by c604.
After a few weeks of this forum being nothing but “the MP36’s suck.....no wait on second though they’re great!” and reports of what equipment is running on what line, I'd like to include a different type of topic to keep the forum diversified a bit. As most of you know, Metra has several of their locomotives named after people. Have any of you ever wondered who those people were (and are) and what they contributed to the Chicago commuter rail system (even before Metra)? I wondered that myself quite a few times. So I did a bit of Googling during the last few weeks and came up with some really neat information about these people. I couldn’t find information about all of them no matter how hard I searched so that’s why I hope some of you lurkers that read this know some facts and can enlighten us a bit. As a side note: I was very pleased to find out that the people that I did find a connection with RTA/Metra really were involved with making Metra better and not just some politician who was due for a political favor in an election year.
F40PH 100: Ernest Marsh
I could not find any information of him relating to Metra at all. The only info that I found was of a Disneyland engine of the same name. It is mentioned that Ernest Marsh was a Santa Fe railroad executive. Is that the same person that the 100 is named for? What did he do for the RTA/NIRC?
F40PH 105: James Kemp
This is another one that I could find no relation to Metra. There is a James Kemp at New Jersey Transit now that was/is a very big innovator for transit systems. I’m guessing this could be the same person. What did he do for Metra?
F40PH 122: Some of you will say “hey that’s named ‘Village of Deerfield!’” And you’re right it is. But for a time it was named after Metra’s long time head of Public Relations Christopher Knapton. He sounded like a real class act, a real railroader. Here is a small article I found about his career in railroading:
"Knapton was known to a generation of railroaders and railfans as a straight shooter who could spread laughter even during tough times. In a thumbnail obituary he authored for himself near the end, he made a point of calling himself "a New Englender by birth, a Midwesterner by choice." Chicago was the center of Knapton's Midwestern experience, first as vice president of the Rock Island, then as Midwestern head of corporate communications for Amtrak, and finally as head of communications for the Chicago commuter railroad Metra.
During 1972-74, he was head of communications for the Federal Railroad
Administration under John Ingram. When Ingram left to head the foundering Rock Island, he made Knapton vice president of communications. Knapton engineered the Rock's new image --blue with a stylized "R". While sharing drinks with friends, Knapton debated a new slogan. His favorite, never used, was, "if it wasn't fun, we wouldn't do it."
In the end, nothing could save the Rock. But Knapton went on to Amtrak, then back to Washington and the Association of American Railroads. In 1984, he returned to Chicago as Metra's director of media relations, becoming a sort of radio personality, explaining to Chicagoans why their trains occasionally were late. Under Knapton, its newsletter "On the (Bi)Level" became must reading. When readers complained about typographical errors, Knapton slapped on this motto: "The only publication anywhere with intentional puncuation, spelling,
and grammatical goofs so bored communters can correct it while riding."
Knapton retired in 1996 and became ill in December 1997. Friends suggested that Metra temporarily name a locomotive for him [page 30, May 1998 Trains]. Under the pretext of taking Knapton by ambulance for treatment, he was driven from LaGrange Memorial Hospital to a siding near the Burlington Northern Santa Fe triple-track main line to see F40PH 122, the new "Christopher Knapton."
--Don Phillips
Trains Magazine - November 1998."
F40PH-2 130: Richard D. Newland
All I could find on him is the following quote:
“In RTA’s beginning, two of the original suburban RTA board members --Richard Newland of Waukegan and Daniel Baldino of suburban Cook County…”
150 F40PH-2 Leonard S. Eisenberg
This is another name that I came up with nothing for. This is the locomotive with the C&NW M-19A safety award plaque on it so maybe he was involved in some way with that.
151 F40PH-2 Leo J. Cusick
I found the following quote in Metro Magazine about him:
"After entering the transportation industry at the age of 15, Leo Cusick went on to serve as an executive level official for several major transit agencies across the country, including systems in New York, Chicago, Boston and Kansas City, Mo. At the time of his retirement, Cusick was chief operating officer of the Northeastern Illinois RTA. His impact on Chicago’s Metra was such that the agency named one of its passenger rail units the “Leo J. Cusick” in his honor. Cusick was also inducted into APTA’s Hall of Fame."
F40PHM-2 200 Norman W. Muelner :
I found the following quote made by a Burlington Northern engineer to be the best, no-nonsense description of Mr. Muelner:
“He was a BN trainmaster. He had gotten off a train to help get another train going that had gone into emergency. He was the struck by another passing suburban train. I believe the weather was really bad at the time. Most of the guys will tell you he was great to work with.”
And last but not least F40C 614: Edward F. Brabec
"Journeyman in his trade, persuasive labor voice in public affairs, leader of the Plumbers' Union, and President of the Chicago Federation of Labor until his untimely death in 1986."
"Brabec began his career within organized labor as a member of the Journeymen Plumbers Union in 1946. He became a leader as the Secretary-Treasurer of his union in 1958. Throughout the Cold War era, Brabec actively promoted the cause of labor unions in various organizations. He served on the Chicago and Cook County Trades Council, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Regional Transportation Authority, and in 1984 he became president of the Chicago Federation of Labor."
F40PH 100: Ernest Marsh
I could not find any information of him relating to Metra at all. The only info that I found was of a Disneyland engine of the same name. It is mentioned that Ernest Marsh was a Santa Fe railroad executive. Is that the same person that the 100 is named for? What did he do for the RTA/NIRC?
F40PH 105: James Kemp
This is another one that I could find no relation to Metra. There is a James Kemp at New Jersey Transit now that was/is a very big innovator for transit systems. I’m guessing this could be the same person. What did he do for Metra?
F40PH 122: Some of you will say “hey that’s named ‘Village of Deerfield!’” And you’re right it is. But for a time it was named after Metra’s long time head of Public Relations Christopher Knapton. He sounded like a real class act, a real railroader. Here is a small article I found about his career in railroading:
"Knapton was known to a generation of railroaders and railfans as a straight shooter who could spread laughter even during tough times. In a thumbnail obituary he authored for himself near the end, he made a point of calling himself "a New Englender by birth, a Midwesterner by choice." Chicago was the center of Knapton's Midwestern experience, first as vice president of the Rock Island, then as Midwestern head of corporate communications for Amtrak, and finally as head of communications for the Chicago commuter railroad Metra.
During 1972-74, he was head of communications for the Federal Railroad
Administration under John Ingram. When Ingram left to head the foundering Rock Island, he made Knapton vice president of communications. Knapton engineered the Rock's new image --blue with a stylized "R". While sharing drinks with friends, Knapton debated a new slogan. His favorite, never used, was, "if it wasn't fun, we wouldn't do it."
In the end, nothing could save the Rock. But Knapton went on to Amtrak, then back to Washington and the Association of American Railroads. In 1984, he returned to Chicago as Metra's director of media relations, becoming a sort of radio personality, explaining to Chicagoans why their trains occasionally were late. Under Knapton, its newsletter "On the (Bi)Level" became must reading. When readers complained about typographical errors, Knapton slapped on this motto: "The only publication anywhere with intentional puncuation, spelling,
and grammatical goofs so bored communters can correct it while riding."
Knapton retired in 1996 and became ill in December 1997. Friends suggested that Metra temporarily name a locomotive for him [page 30, May 1998 Trains]. