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Published by the Hyde Park Historical Society

THE IC'S COMMUTER ******** NEWSLETTER RELLO! AND A DECADE ******** Vol. 1. Issue No.1. OF TRANSITION Published only for our Central commuters. byJohn G. Allen

In October 1966 the Illinois Central Railroad pitched "thunk-thunk-thunk". At each end of the cars inaugurated Hellol, a monthly newsletter for its were bench seats, above which stood grab handles for Electric customers on the South Side standing passengers. Twin sliding doors opened onto and in the south suburbs. Lasting through February vestibules, painted the same dark green as the 1975, Hellol was an easily forgotten and often exteriors, where another set of doors opened onto overlooked publication of the railroad 's public high-level wooden platforms at almost every station. relations department to help convey the railroad's The only concession to modernity was a recently­ perspective at a time when fares were rising, ridership installed Automatic Revenue Collection System, was declining, and the original electric fleet was which had yet to shake off an unfortunate reputation approaching the end of its useful service life. Yet for unrel iabili ty. despite these limitations, Hellol has much redeeming By the time Hellol ceased publication, the value for today's historian. It brought together much experience of riding the IC differed from today's information about IC Electric operations, it provided Electric largely in the still-prevailing use of a comforting sense of community among riders, and wooden platforms, and the colors of the ' its candid editorial style provides a welcome contrast exterior paint and seats - minor details compared to to the sanitized euphemism of much of today's the change that swept the railroad during the past "corporate communications". decade. At no point since electric service started in When the first issue of Hellol appeared in 1966, the 1926 had the Ie's "suburban service", as the railroad original electric cars, built for the electrification of long called it, undergone more change than during commuter service in 1926, had been in service for 40 the nine years that Hellol was published. years and provided service on all trains. Painted dark The newsletter was printed on letterhead or card green, the cars had taken on a color more akin to stock, and was invariably 8 1/2 inches high. Different brown after fout decades amid smoke from the city's issues appeared with one, two, or sometimes three heavy industry and the coal which still heated many folds (the latter being on 8 1h by 14 inch paper). With buildings. Inside, passengers sat on rattan-covered the exception ofa two-color issue commemorating the seats (once the finest in comfort) with reversible arrival of the Highliners, the newsletter was printed backs. Interiors were painted a pinkish tone, with in one color-usually black, although brown, dark maroon below the windows. Incandescent bulbs blue, and even dark green were also used. provided light, there were advertisements above the The masthead was the same every month, with the seats throughout the length of the cars, and the volume and issue noted beside the Hellol name (which northernmost car of every train was designated as the always carried the exclamation point), and smoking car. Underneath, the compressors which held immediately underneath appeared the words air ro release the brakes would recharge with a high­ "Published for our Illinois Central commuters". ~ 8

