Eastern Railroad Discussion > Bill Brosnan & Southern's 153

Recently I completed reading a great book that many here on TO have listed as recommended reading “My Life With Trains” “Memoir Of A Railroader” by Jim McClellan. I too would highly recommend reading this book!! In Chapter 6 the author covers his early days working for the Southern Railroad in the early 60's. At the time the Southern was led by as the author describes, the brilliant but autocratic Bill Brosnan. In the same chapter McClellan details the running of NS train 153 that during the time it was the Southern's premier train. Both in freight and passenger service. As a freight often with six GP30's leading and somewhere in the middle another GP30 and a radio car (called a cracker box) in the mix of a 200 car long freight train. An early version of DPU application as the Southern was well know for being a leader in railroad operations at the time.

Recently there was a post on TO related to this early DPU application worth reading as well.https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,4725343,4726112#msg-4726112

The 153 was know for crew changes on the fly as the norm and it was widely know by all division operating personnel what the results would be if this money making train was ever delayed. As the author states.. “Fear of Mr. Brosnan's wrath permeated all divisions”. Most interesting as a wrap up of the 153 story McClellan points out that railroading needed more of this tough love, “just consider the success of Hunter Harrison has had as CEO of the IC, CN and CP”
Note: This was written by McClellan prior to Harrison's move to CSX. Please keep in mind the intent of this post and keep the HH remarks elsewhere. Thanks!!! 

Today's 153
Yesterday on the way out to run a few errands I heard west bound NS 153 (LINWOOD, NC - BIRMINGHAM, AL) clear Villa Rica so I headed west to CP Taylor to catch today's train. Nothing special except for the fact much of the trains early days of running on the Southern Railroad were fresh on my mind!!
 

Phil Maton
Villa Rica, GA

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Thank you Phil for the heads up. I will get that book.
John

John and others.. there are over 250 photos (hard book copy) in this book that highlight most of the railroads that covered the landscape of North America in the mid 20th century. Each with a narrative and year taken. Jim McClellan was as big a rail fan as anyone here on TrainOrders. You will learn so much about the business end of railroading and so much about what went on behind the scenes of the industry. I'll call it the wheeling and dealing that went on, much of which the author was directly involved. 
 

Phil Maton
Villa Rica, GA

I remember as a kid railfan back when Brosnan was President the old heads said 153 had a Biblical meaning. JESUS healed and blessed 153 people in the Bible and if you delayed 153 you better hope you were one of them before Brosnan got to you. This was when the F7’s were being bumped for SD24’s and GP30’s were right around the corner.

I meant this also relates to the miracle of the 153 fish caught after JESUS resurrection. 153 has many meanings in the Bible which where I think Brosnan got the number from.

Sorry, this is the real meaning of "153".  She pulled the last regularly scheduled train out of Key West in 1935, just prior to the hurricane which destroyed the Key West Extension.  Currently on display at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami, I had the privilege of running her for several years.

 

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