from tinue their efforts during 1945 so that that the supply of canned goods on In addition to railway installations Central employe, Elkhart, Indiana, which they can be shipped to the the production of our commercial hand is even lower than it was in and a great amount of captured Ger• was promoted recently to the rank Assam termini of the "hump" air growers may be supplemented enough those years; in fact, the lowest since man equipment, a complete communi• of Private First Class. supply route to that beleaguered na• to eliminate the necessity of having the beginning of the war. cations system was turned over intact. tion. our canned foods rationed. "Working on the railroad" for the Apparently, in spite of a great ex• The Americans left their own field Army in India the past eight months, pansion in acreage and production, not Our Agricultural Relations Depart• telephones, so that the French could Pfc. Markey is serving with one of Breen President enough fruits and vegetables have ment has some printed material left commence operations without delay. the units of the Army Military Rail• of N. Y. Traffic Club been processed to take care of the in• from previous years giving informa• More than a million tons of freight, way Service engaged in the operation James A. Breen, for the past four creased demands. It is probable that tion on gardening which will be mailed much of it for front line troops, were of the meter-gauge Bengal & Assam years General Freight Agent, at New a shortage of labor in canning fac• upon request. It will also function hauled over French railroads in No• Railway. Under the Transportation York, recently was elected President tories and on the farms may have during 1945 as a clearing house for vember as U.S. Army Engineers and Service of the India Burma Theater of the Traffic Club of New York. kept some of the production from information on other matters pertain• civilian repair crews succeeded in Services of Supply, these American Among New York Central men ap• being reflected into processed foods ing to gardening activities and will opening rail communications to all soldiers have increased the carrying pointed to posts on committees are but the fact seems to be indicated that be glad to place employes on a mail• parts of the country and into Belgium. capacity of a railway line built to E. D. Snow, Jr., General Eastern there is a shortage of canned foods ing list to receive current information. Tonnage figures for the month, re• serve the peacetime needs of tea plant• Freight Agent, entertainment; H. D. available for the housewife and a leased by Brig. Gen. Burpee, reveal ers by more than 100% since they Vail, Assistant General Freight Agent, whole season ahead before it can be an increase of 20 per cent over those began running it in March, 1944. reception. corrected. Central Man Heads for October. For those reasons, city people are Chicago Traffic Club In addition to the freight trains, again looking to their backyards and Two New York Central men were more than 200 troop and hospital vacant lots to protect their own food B. & A. Man Machine Gunner in France among the four officers of the Chicago trains were operated from the Cher• supply and to help out the Nation as Passenger Club elected at the annual bourg Peninsula to forward Army a whole. After a crisis people are meeting of the organization. They areas. prone to forget the steps which were were Rudolph Schrey, President, and At the end of November there were taken which prevented the serious Chester Hantsch, Secretary and Treas• 3,229 miles of single track and 3,617 consequences from such a crisis. This urer. Mr. Schrey succeeds Thomas Kyle miles of double track in operation in may be true of our food situation dur• of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, the liberated countries of France and ing the past three years. and Mr. Hantsch succeeds Gene Buck Belgium, and the rail network was Faced with the need of a greatly of the Canadian Pacific, who became proving a welcome relief to the over• increased food supply or a serious Second Vice President. Howard Haus- strained truck transportation system food shortage, 15 million people in• kins, Northern Pacific, is First Vice upon which the Army had been forced vested some of their spare hours in President. to depend following the Normandy Victory Garden work in 1942. In 1943 breakthrough. there were 20 million in this volun• More than 1,700 captured locomo• teer army and in 1944 there were an tives have been returned to the French equal number. In 1943, according to Promoted in Pacific and nearly 30,000 pieces of captured Judge Marvin Jones, these gardens rolling stock have been placed in produced "about 8,000,000 tons of service. food — nearly 40% of all vegetables grown for fresh consumption in the United States." The 1944 data have Corp. Kelber Now not yet been tabulated but it is thought Welder in England to be comparable with that of 1943. An 8th Air Force Service Command No one should view with satisfac• Station, England — Recently awarded tion the fact that the food crisis for the Good Conduct Medal for exem• those three years was successfully met plary behavior and conduct was Corp. without bestowing a vote of gratitude Leonard Kelber, son of Mr. and Mrs. Corp. Robert D. Sleeper, former Yard on the Victory Gardener, who aug• Julius Kelber of Cleveland. He is Clerk at Westfield, Mass., is shown mented the commercial grower's con• serving as a welder and is aiding in above at antiaircraft machine gun he tribution by 40%. One can only the repair and reconditioning of bat• operates. Sleeper, who is the son of imagine the chaos on the food front tle-damaged fighter planes of the A. L. Sleeper, B. & A. Engineman on a run between Springfield and Albany, in 1943 if those 8,000,000 tons — Eighth Air Force at this strategic air went overseas in September and is 40% of the total — had not been on depot. now in the European area. At bottom hand. Certainly it was the one greatest A former employe of the New York is his son Jimmie, five years old, who single factor in changing the status of Central Railway, he entered the service resides with his grandparents. His canned foods from one of largely being in June, 1942, and received his basic mother is in defense work in under rationing in 1943 to one of training at Keesler Field, Mississippi. West Springfield. being largely free from it in 1944. Later he attended the AAF Welders' Now we are back to rationing of School at Chanute Field, Illinois, and most of these foods and it is once served as an instructor at air bases in more up to the city gardener to put Georgia and Florida before his as• C. W. Brainard his shoulder to the hoe to see that signment to overseas duty with the Charles W. Brainard, 53, former we recover the ground we have lost Eighth Air Force Service Command in freight conductor and recently a clerk George T. Pigeon, a former yard on the food front. It may not be nec• November, 1943. in the Departmental Accountants of• brakeman at Cincinnati and now a Corp. Kelber is married to the for• essary to increase the production from Marine serving in the South Pacific, fice at Utica, died recently at his those gardens but it would be serious was recently promoted to Corporal. mer Miss Josephine Dulik, who re• home in that city. He had been a if it were reduced materially during He is shown here with his wife, when sides at 10732 Bellaire Road, Cleve• Central employe for 32 years. His 1945. home on a recent furlough. land. wife and a daughter survive. 8 Central Headlight