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-< 0 This changed to Illinois Central Gulf in 1972 through the two-part automatic gates. (In the early when the railroad merged with the Gulf, Mobile & 1970s, the railroad would replace the awkward gates Ohio, and in 1973 the railroad adopted the with the turnstiles still in use today.) formulation "Published for our Lakefront Electric To help commuters understand the problems, the Transit Commurers". railroad's public relations department invited With a few exceptions during the early part of comments from commuter Charles Schlewitt, Jr., one 1973, Hello .' appeared between the 18th and the 24th of many who had written the railroad complaining of each month to facilitate mailing to those riders who about conditions, and printed excerpts from their received their monthly tickets by mail. During the conversation in Hello.' (2 / 19170). The level of candor week of publication, gate attendants at the Randolph suggests a company actively seeking its customers' and Van Buren Street stations handed out single patience and understanding. copies to passengers as they passed through the Writing in the 11 /20172 issue in the wake of the automatic fare collection gates. October 30, 1972 collision at 27th St. between two The newsletter's graphic format remained commuter trains that claimed 44 lives and injured unchanged throughout its nine years. Material was hundreds, Hello.' acknowledged the difficulty of printed in a conservative, easy-to-read serif type face. writing about the accident, but thanked all those who The articles were usually from one to three paragraphs came to the aid ofpassengers. In conclusion, H ello.' in length, and a typical panel included three or four said: items. Adding to Hello."s visual interest were a lCG can and will carryon. {T}he balance ofthe delightful assortment of small 19th century woodcuts. November Hello.' will be devoted to its customary job ofbeing The topics varied from issue to issue, but many of an advocate for the COrmllllter as well as a kind of unofficial the items fell into one or another of the following conscience for the railroad. categories: Progress on the New Cars Asking Riders' Forbearance The IC had been seeking federal money to buy a A recurring theme in H ello.' was the aging fleet of new fleet of double-deck electric cars to replace the cars from the 1920s. One item (in the 7/26167 issue) 1920s equipment since 1967, and the US Department read: of Transportation approved the funding in 1968. The The Answer- Riders call to ask why, for heaven 's sake, 1124/69 issue announced this welcome news and doesn't the railroad install air conditioning in the sllbllrban printed a small photograph of a model ofa car cars. This has been considered many times. A recent cost recognizably similar to today's Highliners. Subsequent estimate was $6,720,000 for all the cars, a financial issues of Hello.' followed the progress of the grant impossibility. Any new equipment that may be on the horizon money, the awarding of the contract to the St. Louis would be air conditioned. Car Company, and the status of construction. The Hello."s editors had a disarmingly self-deprecating 5/2 2/69 issue, instead of printing the regular news, style that is sorely lacking in many of today's was headlined "Special Issue: New Car Designs", and "corporate communications", as this item noted contained photos of mockups of the new cars, inside (10/24/68): and out. Similarly, the 8/21 17 0 issue discussed a Social Note-We understand that the Flossmoor Junior variety of technical and operating features of the new Chamber ofCommerce has disbanded its "I Hate the IC" cars. committee. Introducing the Highliners Things are looking up. In preparation for the arrival of the new double­ Along similar lines, the 12/20168 Hello.' noted the deck cars, the IC announced a contest to name the disbanding of the I.C Commuters Association, a fleet (2 / 18171 issue). The 4121 17 1 issue announced group which had been actively pressuring the railroad the winning entry, "Highliners", submitted by 16­ to improve service in 1966. year-old railfan Arthur Peterson (now a respected The 10/24/68 issue noted that the railroad was area transportation professional). The same modifying its gates so that both the first and second issue also published a photo of one of the steam sets of doors opened simultaneously when a valid locomotives replaced when electric service started in ticket was inserted. This, the railroad hoped, would 1926. reduce riders' hesitation upon starting passage A special issue, published between the regular June

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and July 1971 issues and bearing only a 1971 date, years of riding the old cars. It is a habit passengers will have featured photOgraphs of the Highliners and discussed to break on the new cars or else the railroad will have to their interior and exterior appointments at some lengthen schedules. No one wants that. length. This was followed by the 3/21172 issue, One of the unfortunate aspects of the years when featuring more photOgraphs, further discussion of the Hello.' was in publication was the prominence of crime cars' features, and an interior layout diagram. (In the and violence. The 6/20/69 issue told of the 7119171 issue, incidentally, Hello.' offered to send a presentation of the Illinois Central Medal of Honor to plan of the new cars, suitable for use in model rai lroad engineer George McKinley "for his part in the capture of car-building, to anybody sending a stamped, self­ a burglar attempting a break-in at the Harvey ticket office. ,. addressed envelope.) And the 7/22170 issue reprinted the text of the bright orange "Broken Window" stickers the railroad pasted Farewell to the Old Cars on windows broken by vandals, which read, in part, Naturally, many commuters were happy to see the Delay in the 1'eplacement ofthis $15 window is 1920s fleet go, but Hello.' did tip its hat to the old temporary, dlle either to a delivery delay ofthe special glass cars in a couple of issues. The 4/19172 issue showed a or to the difficulty ollr people sometimes have in keeping tip picture of several of the old cars awaiting scrapping, with the number of windoU's being broken. and the 10/20171 issue announced that two of them Not all of the news was bad, though. The same had been sold to the Museum in Hello.' noted that Union, Illinois. A featllre story by Ralph Stow ofChicago Today ribbed the railroad abollt the ... station docks Etiquette of Commuting and Other Problems Ylfnnillg form 35 to 40 seconds fast. Maybe they're that way The IC used the pages of Hello.' to commend and because some commuters habitllally run slow. correct its riders. The 3/25168 issue thanked one gentleman who sent nine 6-cent stamps for a ride he Human Interest and a Sense of Community had taken without paying. On the other side of the Hello.' editors looked for the interesting among the ledger, the 4/20170 issue was mildly scolding: Ie's passengers and employees. The 10/24/67 issue Reqttest-A gentle note to ticket-by-mail mstomerJ: Part identified the railroad's oldest daily commuter as ofthe deal on Ie's monthly mail plan is that you send liS a Lewis DeCosta of South Shore, and wished him a check promptly each month lipon receipt ofyour ticket. The happy birthday (he turned 90 that month). And agreement says nothing about long-term credit. the2/19170 issue asked : In several issues, the railroad tried to cure its riders of Old Timers-Is it possible anyone from the "Association the habit of "train marching", or walking through the of '93ers still is riding with us? Please drop Hello.' a note. train in order to be closer to that end of the platform Mr. DeCosta had presumably retired by the time the where commuters wanted to exit. Shortly after the 4/20170 issue identified D r. Howard Wakefield as the Highliners had arrived, the 9/20171 issue warned: Ie's longest-riding commuter. Dr. Wakefield, 77, of Frankly, the present herd instinct is a habit from long Prairie Shores, took his first IC ride in 1906. ~e

