(Volume 25, No. 5)
President's Soapbox
Last month, newsletter editor Doug covered my lack of an article submission with an excuse but tacitly reminded me that the same excuse would not be valid two months in succession. Last month I was busy traveling to wedding receptions so I wasn't home very much during the last two weeks. This month we closed our copy shop and despite the fact that I don't "Have to go to work", there are still plenty of things going on. Besides the closing and sale of the equipment, there remained plenty of leftover paper and supplies to be packed up and either disposed of or put into storage someplace. At the moment of this writing, I find myself stepping over boxes of paper and miscellaneous stuff we didn't sell or give away in order to navigate the main room in my basement, soon to be new office. There are a few boxes of paper in the garage as well that need to be sorted through.
Last week, I noticed some funny stuff coming via e-mail that always had an attachment, caution prevailed and even though I deleted the messages without opening them, I suddenly noted that when closing, I always had messages in the outbox waiting to be sent - yep I had been bitten by a virus and was probably spreading the infection around unknowingly. Today, after getting my machine back from the shop, I downloaded the latest version of my A-V update and reran the scan; three more infected files were found in the Temp-Internet files, a different one that we had just gotten rid of. Top these four hectic weeks off with Darlene needing surgery last week and I now find myself in the role of chief nurse, gofer, egg boiler and doer of other domestic duties.
All this and it is easy to realize why some people choose to become hermits. This brings to mind what a former member told me recently when he said, "I have decided that I don't want to belong to anything, if I want to model trains, I want to do it my way without anyone there to criticize what I do. I just go to the train room and run, run, run." We have observed other members who have decided that they are happier going their own way too, several unnamed former members come to mind. I am sorry to see them go and wish they could change their mind and become contributors by assisting in our plan. Yes, some things don't get done on a timely schedule, yes we may be self conscious about our contribution, we certainly all lead busy lives and have diverse interests. However, if we choose to make a statement by leaving in protest over an insignificant issue and fail to recognize our own role in the matter, it seems to me that the action implies that something else is the problem and we are failing to recognize the real problem and attempt to place blame on someone else rather than accept even partial responsibility ourselves.
I do not nor have I ever thought that the role of Club President was to mediate all the little differences that might arise in the course of our activities. Since we are supposed to be at the adult stage of life, we should be able overlook other persons shortcomings and find a way to communicate our disagreements to someone (me?) who might assist in a resolution, if we cannot do it ourselves.
Case in point - I was told via third party, that someone's feelings were hurt when the building he had constructed was removed from its location on the layout and replaced by a picture. It was my observation that the building was temporarily removed along with other items so that the loose dirt on the surface could be vacuumed off in preparation for more permanent surfacing. The supposed aggrieved party was a participant in the action and with all the discussion about this matter before it got to me, I am surprised that that fact had escaped their notice. Blaming others in the club for this action is not justified in any way.
I apologize for getting "Carried Away" over this issue, but;
Leo Harker
Timetable
Settler's Fair
I got a call the other day (unfortunately, it was the day after our April business meeting) from Ed Zaladonis, the vice president of the Sister City organization and in charge of finding exhibitors for the annual Settler's Fair on July 4 in Tautphaus Park. He invited us to participate in the Settler's Fair this year. I explained the problem we have had in the past with electric power, and he was very sympathetic. (Ed is an electrical engineer, and works at NRF.) He assured me that we could have our choice of locations. We did not participate last year, but we have participated in previous years. In the past we used the 5' X 8' layout we got from Jake. That layout has been dismantled, so we would probably have to use the 4' X 6' loop, with the extension to a module or two to give us a place to make up trains. If we were to add a control for the public (which would be easy, as I already have one made up), we could allow the public to run the loop. It will take commitment from several members to make this happen. We will discuss this at the May business meeting.
Doug Herrmann
Rail Competition Hearing
On March 21, Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR), the new chairman of the Senate Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held the first of a series of hearings on concerns about rail customer service, rail competition, and rail mergers.
The witness at the first hearing was the chairman of the Surface Transportation Board, Linda Morgan. In her testimony and subsequent questions, Chairman Morgan reiterated her prior statements that the STB could take no action to increase competitive service opportunities without congressional action to modify the Staggers Act, which partially deregulated the rail industry and created the STB.
Morgan also characterized most rail service problems as problems of inadequate infrastructure rather than bad management. She also questioned the need for legislation recently introduced in the House that would remove the rail industry's antitrust exemption.
The American Farm Bureau Federation has supported that legislation. (Italics added)
In his closing remarks, Chairman Smith indicated there would be future hearings featuring representatives of shippers and the rail industry.