B. & A. Legion Post Band Takes Piano 300 Years of Railroad Experience in This Public Relations to France in Pieces Group, Indianapolis Officers Installed When bandsmen of the United The Sergt. Walter Garnett Post, States Army's 355th Engineer General No. 261, of the American Legion, De• Service Regiment left England for partment of Massachusetts, recently France, shortly after D-Day, they were installed new officers, at the Hotel told that they would have to leave Lenox, Boston. their piano behind, a recent despatch This Post is composed entirely of relates. employes of the Boston & Albany But Band Leader Sergt. Philip F. Railroad. Rack, son of I.H.B. Yard Foreman The new officers: Commander, Wil- Philip Rack, Blue Island, Ill., and his liem L. TenEyck; Senior Vice-Com• musicians didn't want to part with it. mander, William J. Jordan; Junior So, they dismantled the old upright, Vice-Commander, Frank L. MacEach- packed it in several small cases, and ern; Adjutant, David K. Solomon; loaded it onto their trucks. When the Finance Officer, Charles W. Hawkins; unit landed in Normandy the piano Chaplain, William V. Dorney; Ser• Was re-assembled. Sergt. Rack relates: geant at Arms, Anthony Porciello; "None of us had ever done any• Judge Advocate, Michael J. Bierne; thing like that before, but we man• Historian, James J. McGuire; Com• aged to get it back together. That was munity Officer, Edward J. McGuirk; about the world's most unusual piano. Service Officer, William V. Dorney; We needed felt in tuning it and Registration Officer, Mark M. Damon; couldn't find any, so we used soft Publicity Officer, David K. Solomon. rubber salvaged from a crashed plane. Among the guests were J. L. Tru- We tuned it ourselves, using wrenches den, retired General Manager of the the mechanics in our motor pool de• Boston & Albany; J. B. Hammill for• vised for us." merly Assistant to the General Man• The band has played at soldier- ager, now retired, and Harry Springer, civilian dances wherever the 355th has Road Foreman of Engines, and Speaker been stationed throughout France and of the evening. Belgium, and on November 11 played Refreshments were served and mo• for U.S. Army memorial services for tion pictures of Boys State activities American soldiers killed in the first at Amherst College were shown. World War, held in a city in Bel• gium. Sergt. Rack led his own college dance band at the University of Illi• E. P. Gardiner Ends nois, and toured the middle-west for two years. He is a member of the 49 Years B. & A. Work Chicago and Champaign Federation of Bottom row, left to right: Louise Wallman, Matha Faust, Gladys Young. Top row, left to right: Dick Hartsock, L. M. Edwin Page Gardiner, Assistant Musicians. Wall, John Wheatley, L. A. Lewis, not in the picture, L. W. Patterson, Mildred Hill, C. B. Hull, F. J. Halligan, and Freight Traffic Manager, Boston, re• Raymond Ridgley. tired January 31, after almost 50 years' "Mike" Donavon Retires; service. 54 Years in Service He started service in July, 1895 as a clerk in the Freight Traffic Depart• After 54 years in service "Mike" Detroit Camera Club Taintor to Columbus Corp. Mussro Helps ment at Boston. After holding various Donavon Passenger Engineman, Illi• Sets Up Darkroom B. W. Taintor, Freight Agent at Save Day in Guam positions in the same department he nois Division, retired on pension. Since its organization in September, Springfield, has been transferred to the SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC — was made General Freight Agent Mike entered the service as a shop 1944, the Detroit New York Central same post at Columbus. He was suc• With a powerful night counter-attack August 24, 1926. laborer in the Brightwood Indiana Camera Club has steadily grown, until ceeded at Springfield by M. B. Jackson on Guam all too obviously in the He was appointed Assistant Freight shop May 25, 1890 and a few months now it has set up its own darkroom. of Middletown. making, the communications corporal Traffic Manager December 1, 1941. later transferred to a position as ma• An ideal room for the purpose was was caught with his wires down. In• chinist apprentice. In June, 1895, he His home is at 11 Prospect Avenue, found on "B" Floor of the Detroit filtrating Japanese had cut all tele• asked to be transferred to a job of Winthrop, Mass. Terminal. locomotive fireman, which request was Owens to Utica phone lines from the company com• granted June 25, 1895. He was pro• Meetings are held on the second mand post to its platoons and to the Effective December 16, J. C. Owens moted to engineman September 7, 1901 and fourth Thursdays of each month battalion command post. was appointed General Agent, Freight Woolfall Has Had and served in that capacity until De• at 8 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively. Traffic, at Utica, to succeed F. P. Marine Corporal Michael J. Mus• Varied War Service cember 1, 1944. First meeting of the month is usually Sheridan, resigned. sro (429557), of Croton-on-Hudson, a "shooting session," for which sev• N. Y., a furloughed New York Cen• When Major F. Hartley Woolfall, eral of the most photogenic girls in W. T. Stevenson tral worker, ordinarily had a commu• 29, Secretary to Carleton Meyer, Assis• the building have posed. At the next nications team to lay wire, but its tant to the President, at New York, 50 Years in Service meeting the resulting photographs, members had been pressed into emer• returns to civilian life, he should have ranging in size from contact prints William T. Stevenson, Assistant Army Engineman gency service to rush ammunition to a interesting war transportation stories to 14" by 20" enlargements, are shown District Freight Claim Agent at New beleaguered unit. to tell. and criticized. York, completed 50 years of service As the artillery barrage which pre• As a first lieutenant upon his ar• December 1. He was presented with The pleased "model" is always pre• ceded the enemy counter-attack mount• rival in North Africa, in November, a gold pass. sented with about two dozen of the ed, Corporal Mussro proceeded alone to 1942, he was made Commercial Traf• best prints. restore communications. He was ex• fic Officer. He was promoted to a At a recent meeting of the Club the George Burton, Signal Foreman at posed continuously to fire from Japa• Captaincy in June, 1943. In Sep• Tilbury, Ont., and a Michigan Cen• portraits taken of Sharlotte Keller, an nese who had penetrated the lines and tember he went to Paestum, Italy, tral employe for more than 30 years, employe of the District Station Ac• to fire from his own mates, who could where, as Port Rail Officer, he oper• retired Nov. 1, with a perfect record countant's Office, were "torn apart" not identify him in the darkness. But ated the first railroad in Italy to use of service. In recognition of this rec• by critics Leo Gariepy and Morton he succeeded in laying new wire to flanged wheeled GI Trucks instead of ord, Mr. Burton was the center of a Friedman. An exhibition of the photo• the battalion command post and the regular locomotives, which were scarce pleasant ceremony at noon the fol• graphic works of Clifford Dey, well platoons. at the time. lowing day at the station when rep• known Ann Arbor lensman, was shown During his duty in Italy, he visited When the Japanese attack came in resentatives of his department from by Gordon Hunt. Rome, attended an Audience with the full strength, the company was badly all over the Canadian Division ex• New York Central men or women Pope, and witnessed the eruption of hit and sustained heavy losses. But, pressed their friendship and esteem interested in photography receive a Mt. Vesuvius last March. He saw with the field telephones back in oper• by presenting him with a billfold hearty welcome at any meeting. Leghorn under shell-fire last Summer. ation, reserves were called up and the containing $56. and a large box of assaults were repulsed. He was made a Major in December. chocolates for his wife. Major Woolfall has a degree from Sergt. Tomlinson Weds The 23-year-old Marine makes his New York University in Finance and Technical Sergeant R. T. Tomlinson, home with a sister at Croton-on-Hud• Sergt. R. M. Cornell, son of Milo Transportation. Met McNiece on Boat former Beech Grove Carman Appren• son. He worked at 230 Park Avenue tice, now in the Air Corps and sta• Cornell, Erie Division Engineman be• and in the New York Central's shops tween Buffalo and Cleveland, is now tioned at Baer Field, Fort Wayne, before entering the Marines in August, an engineman in France. He was for• Indiana, visited the Shop. Bob was merly a fireman on the Erie Division 1942. A member of the Third Marine E. St. Louis Soldier recently married to Mary Ann Mahan and is a member of a Railway Oper• Division, he has been overseas 22 in Indianapolis. ating Battalion. months.