Some of the 56 old cars now out of service. Next stop for these weary MU's will be the scrap heap.

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...:1) Commuters of interest for been glad to help you" 0/26/67). other reasons sometimes were ) Gone but not entirely the subject of features. ~ _.,. forgonen was rhe IC's starion The back panel of the .... ~ at 43rd Street. The7/22170 8/22/68 issue introduced L: ~ issue published a picture of Mrs. Bertha Gibbs, the the now-demolished Field Museum's reference building, asking readers if librarian, whose desk was they could identify the a short, if windswept location. Likewise, the walk from the 9/23/69 issue Roosevelt Road ~ P-~~ ~~_ . -=:. - PhubRli~heddalphoto. of station-which at that 59 .. ;;5 .;~ t elver a e statIOn time the ICs at the beginning of the 20th conductors announced as Central Station. century-a wooden depot at grade level, with no Naturally, Hello.' acknowledged the contributions of resemblance to the high-level wooden platform on a IC employees. The 1124/68 issue noted the retirement, raised embankment that would replace it when the after 41 years, of Harold Preston, the IC\ supervisor of line was electrified in the 1920s. electric power. (Yes, Mr. Preston was working for the IC when electric service started in 1926.) The Hyde Park and Hyde Parkers 11120172 issue discussed the job that General Occasionally, Hyde Park and its people figured in Yardmaster James Bennett did behind the scenes, Hello.' . The 10118171 issue asked this about the 51 st directing the movement of trains into and out of St. station location: Randolph St. Station during the morning rush hour. C017lllluter QlIiz-As late as 1914 a station named The10/18171 issue commended 53rd St. ticket "Madison Park" was listed in the timetable. Who knows agent Helen Karambis, "known for the good-natured way where? she helps passengers and gets along with everybody". And The station rebuilding at 53rd-Hyde Park and the 3/19171 issue noted the return of conductor Ed 55th-56th-57th was almost three decades in the Neal, well-liked by riders on his regular train, future when Hyde Parker Howard Rosenbaum wrote following a heart attack: to suggest replacing the "old, dilapidated plat/orms in When Ed returned to work corrmmters Pllt liP a big sign the Hyde Park area with modern platforms" (his words, in saying "Welcome Back Ed. .. Ed is especially proud that the 10/20172 issue). The railroad replied that several comrlZltters visited him dllring his stay at Ingalls The CTA's modern stations were built with public money. Memorial Hospital. Sitch funds are not available to ICG. The railroad has had The central figure in one human interest story to Pllt station replacement at the end ofa long list of wasn't even a person. The front story of the 7/2417 2 commuter service priorities ... issue was about Hemingway, a golden retriever who The back panel of the 8/18172 issue, under the boarded a rush-hour train from Homewood and was heading "Rays of Sunshine", discussed the various rerurned to his owners by helpful commuters and murals (now, alas, some of them sorely neglected) that conductors. local artists had painted on the walls of street underpasses over which the IC traveled, and Local History concluded: From time to time, Hello.' carried brief items about IC Riders: \Ve recolllmend a visit to Hyde Park and a the history of communities en route. Blue Island and Jtroll throNgh the viadttcts to see what beattty has been Markham were among the suburbs so honored, the created in them. The 55th Street 1JZ1Jrals will be dedicated latter named for an IC president in the 1920s. The Sunday afternoon, Altgust 27. newsletter told a story of Markham helping a lady at The 3/25/68 issue told about the statue on the Central Station with her heavy suitcase. Upon learning Midway just west of the IC tracks honoring that the gentleman who helped her worked for the Czechoslovakia's founding statesman Thomas railroad, she offered to write a letter to the president Masaryk-and noted that Masaryk was a visiting of the railroad telling how helpful he had been. professor at the University of Chicago from 1902 Markham tipped his hat to her and told her she didn't through 1907. need to do that. "Any Illinois Central man would have Although Masaryk may not have had much

