GP9 #511 w Passenger Train

[NW Mailing List]

 The Orland Park-Chicago commuter train operated Monday thru Friday and was nick-named The Orland Park Pocahontas.  Rather than spend wasted time during the Union Station lay-over, some crew members were employed at retail stores in downtown Chicago. 
    On Thursday, September 7, 2023 at 06:32:26 AM EDT, NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:  
 
 John Garner, Newport, VA asked: "Did your RR travels have you arriving or departing Decatur often? If the date is correct then this would be the last westbound Wabash Cannon Ball, Train 301, Detroit to St. Louis. If on time it would be approximately 1:30 PM with 3 more hours to the end."

John, I was in the N&W Operations Trainee program during 1974, three years after passenger service ended except for the Orland Park Local commuter train at Chicago. I rode that once when it departed Chicago and then deadheaded to the Decatur passenger car shop from Orland Park after the last revenue passenger disembarked. Most of the trip was after dark so I did not see much. I was assigned to Decatur shortly after the propane tank car explosion and was at Decatur Terminal while the yard was being rebuilt. Nonetheless, I think you are correct that the picture is of Train 301 on its last run. It was easy for me to imagine what operations had been like three years earlier; I also had an assignment to cover the Brooklyn District from Decatur to St. Louis under guidance by Trainmaster Michael S. Payne, now living in the Villages, Florida, in his 80s. Trips I made were usually in the locomotive cab and occasionally in the caboose --but that was all work and no play. "All work and no play 
 makes Johnny a dull boy" and that is what I became after being on duty for 13 days at random hours and the one day off, I was expected to be in the office at the station second floor you see adjacent to N&W 511, for a half-day. On that day, I did not have to wear a tie. Mercifully, I was never required to wear a hat. You will never see a photo of me with a hat or cap on, or wearing a logo shirt other than one which does say "Railway Mail Service Library" above the shirt pocket. Even that is rare.

Best wishes from long ago,

Frank Scheer
f_scheer at yahoo.com
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