Public Relations Group Leaders at Columbus, Ohio

Corp. Wendell Peterson, former Audi• tor Passenger Accounts employe, De• troit, tells of meeting a former co• worker, Corp. Ross McNiece, aboard a transport which was carrying them both to the European war area. "One day on the deck of the boat, I was peacefully smoking a cigar "and watch• P.F.C. Fred J. Schenk, former freight ing the ocean bob up and down, when station employe, East St. Louis, is now who should come along, none other Front row, left to right: W. J. Embree, Livestock Agent; A. C. Bender, Assistant Car Foreman; G. W. Brittingham, in charge of supplies in the Army than our boy Ross McNiece. I've met District Claim Agent; Bernard Kepler, Clerk, Local Agent's Office; J. H. Spooner, Assistant Superintendent; R. W. quartermaster depot, at Clovis, New quite a few friends in strange places Cadwallader, Principal, Withrow High School, Cincinnati, Conference Leader, and N. Duckworth, City Passenger Agent. Mexico. in the States, but to do so on a boat Rear row, left to right: J. R. Cronin, Yard Master; Frank Skinner, Building Foreman; J. E. Nichols, Yard Conductor coming over here, beats them all. We and Local Chairman B. of R. T.; Edward Hakola, Assistant Signal Supervisor; R. G. Coss, Special Investigator, Super• had a nice talk about the office folks." intendent's Office; P. V. Huston, Sergeant, Police; W. G. Bristow, Land and Tax Agent, and C. E. Jefferis, Storekeeper. Safety First and Last Central Headlight

New York Central Bomber Completes Stanton Takes Military Reservation Office Opened in G.C.T. 100 Missions, Some Over Siegfried Line New York Post of A. L. Miller

Several changes in the Traffic De• partment were made recently: George F. Stanton, General Eastern Passenger Agent, New York, was pro• moted to Assistant General Passenger Agent, succeeding A. L. Miller, who died November 23. Mr. Stanton was succeeded as Gen• eral Eastern Passenger Agent by C. O. B. Brown, heretofore Ticket Agent at Grand Central Terminal. The latter's post as Ticket Agent was filled by the appointment of Fred R. Frayer, Passenger Traffic Depart• ment, Cleveland. Frayer was succeeded in Cleveland by Edward H. Heil, formerly Manager Pullman Reservation Bureau, Cleve• land Union Terminal. Mr. Heil's former post has been taken by Ray Horley. All the above appointments were Shown is the official inspection party at the opening of the military reserva• effective January 1. tions office in Grand Central Terminal, January 11: Left to right, Howard S. Palmer, Trustee, New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad; Col. W. H. Randolph, U.S. Marine Corps; Col. E. C. R. Lasher, Zone Transportation Offi• Chicago Girl cer; G. Metzman, President, New York Central System; Major Gen. Thomas A. Joins the WAVES Terry, U.S. Army Second Service Command; Rear Admiral L. C. Farwell, District Coast Guard Officer, and Capt. D. C. Patterson, U. S. Navy Personnel The Passenger Department, Chicago, Officer. reports: Off to join the WAVES is Selma "Skippy" Ellman, former reservation Air Corps, March 4, 1941, Lieut. and information clerk and now an N.Y.C. Brothers; Larson worked as a laborer and Time• Apprentice Seaman. Skippy left on One Flew Beneath keeper at Jersey Shore, Pa. He re• A FIRST TACTICAL AIR FORCE B-26 MARAUDER BASE — FRANCE: "She's January 25 for her "boot" training at the Eiffel Tower ceived his training in airplane mechan• good for a hundred more," quoth Staff Sergt. Curtney D. Koopman, Crew Chief an eastern college. ics, aerial gunnery and radio at Mor• (left), of 8018 Vincennes Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, as he was congratulated Her co-workers presented her with rison Field, West Palm Beach, Florida, by First Lieut. Robert A. Hildebrandt, Pilot, of 817 High Street, Logansport, an engraved identification bracelet and and in the Casey Jones Aeronautical Indiana, after their ship's — the "New York Central II" — 100th mission. ring set. School at Newark, N. J. He was sent This mission, almost a year to the day after the bomber flew its first mission to Africa in July, 1942, and shortly over Cassino, on the Fifth Army front in Italy, was over railroad targets in James E. Bowen has been appointed after landing in Southern Africa was Germany's Siegfried Line. Passenger Representative. Jimmie has promoted to Staff Sergeant and later "New York Central II," gift of the employes of the New York Central been with the Central over nine years. to First Sergeant. His squadron, which System to the oldest medium bomber group in the Air Force, has bombed He started as a messenger boy, then Axis-held targets in Italy, France and Germany and has flown through flak was a part of the 12th Ferrying Group, was reservation and information clerk at such targets as Anzio, Leghorn Harbor, Toulon and Viterbo Airdrome, worked its way up through the Afri• and more recently a ticket seller in near Rome. can Continent and West to British the Consolidated Ticket Office. With the exception of Major Ralph W. Childers of Walla Walla, Wash• Gold Coast, where they established a ington, who piloted the B-26 on its first mission, and Technical Sergt. Anthony ferrying base for war supplies flown J. Gibbs, Crugers, New York, a former New York Central System employe who The Passenger Department, Chicago, from the United States. He helped to was instrumental in getting the Marauder assigned to the same group which extends sympathy to Gerry Norris, a had operated the original New York Central in the Tunisian campaign until fly these war materials to Egypt, India, reservation clerk, whose husband, it was shot down on its 13th mission, all of those who flew on the first mission Russia and China. He was a member have returned to the States. The 100th attack was piloted by Lieut. Hildebrandt. George, was killed in action in Ger• of the crew on the transport which Flak hit the plane eight or nine times. many, December 13. George formerly brought Madame Chiang Kai-shek worked in the Central's telegraph of• from Chungking, China to British fice on the third floor, La Salle St. West Africa on her way to the United Station. States in 1942. In November, 1942, Leroy V. Porter, Vice President he took part in the African invasion The Navy wins again! This time it serving as a gunner on a medium is the hand of Lorraine Johnson. Her bomber. He received minor bruises Accounting, is Dead at 68 "Seaman" slipped a beautiful sparkler and a broken tooth when his plane on her engagement finger before re• had to make a crash landing in the turning to sea duty in the Pacific. desert in French Morocco. In March Leroy V. Porter, Vice President, Ac• counting, died December 22 after a 1943, he was returned to the United long illness at his home at ,118 Boulder Supt. Daley Dined States to attend Officer's Candidate School at Fort Sill, Okla. and was Trail, Bronxville, N. Y., at the age of J. J. Daley, Superintendent, Ohio commissioned Second Lieutenant in 68. Mr. Porter had been with the New Central Division, at Columbus, Ohio, York Central System 