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occasion to ride the IC during his years at Chicago, Quincy (which became the Burlington Northern in other distinguished residents have been loyal IC 1970) and the Chicago & North Western did not riders. One item about famous IC commuters publish newsletters for their riders. mentioned Clarence Darrow - who was mentioned The only other commuter railroad newsletter along with John "Bet a Million" Gates, perhaps to approaching Hello! in its long life and regular convey the spectrum of people who have ridden the IC schedule was the Milwaukee Road's newsletter On the (1/13/67). (Bi) Level, its name referring to the bilevel double deck configuration which by the early 1960s had Regional Transit become the norm for railroad commuting in Chicago. The Illinois Central and other Chicago commuter Yet even the Milwaukee Road's newsletter failed to railroads promoted the idea of an agency that would convey a sense of community among its riders. relieve them of the financial burden of their money­ Although few IC riders were probably aware of it at losing commuter trains. As early as 1967, Hello! the time, their railroad's newsletter was the leader noted the state of New Jersey's agreement to subsidize within the genre. the Erie Lackawanna's commurer trains in the New Some of Hellof's outspoken style lives on in Metra's York metropolitan area (5/23/67). newsletter, On the Bi-Level (the name being borrowed In the 7124172 and 4/19173 issues, Hello! talked up from the Milwaukee Road's newsletter with slight the idea of what was eventually to become the modification), though the feel is somewhat different. Regional Transportation Authority. The newsletter Metra's newsletter serves all the commuter lines in urged voter passage of the March 1973 RTA northeastern Illinois and of necessity lacks the local referendum in its 12/28173 issue, shortly after the focus of Hellof and its counterparts. Illinois General Assembly had created the RTA, subject to its passage in a regionwide referendum. End of an Era The next issue (1125174) included supportive Alas, Hellof, like many good things, eventually comments (published earlier in Chicago Today) by came to an end. With the 1972 merger of the IC and Illinois Representative Robert E. Mann, whose the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio, the railroad changed its district included Hyde Park. The 2/14174 issue name to Illinois Central Gulf (not reverting to the IC included similar arguments from Homewood State name again until 1987, by which time it had sold off Representative William Mahar. Finally, the 3/14174 most of the former GM&O). As changes in the issue, shortly before the referendum, contained an economics of railroading forced ICG and its editorial urging voter approval of the RTA (which, in competitors to trim costs, the railroad's public recognition of the changing demographics of the IC's relations department could no longer justify Hellof in customer base, was also published in Spanish-the the mid-1970s. only occasion when Hellof published an item But at least the newsletter left the scene with bilingually). Following the narrow passage of the RTA dignity. The front page story of the February 1975 referendum question, Hellof admitted that issue announced management's decision to cease leG's preoccupation with RTA led Hellof to get a bit publishing Hellof. At the end of the story was a long-winded in recent issues. We'll return to normal format farewell message. this month. In retrospect, it was clear that Hellof had served its purpose. The passage of the 1973 law and the 1974 Other Commuter Newsletters referendum creating the Regional Transportation Among Chicago's other commuter railroads, the Authority guaranteed a furure for northeastern and the Rock Island apparently Illinois' commuter railroads, including the Illinois issued newsletters on a sporadic basis in the late 1960s Central, which sold its commuter operation to Metra and early 1970s, but they were more limited in their in 1987. (The sale did not include the right to use the scope. Both Shore Lines and the Rock Island Lines IC's name, which is why Metra renamed the line Commuter Bulletins were limited to communicating Metra Electric.) information about such matters as proposed service Today, Hellof has been gone for a quarter of a changes and the financial distress of the railroads century, and has largely been forgotten. But through themselves. its pages, we may relive some of the history of a The author's research suggests that two other large railroad that many people across the South Side and commuter railroads, the Chicago Burlington & the south suburbs still think of as "The Ie". W

