Nostalgia & History > March 1st, 1970

Today is a day of remembrance for those of us that are fans of the CB&Q (and the GN, NP, SP&S, FW&D, C&S). 'Our' railroad spent its last full day before becoming a fallen flag. Attached are a few shots of the road that was the 'Way of the Zephyrs'.

Regards & Everywhere West,
Burlington John

Palmyra, Missouri, early 1960s. Photo by Wayne Beever, CB&Q Agent in Palmyra ... CB&Q 4963 running light to Bevier, Missouri for lease on the Bevier & Southern.

Regards & Everywhere West,
Burlington John

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Palmyra, Missouri, early sixties. 4963 returning east from service on the Bevier & Southern ... Wayne Beever photo.

Regards & Everywhere West,
Burlington John

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Westbound at Palmyra, Missouri ... early sixties. Photo by Wayne Beever. 5632 sure could put on a show.

Regards & Everywhere West,
Burlington John

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5632 at Palmyra, Missouri ... Wayne Beever photo. 5632 was running light eastbound; she was in the hole for a train. Wayne commented that he was glad that he brought his camera to work that day!

Regards & Everywhere West,
Burlington John

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The Silver Charger at West Quincy Missouri in the early sixties. Photo by Wayne Beever.

Regards & Everywhere West,
Burlington John

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A westbound Zephyr at West Quincy Missouri. Photo by Wayne Beever.

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Great pictures, John. Thanks for sharing them with us. Trainorders needs more Burlington.

Yardclerk

John,
I second the appreciation of the Burlington shots. After all of these years I still miss the "Q", their pride and their wonderful employees.
Silver Sky

SilverSky Wrote:
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After all of these years I still miss the
> "Q", their pride and their wonderful employees.

The "pride" really peaked with the retirement of Harry Murphy in 1964. After that, declines in the passenger business and the Wall Street-focused tactics of president Lou Menk led to a dramatic decline in the image of the CB&Q.

The 1970 BN merger was really a non-event because the legacy roads already had been financially affiliated for decades. The worst part of the BN deal was the trashing of several stunning diesel and passenger paint schemes in favor of the horrid color known as "BN green". Equally horrid was the new "butt crack" BN monogram logo.

All that said, BN's 26-year run proved to be generally good years for both rails and fans alike. It's a lot like Conrail, a road we initially despised, now fondly missed.

Thanks for the great photos.

Bob

Does any body have an exact date of the 5632 excursion in the above-posted photo with this caption:

Westbound at Palmyra, Missouri ... early sixties. Photo by Wayne Beever. 5632 sure could put on a show.
?

I have 16mm movie footage taken by my grandfather of this same consist but I am lacking the exact dates and destinations of the train.

Thanks. Bob