48 years. July 1943, received his "grasshopper" has been promoted to Assistant to training at Denton, Texas, and was Born in Hopkins, Michigan, in 1876, the General Manager with headquar• ordered to Fort Bragg, N. C. in Oc• he entered railroad service in 1896, ters at Cleveland, Ohio, effective tober, 1943. In April, 1944, Lieut. holding at various times the position January 1. He was guest of honor at Larson was sent to England and was of Station Agent and Telegraph Opera• a dinner at the Deshler-Wallick Ho• promoted to First Lieutenant June 1, tor, Traveling Auditor and General tel, tendered him by some 150 asso• Ensign John D. Larson (at top) and 1944. In July, 1944, he went to France Bookkeeper of the Indiana, Illinois & ciates and industry representatives on First Lieut. William B. Larson. and served as Liaison Pilot while the Iowa Railroad, now part of the New December 29. Toastmaster was W. F. York Central. Davis, Train Master, and the prin• Above are shown William B. Larson First Army fought its way through France, Belgium, Holland and into In 1906 he was transferred as Gen• cipal speaker was J. J. Brinkworth, and John D. Larson (at top), brothers eral Clerk to the Lake Shore & Vice President & General Manager. and furloughed employes, sons of Germany. While passing through B. G. Larson, Chief Clerk in Division Paris, he flew under the Eiffel Tower Michigan Southern, now also part of J. H. Spooner, Assistant Superin• the New York Central, in Cleveland. Engineers' office at Jersey Shore, Pa. in his "Cub," which he calls a "Mes- tendent at Columbus, has been ad• serschmidt Maytag." A picture taken In 1909 he was appointed Chief Clerk vanced to Superintendent, succeeding First Lieut. William B. Larson, to the Auditor of that same road and of him while flying under the tower Leroy V. Porter Mr. Daley. J. W. Crowley suc• Liaison Pilot in the Field Artillery a few months later was made As• appeared in papers in the United ceeds as Assistant Superintendent. with the First Army, somewhere in sistant Auditor at Cleveland. In Oct. States in September. Funeral services, which were at• Germany or Belgium, was awarded the 1914 he came to New York as Chief tended by G. Metzman, President, and Herman E. Ball, Engineman on the Air Medal on December 1, 1944, for While in Durban, Union of South Clerk to the Vice President, Account• many other officers of the Company, Western Division since 1904 and an "meritorious achievement in aerial Africa, Lieut. Larson married an ing, New York Central System. were held at the Reformed Church, employe since 1899, made his last run flight." He has also been awarded five English girl of that city, Miss Rose In 1918, he was made Assistant Bronxville, December 26. Interment on New Year's Day. He makes his gold stars. Ann Barnett, who joined her husband Comptroller and in 1930 Comptroller. took place at Hopkins, Michigan. home in Elkhart, where he was born. Before his enlistment in the Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in October, In March, 1937, he was promoted to 1943. Assistant Vice-President & Comptroller. John D. Larson, 20, was commis• In September, 1941, Mr. Porter was Noethling Ends 46 Years in N.Y.C. Treasury Department sioned Ensign and received his Avia• appointed Vice-President and Comp• tor's wings at Pensacola, Florida, De• troller, and in September, 1944, Vice cember 12, 1944. Prior to his enlist• President, Accounting. ment, April 15, 1943, Ensign Larson Mr. Porter is survived by his wife, worked as a Chainman on the Penn• Emma Marie, and five sons and three sylvania Division, with headquarters daughters. He was a member of the at Jersey Shore, Pa. He received his Union League, Traffic and Railroad training at the University of Pennsyl• clubs and of the Knights of Pythias. vania at Philadelphia, State Teachers College at Bloomsburg, Pa., Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Glenview, Illi• Miss K. R. Sullivan nois and Pensacola, Florida. Ensign Ends 45 Years' Work Larson is receiving his operational Miss Katherine R. Sullivan retired training at Jacksonville, Florida. December 31 as Secretary to Assistant Treasurer, New York City, after 45 years of service. Gunners Mate Eddie Ridge arrived home on leave. He was in nine en• Miss Sullivan, who is 70 years old, S. H. Noethling, third in front, receives the best wishes of the officials and his associates in the Treasury Depart• gagements, and while in the Pacific lives at Larchmont, N. Y. She entered ment upon his retirement, December 31, after 46 years' service. Mr. Noethling retired as a Cleric in the Cashier's service in 1899 in the Engineering De• office at the age of 70. In the front row, left to right, are P. A. Spofford, Accountant; Mr. Noethling; G. H. Howe, was wounded slightly. He is a brother partment, shifting in 1920 to the Treasurer, who is presenting Mr. Noethling with a purse; R. H. Mansfield, R. F. Hoppenstedt, E. Coles and H. A. Dahmer, of Lillian Floyd, Betty Dumoulin and Treasury Department. Assistant Treasurers, and J. Malkmus, Assistant Cashier. Harry West, all of Chicago. 10 Central Headlight

Cincinnati Sailor Has Family Reunion in Italy Buffalo Fireman P. & L. E. Engineman's Son Is Pilot Wins Unit Citation on Liberator Bomber in Europe in Saipan Battle

Shown is Lieut. Albert C. Hardies, Jr., at upper left, and the members of his crew on a bomber now operating in the European area. He is the son of Pfc. Walter E. Cary, 22, a former A. C. Hardies, an engineman of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie. fireman on the Buffalo and Syracuse Division and son of William J. Cary, a New York Central fireman, has been Gibson Man Loses awarded the Presidential Unit Citation Detroit Girls Sing for gallantry in action while serving Legs in Belgium with the 4th Marine Corps in the battle for Saipan and Tinian. He also was in at Marine Hospital Harold Rutz, son of General Yard Clerk, August Rutz, was seriously the battles for Roi and Namur in the Rosemarie Brown and Peggy Hed- Marshall Islands. wounded in the recent German offen• rick, two girls from the Auditor Pfc. Cary Joined the Marines Janu• sive in Belgium, necessitating the A former switchman at Cincinnati, Garabaidi Dromi, now a Tailor's Mate, Passenger Accounts Office, Detroit, ary 13, 1943, and trained at Parris amputation of both legs. He is hos• Third Class, had an interesting experience when his boat docked at an Italian sang with a group of 30 American Island, Camp Lejeune, and Camp Pen• pitalized in Temple, Texas. port. Dromi and his father left Italy seven years ago because they could not Women's Voluntary Service carolers tolerate Fascism. The mother and sisters stayed behind and before they could dleton. Prior to duty in the Pacific he was on convoy duty in the Atlantic. at the Grosse Pointe Marine Hospital be sent for, the war prevented them from leaving. Young Dromi joined the U.S. Lieut. Bill Gallagher and S/Sgt. recently. The girls, members of Drill Navy in 1942. After the fall of Italy his boat docked 200 miles from his home