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BOB PICKEN AND GILBERT & SULLIVAN The exhibit, "Bob Picken, Hyde Park's Candy Man", continues through August at the Society Headquarters. When you visit it, be sure to help yourself to a Peerless candy from the basket. All of us who knew him, expected Bob to show up with a pocket full of candy no matter where he was. Gilbert & Sullivan (or G&S) rehearsals were no exception. Frequently, he brought bags of honeys­ honey queen bees, honey lemons, honey oranges, to help soothe so many scratchy throats in January and February. One part of the HPHS exhibit features pictures of Bob in various roles through a decade and a half with the Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Co of Hyde Park. Bob started singing with the company in the 1967 production of The Gondoliers (directed by Ruth Blough; music director; Roland Baily) when he accompanied his daughter, Kitty, to her first audition. A copy of the program from that production is also on view. Hooray, for ephemera! Bob was proud to tell how he first sang in G&S as Dick Deadeye in H.M.S. Pinafore nearly 40 years earlier at Simpson College, Bob massages Ray lubway (as Jack Po int in Yeoman of the Indianola, Iowa. Guard). It may not have cured laryngiti s, but it helped relax the He had a strong bass voice and a comfortable stage singers' throats. presence which he contributed to his chorus parts. The HPHS exhibit shows him in several productions of Gondoliers, also Yeoman of the Guard (with Hyde Park legend, Ray Lubway) several "Pinafores", Pirates of Penzance and three different "Mikados". His last production was The Mikado when he was nearly 75. Because he didn't like doing all the fancy choreography, he was given a pole to hold. "Lord High Pole Holder" he was called. His costume was an historical Japanese fireman's jacket. Be sure to stop at Headquarters during regular opening hours (2-4 Saturday and Sunday) as soon as possible. Besides pictures from G & S, there are historic views of the Hyde Park Co-op, Hyde Park politicians, HP Neighborhood Club and more.

Bob and Kitty in H.M.S. Pinafore (the year they used hoop skirts for the women's chorus.).

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Advertisement found in the publication THOUGHT, organ of the National Optimistic League, published by Magnum Bonum Company-right here in Hyde Park at 4665 Lake Avenue. September, 1910 ,.

COMING UP SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH

lIy de Park. Neighborhood Club's lIouse and Garden Tour

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This Newsletter is published by the IIyJe Park lIisloriml Sodelg Hyde Park Historical Society, a not-for­ COLLECT ING AND PRESERVING HYDE PARK'S HISTORY profit organization founded in 1975 to

Time for you to join up or renew? record , preserve, and promote public Fill out the form below and return it to: interest in the history of Hyde Park.

TheJlyJe Park IHslorical Society Its headquarters, located in an 1893 5529 S. Lake Park Avenue • Chicago, IL 60637 ~...... restored cable car station at 5529 S. Enclosed is my __ new __ renewal membership Lake Park Avenue, houses local exhibits. in the Hyde Park Historical Society. It is open to the public on}aturdays

and Sundays from 2 until 4pm. --Student $15 --Sponsor $50 __Member $25 __ Benefactor $100 Web site: hydeparkhistory.org Name ______Telephone: HY3-1893 President ...... Alice Schlessinger Address ______Editor ...... Theresa McDermott Contributing Editor ... Stephen Treffman lip Designer ...... Nickie Sage