Steam & Excursion > Bill Howes

From Florida Rail Following Group
Forwarded by Wes Camp...


"All, Bill Howes was admitted to Baptist South Hospital approximately three weeks ago. His condition has deteriorated over the past three weeks and he will be moved to hospice shortly. Please join me in keeping Bill in your thoughts and prayers. Regards,Steve Baxendale"


Members,  it was through his leadership that I got drawn into
steam railroading.   He was B&O VP of Passenger Service, when in
the summer of 1964 the B&O leased the Rdg 2100 + a full train of Reading coaches 
for an August weekend of round trips between Baltimore and Washington Union
Station. ---- over the B&O..... Track speeds,  full trains, timetable schedules.

He's now in need of all of our prayers and support.

Wes Camp
 

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/22 20:04 by wcamp1472.

That's sad.  Bill took a lot a very interesting pictures along the New Haven main in Connecticut during the late 1950s.

Dave

I agree with Wes, please everyone say some prayers for Bill Howes.  He was a real railroad man and helped all of us who enjoyed passenger trains and steam operated trains.  Bill was instrumental in helping to organize the group Railroad Passenger Cars, Inc. (RRP) in Baltimore so that there would be passenger cars available for future rail excursion trips.  Trust me, without his help, there would not have been the special steam trips including the "Chessie Steam Special" the "Chessie Steam Safety Express" and many other diesel excursions.  And keep in mind that back when Bill ran the passenger department for the B&O/C&O, when the Reading T-1 #2100 came to Baltimore and operated over the B&O, in reality, those train trips actually became the last regular scheduled passenger trains to operate on the B&O with steam in 1964.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

I had the wonderful opportunity to speak directly with Bill on the telephone in August of 2020 regarding railroad operations along the B&O between Cincinnati and St. Louis.  It was one of the most important railroad conversations I've had that answered so many historical questions, along with, Bill providing me a wealth of information in the almost two hour discussion.  It's not everyday that the former VP of the B&O's passenger operations gives you a call to discuss history.

Truly, Bill is one of the last great railroaders of what is now a bygone era.  Thank you again sir!



 

Sad to report that Bill passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning. RIP good friend. Ross Rowland 

I haven't seen it mentioned on here yet that Hays Watkins passed Friday, 7/29 at age 96.

In addition to being the B&O VP of Passenger Services (as noted in the post above) Bill was also a former Director of the Pullman Company and was very involved in winding down their operations after their December, 1969 shut-down.  All of this when Bill was just a young man in his mid to late 20's.  

Didn’t know the man, but sounds like he was a cut-in Rail and a good fella. That’s all a man can ask for.

Highball, sir. No work enroute!

Regards

Posted from iPhone

This is very sad news. I had the privilege of working with Bill Howes in relation to planning a couple of Chessie Safety Express excursions, and I also had a number of conversations with him at Lexington Group meetings. A real gentleman, a fine railroader, and very knowledgeable and insightful about railroading, both in contemporary practice, and from the historical perspective. I gained a number of very important insights from my conversations with him, not only about railroading, but about business practice in general. Some of these insights were very valuable to me in my own career, which was entirely outside the railroad industry, and I have been grateful for them ever since.

Insights like those which serve you well in life in a completely different field of endeavor are always indicative of a person of real wisdom, which is born of deep and broad experience. I feel sure that he left B&O / C&O / Chessie / CSX, as well as his other colleagues in business, and his friends and family members, with such wise insights of their own as well. That is a real legacy to be remembered and celebrated, and one which deserves the most sincere respect.

Sincere thoughts and prayers in his memory, and condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. May he rest in God's peace and love.

MC

Bill was a wonderful friend for decades. Others can relate his many accomplishments on the railroad, but I'll best remember him for his friendship. He kindly worked with me on an article for the C&O Historical Society's magazine about the Eisenhower Funeral train, which he had arranged. 

For years, he made possible annual picnics of the Chesapeake Division Railroad Enthusiasts on the grounds of the B&O station at Point of Rocks, Md., and once had my family as guests for a trip on his office car.

His Christmas cards always included little bits of B&O paper memorabilia.

A wonderful man, an accomplished railroader, and a railfan. But most of all, a good friend.

Art House

Nice tribute; well put.

Jim Bistline, of Sou RR, did similar annual Holiday remberances
to his friends.

People of 'class' are often gracious in 'remembering' friends.

​W.

 

Wasn't Bill Howes involved in keeping the B&O Museum going?

I met Bill in 1993 when I was an 18-year old intern working at CSX's General Office Building in Jacksonville.  I was just beginning my RR career, and Bill was recently retired from CSX (although he remained very involved in the industry via consulting work).  As a young railfan and nascent railroader, I was amazed at all of the experience and knowledge Bill had of seemingly every aspect of the rail industry.  I cannot count the number of hours we spent discussing Amtrak's potential, private cars, the Chessie Steam Special, the New Haven Railroad, Pullman equipment, etc.  Bill was an unending fountain of knowledge and always had so many interesting stories.  And aside from this - and perhaps more importantly - he was a great man and was my role model for what I wanted to become both professionally and personally.

May Bill rest in peace as the Capitol Limited whisks him away on his final journey.

crazy_train_999 Wrote:
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> May Bill rest in peace as the Capitol Limited
> whisks him away on his final journey.

Very well put!  No doubt Bill is riding in a bedroom suite in one of the beautiful 5 bedroom buffet lounge observations on the rear of the Capitol.  

Mr. Howes was very involved in the CSS.

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