C. J. Miller visited the office recently town. Since he could not leave the ship his mother and sisters came to visit Corps Co. A, under the command of while home on furlough. him, traveling by box car. The reunion lasted eight days, Garabaidi getting a Capt. O. Montayne, also brought gifts pass each day. He also acted as interpreter for his commanding officer. On a and candy to the wounded soldiers. Sympathy is extended to the family recent visit to Cincinnati he was married to Miss Antoinnete Magro, shown Iran Rail Line So cheered were the patients, and so of the late Phillip D. Steinmetz, for• with him above. He says his postwar plan is for a family reunion with his good did the girls feel afterward, mother and sisters in this country. mer Assistant Station Accountant, in that they cried over their cokes as Transformed by the loss of his son, Jack, in a plane they related their experiences. crash in the West Indies, December 30. U. S. Workers Not widely publicized is the morale William Sheridan, retired employe G.C.T. Rail Traffic building work being done by a group Pfc. J. C. Miller, Jr., a trainman on of the Central Inspection & Weighing of Detroit girls known as "Valiants, the P. & L. E. Railroad, at Youngs• Bureau, who for many years was Record 62762,860 Inc." Each girl is assigned to one town, Ohio, who is now with the assigned to our office, died January 9, particular wounded soldier, either at Railroad passenger traffic in Grand 711th Railway Operating Battalion in at the age of 89 years. Central Terminal in 1944 totaled Iran, writes as follows, under date of the Veterans' Hospital in Dearborn or the Marine Hospital in Grosse Pointe, 62,762,860, the highest in the history December 11, 1944: Recent visitors to the Auditor's whom they visit each Tuesday, Fri• of the Terminal, J. H. Hustis, Jr., "It's been two Office, C.R.&I.-I.H.B., Chicago, were day and Sunday. They also arrange Manager of the Terminal, reports. years to the day Corp. Albert Zirwes, stationed at Fort parties and shows for the boys and This total, equal to almost half the since we docked Myers, Va.; Nick May, Y2/c, on population of the United States, was sold Christmas cards to raise money at Khorramshahr. U.S.S., J.R.Y. Blakely; Corp. Leon• 2,833,367, or 4.73 percent higher than for gifts and also work at a Bingo We got off the ard M. Bolin, Jr., of Fort Devers, the traffic handled in 1943. game on Saturdays, Wednesday and boat on the 12th Mass., and Dick Rofstad, R.M. 3/c, Fridays. A new record for passengers carried and spent the night LST 495. on any single day was made Decem• trying to keep Lily Calabrese, Shirley Ball, Ange- ber 26, when the total reached 237,- warm and sleep in line Anena, Dolores Mielke, Rita 769, as compared with the previous the mud. It had Vitale, Wilma Murray and Mary Gin- high record of 222,005, set on Decem• taken three hours dick are the employes who devote so Son Wounded in France ber 24, 1943. to get through the much of their free time to this laud• J. H. Schmidt, a Clerk in the Gen• able endeavor. They are members of eral Freight Office, New York City, On 28 days during 1944, as com• chow line for our Co. A. reports that his son, Pfc. Raymond pared with 14 days in 1943, pas• first meal of goat L. Schmidt, was seriously wounded on sengers in and out exceeded 200,000. meat. WAVE Phyllis Fournier, from the December 15, in action with an Long distance passengers increased "We weathered Auditor Passengers Accounts Office, armored unit somewhere in France. 1,314,267 and suburban passengers in• the first night of Edward P. Dugan, R. M. 3/c, formerly Detroit, who is now in Washington creased 1,519,100 over the total for shivering, listening employed by the Central as a clerk in "striking" for Storekeeper, reports 1943 for both the New York Central to this new world of wailing, howling the General Freight Office, New York making the "Gallon Club" in the Red and New Haven railroads. jackals and a million other strange City, has gone overseas for active duty Cross Blood Bank. She gave her B. & A. Lieutenant in the Pacific. and unexplained noises. Rumor had it The rate of increase of New York eighth pint on "Pearl Harbor Day." Upon entering the Navy on Decem• Central and New Haven long distance that the nearby village was plagued ber 5, 1943, he was sent to Sampson, and natives were dying by the thou• passengers did not quite equal the in• Congratulations to the new Ser• N. Y., for basic training and later was sands. I never did find out if this was crease in the suburban passengers for geants, Robert Blakeslee and George transferred to Little Creek, Va., for true because I was sent on advanced the two railroads, a reversal of the Brown. The Auditor Passenger Ac• schooling with the amphibious forces, detail — an all night train ride in a trend since 1941. Suburban passengers counts boys are stationed in Panama from which he was assigned to serve box car to Ahwaz, about 70 miles on an LCS. Recently while on a short on the two roads totaled 34,184,221, and England respectively. away. On arriving we found that leave, Eddie visited his home at Ver- which was 704,693 passengers more Ahwaz was just a railroad station and planks, N. Y., and also made a sur• than the previous maximum, reached Recalled to duty by the Merchant prise visit to the General Freight a roundhouse. We set up tents all in 1929. Marine after ten years absence, Jack Office to see some of his friends. He day and pulled guard duty at night Sorin, Local Audit Clerk in the office was ordered to report to California, until after Christmas. I was on guard of the Auditor Passenger Accounts, from where he shipped out. Christmas Eve. His sister, Bernardine Dugan, is also Keavy Honored, Detroit, is the first man to enter this "Then we began taking the railroad in the employ of the Central, in the Retiring at Detroit service. He spent seven years as Third Typing Bureau of the Accounting over from the British and what a rail• Assistant Engineers on ships plying to When W. A. Keavy, Trainmaster, Department, New York City. road! I was on road duty and there all parts of the world, and had in• Detroit Division, retired after 47 was no air, no headlights, and a dirt tended to settle down to a job on years of service, friends paid honor road bed. It was very bumpy and you land. However the vital need for mer• to him at a testimonial dinner held couldn't see your hand in front of you. chant seamen has decreed otherwise. at the Railroad Y.M.C.A., Detroit. It didn't make any difference about He reported to his ship in New York, Friends of "Fran" Stipek on the Boston The group presented Mr. Keavy with & Albany were all glad to hear he had seeing, though, because as I said be• January 12, carrying with him the a travel kit, Trainmaster L. W. completed his officers' candidate course fore, we had no air and couldn't have office's parting gift and the best Fisher making the presentation. Ap• at New Orleans and been commis• stopped if we had seen something. wishes of all. propriate remarks were made by F. sioned a