Idaho Farm Bureau News
Union Pacific History
Notes on the corporate organization of Union Pacific Railroad, including an alphabetical list of companies. [Incomplete, still being researched. A chronology may be added later.]
Alphabetic list and narrative of some of UP's predecessor roads:
Camas Prairie Railroad - Owned jointly by OWR&N and Northern Pacific Railway.
Chicago & North Western Transportation Co. Union Pacific was granted control of Chicago & Northwestern on April 12, 1995. UP had purchased minority control of C&NW on December 13, 1994. C&NW was merged into UP on June 23, 1995. On August 1, 1995, UP merged with the former C&NW Western Railroad Properties, Inc.., (WRPI), which C&NW had organized to build into the Wyoming Powder River Basin.
Colorado Central Rail Road - Incorporated on February 9, 1865 as Colorado & Clear Creek. Railroad Name changed to Colorado Central & Pacific Railroad on January 20, 1866. Name changed to Colorado Central Rail Road on January 14, 1868. Operated by UP under lease from February 20, 1879 to March 1890. Completed Julesburg to LaSalle, Colo. in January 1882. Included as part of Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf Railway, incorporated on March 18, 1890. UPD&G was controlled by UP until it was reorganized as the Colorado & Southern Railroad in 1899. The portion of former UPD&G between LaSalle and Julesburg sold to UP on February 6, 1899.
Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (See Southern Pacific).
Ilwaco Railway & Navigation Co. Three-foot narrow gauge. Incorporated in (?). Completed in 1888. Controlled by OR&N from 1900 Changed to Ilwaco Railroad in 1907. Merged with others to form OWR&N in 1910, route became Ilwaco Branch, abandoned in 1930.
Kansas Pacific Railway Organized as Leavenworth, Pawnee and Western Railroad on August 30, 1855. Name changed to Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division on June 6, 1863. Name changed to Kansas Pacific Railway on March 3, 1869. Merged with Union Pacific Railroad and Denver Pacific Railway on February 1, 1880 to form the Union Pacific Railroad.
Laramie, North Park & Western Railroad. Organized in 1914 as Laramie, Hahn's Peak & Pacific Railway. Reorganized in 1924 as Colorado, Wyoming & Eastern Railway. Sold to UP in 1951
Leavenworth, Kansas & Western. Organized in (?) as Kansas Central (narrow gauge). Converted to standard gauge in 1892. Reorganized as Leavenworth, Kansas & Western in September 1897. Sold to UP in May 1908
Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. Owned jointly by UP & OSL. Incorporated on March 20, 1901 as the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. Opened on May 1, 1905. Purchased portions of OSL in Utah on July 7, 1903, in return 50 percent interest in SPLA&SL sold to OSL. Name changed to LA&SL on August 16, 1916. UP purchased the Clark half-interest on April 27, 1921 . Included as part of UP System on January 1, 1922. Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad (LA&SL) was a name change in August 1916 from the original 1901 San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. The SP, LA&SL (and the later LA&SL) were controlled by William Clark until 1903, then jointly controlled by Clark and OSL until April 1921, when UP bought Clark's interest, making LA&SL jointly owned by UP and OSL, which itself was fully controlled by UP. The connection between Salt Lake City, Utah and Los Angeles, California was completed on May 26, 1905 at Erie, Nev.
Marysville & Blue Valley Railroad. Incorporated in July 1879 to build agricultural branches for UP. Construction began in July 1879. Operated without lease or agreement by UP, from January 1880 to January 1887 Marysville to Kansas/Nebraska line (connection with O&RV, 12.8 miles.), completed January 1880. Merged with Omaha & Republican Valley Railway on January 1, 1887.
Missouri Pacific Railroad. Union Pacific was granted control of Missouri Pacific on December 22, 1982. The merger application was filed on September 15, 1980, and the application was approved by the ICC on October 20, 1982. The approval was contested in court and was cleared by the courts on December 22, 1982. Missouri Kansas Texas was merged with MP on December 1, 1989. Missouri Pacific was merged into UP on January 1, 1997.
Missouri Kansas Texas Railroad. Union Pacific was granted control of Missouri Kansas Texas on August 12, 1988. MKT was leased to MoPac until all other legal matters could be settled. MKT's subsidiaries, San Antonio Belt & Terminal, and the Oklahoma, Kansas, & Texas (which MKT organized to purchase its former CRI&P lines) were merged with MKT on November 30, 1989. MKT was merged into Missouri Pacific on December 1, 1989.
(To Be Continued)
Contributed by Leo Harker
Material Needed
Please send any material you would like to have placed in the Eagle Tracks newsletter to the editor. We need your stuff! As you can see, most of the information is contributed by Leo and Doug (Yes, Doug is a member of the Idaho Farm Bureau) There have been a few other members making contributions, but not many. HELP!