Railroaders' Nostalgia > Hall of Fame Day

In 1992 and 1993 I worked at the Santa Fe headquarters building in Schaumburg, IL. It was an 11 story building across the street from the Woodfield Mall. Santa Fe had floors 2-10. Walter Payton had offices on the 11th floor. Almost anyone that worked in the building would see Walter from time to time and I knew people that would buy a football and take it up to Walter's office for an autograph, which he happily did. I had exchanged pleasantries with him a few times, but of course he didn't know me from the man in the moon.

In 1993 Walter was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was huge news on all the Chicago TV stations. On the weekend at the end of July he was being inducted I left the building around 630pm on, I think, Saturday night, could have been Friday. As I walked out the back door there was a limo, Walter and his entire family. Walter saw me and yelled out "I'm going to the hall of fame." I yelled back something lame like "congratulations, there was never any doubt" and walked to my car.

I have always regretted I didn't walk over and give him a handshake or a high five. He was very happy and I was the only person around at that moment, beside his family, that could have provided some adulation.

I transferred out of HQ in late 1993 and came back for a short stint in 1996, by then Walter had moved his office out of the building.

Were you there during the Mississippi River flood?
Any stories of setting up the many and varied detours?

Not a reroute story per se. When the railroad closed at Niota we took over a conference room as a war room. There was a large painting of the Grand Canyon by Thomas Moran on the wall. This painting was taken down, turned toward the wall and sat on the floor leaning against the wall. Info about detours etc were hung on the walls and windows.

One day I was in the room getting or adding info and noticed a pretty good dent in the painting where someone had kicked it with their foot. It didn't tear the canvas but I'm sure it required some conservation after that. The painting was probably worth many years of my salary.