Lieutenant, November 1. "Now we have diesels, headlights, Fran's service, in the Baggage Depart• McElroy, Assistant General Manager; air and better road beds — the line At the first meeting in January of ment and Superintendent's Office at R. F. DeForest, Superintendent; L. J. runs through the mountains and is the New York Central Camera Club Springfield, Mass., totals ten years; Robbins, Assistant Superintendent and quite impressive. We manage to com• of Detroit, held in Room 114 of the and he completed two years of mili• A. E. Somers, Trainmaster. tary service last September. He is as• municate with the native workers by Detroit Terminal, additional organiza• signed to service on the Pacific Coast, Mr. Keavy entered railroad service signs and what language we've picked tional details were completed. Wil- in 1897 in the Local Freight Depart• as loading officer at Port of Embarka• up." bert Weilert, of the Auditor Passenger tion, and tells us that for an old rail• ment, subsequently being promoted to Accounts Office was appointed secre• road man, he's getting to feel right at Car Checker, Yardmaster, General tary to fill out an unexpired term. home around ships; supervising load• Yardmaster and Trainmaster. E. C. Richards Retires Charles Fagin, of the Departmental ing and unloading of Army cargo, Other guests included J. Dring, E. C. Richards, Assistant Superin• Accountants Office, and Warren Oakes, policing the pier area, etc. F. Peters, C. E. Combs, D. J. Chin- tendent of Equipment, with headquar• assistant engineer, Valuation, were He left at New Orleans John Dow- ander, L. E. Payne, F. Pfeifer, Dr. ters at Detroit, retired December 31, designated a committee to plan ling, another former Springfield Bag• H. Johnson, J. C. Schneider, C. A. after 46 years, nine months of service. monthly assignments and awards for gage Department man, and Staff Ser• geant at the time, Dowling having McGraw, M. Howe, E. Doyle, Nora He was succeeded by R. R. Sneddon. the coming year. been with an Air Force unit in the Glen Shinabarger, Seaman, second Apel, M. F. Egan, C. Schwabe, C. A portion of each meeting will be class, is stationed at Minneapolis. He Pacific Theatre and returned for offi• Fogarty, V. Cernik and A. Frysinger. Effective January 1, G. H. Rush- devoted to criticism of regular prints, was formerly demurrage clerk at An• cers' candidate course. In California movies and color slides. All phases derson, Ind., and is the son of the G. Mosley, Executive Secretary of ford was appointed Car Foreman at he had news of Ralph Tobin, son of former Agent, Charles Shinabarger, re• the Y.M.C.A. provided a turkey Battle Creek, Mich., vice R. E. Metz, of amateur photography will be cov• Agent Tobin at Barre Plains, who has cently retired after fifty years' service. dinner. retired. ered. been stationed in Oregon. Central Headlight 11 Get Your Copy of Questionnaire With Mid-Month Pay Checks

Gen. Burpee Praises making it possible to evacuate them in Carloads of Butter comfortable hospital trains. French- French Railway Men operated locomotives pull the hospital Left by Germans in Tribute to French railway workers trains over many routes #in France. for their cooperation with Allied trans• Flight in France portation services was paid by Brig. Gen. Clarence L. Burpee, Commanding Carloads of precious butter, fresh General of the Second Military Rail• meats and German mail awaited way Service, United States Army. American troops who took the French 115 "Graduate" He said the workers, many of whom railroad depot at Lison, according to had joined the French Underground an eye-witness account by Major Al• at Cincinnati during the occupation of France and bert L. Chabot, Transportation Corps sabotaged German railway operations, Vice President and General Man• officer just back from France. were now wholeheartedly assisting the ager J. J. Brinkworth presented cer• "The Nazis were so surprised," he Allies in moving supplies up to the tificates November 30, in the Gibson said, "that they unhitched the price• front and evacuating wounded in hos• Hotel at Cincinnati, to 115 employes less cargo, bound for Germany, and pital trains provided by the British who had completed the Public Rela• fled with the engines. At one place and French under the Reciprocal Aid tions program. Certificates also were they even left their dinner stew sim• program. presented to the eleven leaders whose mering on a stove." "The French railmen have been very course of training had been completed Major Chabot, who was with the cooperative in every respect," he said. previously. Southern Pacific Railroad for 20 years Their costumes keyed to the holiday colors — white blouses, dark skirts and "Long hours do not matter. They have About one hundred and fifty were bright red hair ribbons, 24 girls from the Auditor Passenger Accounts office, before entering the Army in 1942, ar• stayed on the job from 30 to 40 hours in attendance, including a number of Detroit, entertained with Christmas carols in the Michigan Central Terminal without relief, some of them almost department heads and the wives of rived in Normandy shortly after the three days preceding the holiday. The girls sang on their lunch hour and D-Day and was one of the first after work. The carolers, shown above, are, first row, left to right: Delores barefoot, some with barely enough those receiving certificates. Several Americans to ride the French rails Seely, Betty Kemp, Maxine Krause, Luella Bracen, Virginia DeCello, Pat clothes on their backs to keep them talks were made, including one by Ira after the invasion. Tehean, Delores Cross, Rosalyn Cavanaugh, Verne Aldred, Kay Leichfelt, warm, but not a whimper has been L. Austin, assistant secretary of the Eleanor Leach and Martha Van Oordt. Second row, left to right: Mrs. Jessie heard. Pension Bureau, New York. Mr. Aus• "We didn't have an engine," he Hill, Audrey McLeod, June Kennedy, Lorene Cline, Mary Margaret Sims, tin went to Cincinnati last summer said, "but we had a jeep. And that's "I have not had a half-dozen com• Rosemary Marrin, Peggy Hedrick, and Rosemary Brown. Also participating, plaints from the French workers since and started the program at that point. all we needed. Equipped with flange but now shown, were Idora Cline, Lois Rundel, Marilyn Wilson and I have been on the continent." car wheels, our little jeep rode the Mary Froczila. Mr. Brinkworth expressed apprecia• rails between Isigny-Sur-Mer and Li• General Burpee said French and tion of the efforts and interests of son, much to the amazement of the American shop men, working side by employes in the program now in prog• French who lined the tracks to stare Harrison, Ind., 50 years, 9 months. Madsen, Alfred A., Machinist, Jack- side and using both French and Ameri• ress. at the queer 'chemin de fer.' We ran Kimball, Berry W., Engineman, St. son, Mich., 36 years, 4 months. can equipment, had repaired and placed There were solos by Melville Ray, into artillery fire at Neuilly, and oc• Lawrence Division, 43 years, 11 Pinkerton, Hugh