Nostalgia & History > Rock Island brass hats - 1940's Kodachromes

Here is a grouping of three images that appear to me to involve various bosses. Again, the locations are unknown but based on what I can infer they were taken in the 1949 - 1950 time period, probably in Oklahoma. The large group in the third photo have apparently just arrived in a rail inspection vehicle.

Enjoy,
Bob McGarrah
Edwards, IL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/20 14:16 by Mike4960.

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This is my gander.  
1st photo looks like this man in gray is a Pall Mall smoker and is keeping trim and both are wearing their polished leather soled Florshiem's.  Not sure what the rail side structure is above the boxcar.  Not sure what's with the maintenance operation unless some new rail is being layed.  Kegs of new spikes and new ones have been distributed between the ties for securing the rail when it gets in place.
2nd photo:  The loco behind these men appears as a Davenport centercab switcher.
3rd photo:  No doubt officials gathering here with the RI #566 rail inspection vehicle.  I do remember seeing these late 40's Fords for such use with the steel rail type wheels.  Has the RI logo and number painted on front side doors and the number above rear window.  These fellows have their polished foot wear also along with the typical dress; hats, ties & clasps of the late 40's early 50's era.  The man on the left nearly reminds me of Pres. Harry Truman, but although not, he appears he might "call the shots" as a manager.  The building in background above he C&NW boxcar is the "E?" COMPANY but where I have no idea, but bet it's in Oklahoma.  Hope some others here may identify more details.  
Thanks again for the great "time shots" Bob!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/20 16:39 by rrman6.

I am suspecting that the fellow in the center of the third picture, with the raised eyebrow is John Dow Farrington, President of Rock Island.  Seeing the other hats around him makes me think he was a high offical.

Hou74-76 Wrote:
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> I am suspecting that the fellow in the center of
> the third picture, with the raised eyebrow is John
> Dow Farrington, President of Rock Island.  Seeing
> the other hats around him makes me think he was a
> high offical.

I've never seen but one photo of J.D. Farrington, but I tend to agree.

Oh my gosh, you may be right. Here is an enlargerment of photo 3 and a picture of Mr. Farrington from some 1949 RI advertising. What do others think?

Bob

rrman6 Wrote:
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> Hou74-76 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am suspecting that the fellow in the center
> of
> > the third picture, with the raised eyebrow is
> John
> > Dow Farrington, President of Rock Island.
>  Seeing
> > the other hats around him makes me think he was
> a
> > high offical.
>
> I've never seen but one photo of J.D. Farrington,
> but I tend to agree.

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Back in the day engineers and foremen would come to work wearing suits and changing into their work bibs and all in the crew lockerroom.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

3 things you don't really see anymore, regarding men's fashion:

--high waisted pants
--short, wide neckties
--hats

Hats are coming back...........a bit.

I really enjoyed these photos . thanks for posting. 
 

rrman6 Wrote:
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> Not sure what's with the maintenance operation unless some new rail is being layed.   Kegs of new spikes and new ones have been distributed between the ties for securing the rail when it gets in place.


The turnout the folks are standing on is being re-railed.  The turnout field side rail is missing at that moment.  It's good that the track crew has a crane for the heavy lifting.

Brian
 

choodude Wrote:
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> The turnout the folks are standing on is being
> re-railed.  The turnout field side rail is
> missing at that moment.  It's good that the track
> crew has a crane for the heavy lifting.
>
> Brian

That makes sense to me Brian.  The last I saw of one of these cranes was in the 60's in Wichita, KS and they were loaded on a flatcar being transported.

I think that photo matches the face pretty well.  I seem to remember that Rock Island took over full control of the Memphis-Amarillo line during his administration 1946-56.  So perhaps your photographer was taking company photos of his inspection trip and track improvements. I am surprised Downing Jenks isn't there but he was probably too busy in the operating department.

Mike4960 Wrote:
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> Oh my gosh, you may be right. Here is an
> enlargerment of photo 3 and a picture of Mr.
> Farrington from some 1949 RI advertising. What do
> others think?
>
> Bob
 

coach Wrote:
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> 3 things you don't really see anymore, regarding
> men's fashion:
>
> --high waisted pants
> --short, wide neckties
> --hats
>
> Hats are coming back...........a bit.

Did RI management personnel get in trouble for not wearing hats or was that only on the SP?

I recall wide ties made a comeback for a while in the 1970's.

Cheers, Jim

I do not know about that, but I bet you could get into trouble on both roads if you did not take your hat off at the right time and place.

> Did RI management personnel get in trouble for not
> wearing hats or was that only on the SP?

Bob3985 Wrote:
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> Back in the day engineers and foremen would come
> to work wearing suits and changing into their work
> bibs and all in the crew lockerroom.

Thats really interesting, I didnt know back in the day it was like this.  When I was project managing on a construction job in Korea in the late 1980s, the workers were coats and ties to and from the site, and changed to work clothes in a room at the job site.  I finally got the reason why.  They wanted to look neat and clean when riding the subway (keeping it rail related!) home.

Thanks for posting these outstanding human interest photos.  These wonderful photos certainly capture the era in which they were taken.  The photos of the "brass hats" bring back memories of some of the old heads I met when starting my rail career in 1979.  

Speaking of suits and hats, a former PRR Master Mechanic told me a story that happened probably around 1960, when suits and hats were the standard uniform for railroad supervisors.  His wife teased him about having to wear a suit and hat every day, and bought him a rather expensive light sport coat for hot summer days.  On the first day he wore it, he ran into the Division Superintendent in the lobby, who inquired "You going to a ballgame today, son?".  He responsed, "No sir, I'm stopping in my office and then going on a shop inspection".  The Superintendent responded "You're dressed for a ball game".  That was the last day he wore that sport coat to work.  

Steve Salamon
Valley City, OH

 

In he last photo 3 of the 4 are wearing identical tie chains. Guess that explains why the 4th has a quizzical look about him.

Could be service anniversary awards.

TikiOwl Wrote:
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> In he last photo 3 of the 4 are wearing identical
> tie chains. Guess that explains why the 4th has a
> quizzical look about him.