W., Electrical & into service 390 damaged locomotives. one of the graduates, and the picture, casionally we had to clear the rails months. Mechanical Engineer, Cleveland, 38 He said wounded American soldiers "Life Line of the Nation" was shown of barbed wire and piles of dirt from years, 7 months. owe gratitude to French railways for by E. N. Kottenbrook. bomb craters, but we came through without a scratch." Although the Germans fled too' Meet the New York Central test engineers quickly to do much damage to the railroad, snipers were the chief diffi• who help create tomorrow's culty of Railway Operating Battalions that had to supply front line troops. finer engines "There was one Jerry in particular who caused us a lot of headaches," Major Chabot said. "He hid with a machine gun in the hills between Carentan and Ilsigny, where the en• gineers were rebuilding a bridge. Every time they neared completion and our trains were ready to go through, he opened fire. Somebody eventually got him, but we lost some precious time trying to get over that bridge." By locking up dams to drainage ditches, the Germans managed to flood the area around Isigny. "They hid in this man-made swamp and fired on our railroad battalions," Major Chabot added. "This made transportation extremely hazardous, and we had a difficult time routing Mile after tense mile, New York CentralLocomotiv e Dietician Scientists in the Germans." This observer weighs out each Overalls" test engineers cling to the speeding loco• 100 lbs. of coal fed into the motive, or watch each flicker of the in• fire-box. Even on New York Dressed in overalls and protected by temporary struments back in the Dynamometer Car. Central's naturally efficient Water Level Route, ways to save windbreakers, these Eight Veterans Retire They feel the pulse of the mighty fuel are constantly sought. New York Central en• gineers check engine Retirements last month included: cylinders. They sample the smoke-box gases. They weigh every pound of coal for performance and flash Avery, Frederick M., Freight Agent, their findings back to Syracuse Division, 48 years, 7 months. the firebox and every ton of pull on the the Dynamometer Car. drawbar. And steadily, the data they gather Entzian, William A., General Yard- is recorded on the Dynamometer Car's master, South Bend, Ind., 41 years, moving chart. For this car is their Tons on a Pen Point! 7 months. "laboratory on wheels". . . where they These oil cylinders can reduce a loco• Florant, Charles H., Wire Chief, figuratively put 250 tons of locomotive in motive's 500,000-lb. pull down to a tiny force that moves a pen in New Selkirk, N. Y., 41 years, 11 months. a test-tube to study its performance. York Central's Dyna- Burgess, Richard, Stationary Engi• Today, their work helps New York mometer Car. neer, W. Springfield, Mass., 28 years. Central operate more efficiently as a vital Chart Keeps Pace with Trai Kautzman, Peter J., Agent, Fort link in the wartime supply line. And to• Gears link the wheels of the Dyna• morrow.. .when critical materials are again mometer Car to these paper rolls. available... their records will point the way For each yard the car travels, the to still finer locomotives for the future. paper moves a fraction of an inch beneath the re• With First Army cording pens. He Puts "Dine" in Dyn-a-mometer Testing a locomotive often takes weeks. So the staff lives aboard the Dynamometer Car. A New York Central dining car chef goes along to serve hearty meals.

Tester in Chief Either the Dynamometer Engineer, or his senior assistant, directs every He Writes with 16 Pens! detail in the complex The Chart Operator watches over the task of performance- 16 automatic pens that record speed, testing a locomotive for distance, pull, steam pressure and a Sergt. "Whitey" Anderson writes from New York Central. dozen other items of performance data. the First Army Front that he is keeping He also notes on the moving chart his tail down and his elbows loose. He YOUR DOLLARS FIGHT INFANTILE PARALYSIS facts phoned in by other observers. mentions spending a night under a hail of butterflies with one digging a nest about two feet from his foxhole, even tearing his shoe laces —we still have NEW YORK CENTRAL THE WATER LEVEL ROUTE to learn what those butterflies were. 12 Central Headlight

Tommy Timlin, New York Central Man, Rated as Buffalo Blizzard Albany Men Retire; Lieut. C. L. Ergott, (Concluded from page one) Avis Flyer, Missing Year's Best Football Referee 105 Years at Work Buffalo, a key production area of war Since November 22 materiel, hampered the snow removal WO Albany men, Peter P. job. In the city itself, where schools T Wrafter, Conductor, Mohawk and war plants had shut down, there Division, and Edward J. McCann, Painter Leader, West Albany were too few men to clear the avenues Shops, retired January 31, after and side streets, leaving none to be working a combined total of 105 hired by the Central. Even one week years. later streets and sidewalks had not Mr. Wrafter entered service as been cleared and thousands of auto• a boilermaker in 1893, shifting to mobiles stood at the curbs buried brakeman in 1898, and becoming a under snow. conductor in 1906. He lives at 73 Kent Street, Albany. Freight service now began to exceed passenger service as the most critical Mr. McCann, who lives at 609 Park Avenue, Albany, began as a problem and so earnest attention was laborer in the Car Department at now being given to digging out the West Albany in 1890 and later many important freight yards — Gar- became a painter and varnisher. denville, Seneca, Lackawanna, Black Rock. The primary concern was to keep in motion all government and war freight so that no delays would did not clear the final switch down the befall goods routed to ports for con• hump and the yard trimmer engine voys or to factory assembly lines. had to pick these stiffened cars up. A War Department telegram, on De• Spreaders and flangers were busy The following day, January 5, 110 cember 8, informed Clyde L. Ergott, in every yard. Several extra cars of sailors from the Sampson Naval Train• a Carman at the Avis Car Shop, that casing head gasoline arrived to be ing Station at Geneva, N. Y., brought his son, 2nd Lieut. Carl E. Ergott, of used in burning the snow and ice out their willing strength to the big job the AAF, had been missing in action from the switches. The rotary plow still ahead. The sailors stayed on the over Germany since November 22. and two spreaders aided the gangs of job until January 10, when they were Lieut. Ergott was attached to a men with shovels in Gardenville. replaced by two other groups of 103 Lightning Fighter Group of the 15th for the next few days. Altogether they Air Force, in Italy. The group was one Humping operations in the west of the first to engage the Luftwaffe in performed a fine job, as deeply appre• bound yards at Gardenville were car• battle and was recently awarded the ciated as it was vital. ried on under the most rigorous con• Distinguished Unit Citation Ribbon. ditions. After men had cleared a Day and night the tremendous pro• Lieut. Ergott was employed at the track in the receiving yard and the ject of cleaning the track ever went Avis Car Shop as a Carman Appren• switches leading from it, diesel on. The kitchens in the camps at the tice and entered the Armed Forces switchers would break the train up, various yards were open 24 hours a March 7, 1943. two cars at a time. To move the day feeding the men, who slept and entire train from standstill was im• worked in shifts. Men who were re• possible because the journals had leased were replaced by others, one remained the big task of cleaning frozen. Once the cars were rolling, group of 90 track workers arriving many miles of sidings and the hun• three diesel switcher and a diesel January 9 from the Pennsylvania dreds of switches giving entrance to mallet pushed and pulled the train Division. those tracks. Thomas A. Timlin, Material Inspector rates Doc Blanchard, Army's full back, over the hump to further loosen it. Now that the main channels for Winter chose this moment to serve at Buffalo, who was referee of 1944 "as good as the best player in the Then the train was humped into the the flow of passenger and freight notice on the other divisions of the Army-Navy game. history of football." classification yard. Even so, many cars traffic had been cleared, there still Lines East that they could suffer the fate of Buffalo. On January 16 a MILLIONS of football fans who storm by-passed Buffalo, shedding only believe in hard-but-clean fought three inches of snow there, and raged games are grateful to Referee Tommy down the Mohawk and Hudson val• Timlin, who called the rules for the leys. Syracuse was blanketed with 14 thrilling Army-Navy game last De• inches of snow and Albany, including cember 2 at Baltimore. Referee Timlin, Selkirk Yard, with 16 inches. Snow it so happens, is Thomas A. Timlin, plows and flangers were able to keep Material Inspector, M.P. & R.S. De• the fall under control, however, on the partment, at Buffalo, N. Y. main line, and the humps at both Refereeing football games is a side DeWitt Yard in East Syracuse and profession with Timlin, who entered Selkirk Yard were kept in opera• New York Central service in 1922 as tion. Freight service on the West a Material Inspector. Before then he Shore alone was" temporarily hard hit. had played football in high school At Erie, Pa., the season's snowfall and in college, following this with was 88 inches up to January 23. professional football for a short time. One of the finest traditions in rail• Since entering service he referees roading — the devotion of railroad games on days off, counted against his men to their duty in the face of any vacation. emergency — was further brightened Refereeing the Army-Navy game, by men who fought the battle of the classic of all games, is acknowl• Buffalo's blizzard. edged to be the most prized job in the With only time out to eat and business and the manner in which he catch some sleep, track laborers conducted this game has won him struggled with their shovels long recognition as the top referee in col• hours day after day, night after night, lege football. Among other plaudits in bitter winds, against the heavy, shift• for his afternoon's work, the New ing masses of snow. Regular train York Herald-Tribune said: crews made successive runs "to keep "Thomas A. Timlin, referee, and 'em rolling." Tower operators slept in his associates turned in the year's best the towers in order to be on hand job of officiating. They stepped heav• when their shift came round again. ily on each illegality and were quick Like soldiers of high morale on a to discourage the brethren who had fighting line today, they all stuck it grudges to settle." out until this home-front victory was won. Timlin ranks the Army team of the To the organizing work of all past season as "the greatest team operating officials from Superintendent I've ever worked behind," and he Miles Dwyer through trainmasters, yardmasters and their assistants, and of Maintenance of Way men goes Chicago Man Killed credit for fighting the battle to a suc• cessful finish. In their harried posi• (Concluded from page one) tions, passenger traffic personnel and received in France. He was assigned OCHESTER was the first city on freight traffic men drew upon reserves to a replacement pool awaiting further R Lines East to feel the heavy blows of energy and courtesy in facing the orders. John, a member of an infantry of King Winter. Two storms during public and patrons, explaining delays division, has been twice wounded since December paralyzed all transporta• and arranging changes in transporta• tion with the exception of the rail• D-Day. He has received the Purple tion. The forces under R. D. Bratton, roads. Before December was out ap• Heart. Division Passenger Agent at Buffalo, proximately 56 of its annual "quota" Donlevy, another son, is a mem• of 72 inches of snow had already worked day and night in two shifts. ber of the Navy SeaBees in the South fallen. By January 26, it was 63 inches. Radiating from Buffalo, the prob• Pacific. Above, a passenger train is shown lems caused by the blizzard in delays Home from the battle front is Para• leaving Rochester Station westbound, of both passenger and freight trains trooper Roland Mignone, husband of separated from a freight train by a increased many fold the work of oper• Celeste. Pullman reservation clerk five-foot bank of snow which had been ating and transportation men else• Roland, a member of the famous 82nd pushed from the tracks by a plow. where, necessitating rerouting trains, Airborne troops, landed in Normandy At right, sailors from the Sampson making up of special trains and of Naval Training Station, on Seneca on D-Day and later in Arnhem, Hol• new schedules and the speeding up Lake, participated in winning a home- land, where he was wounded and sent of priority freight over other classes. front victory by helping the Central From one end of the system to the to England. He is now receiving treat• clear away the snow of the second ment in a San Antonio army hospital. storm in Rochester. From flatcars other thousands of telephone calls loaded at the station and in the yard, were answered explaining delays and they are dumpinh snow through the offering changes in accommodations. W. S. Evans a Major ties on the trestle over the Genesee Such is railroading. It is an all- River. The sailors enjoyed their time weather, every day, day and night Capt. Wallace G. Evans, son of off from training and, at the same business of transportation. T. W. Evans, retired Vice President, time, put welcome extra money into Chicago, was promoted to Major in their pockets. December, while serving with the Along with its job of cleaning up, H. A. Jeffries, former coach re• U.S. Army in France, according to the Central also helped the city with pairer in the Passenger Shop at information received by his father its snow-clearing equipment. Beech Grove, has been inducted into recently. the Army and is at New Orleans.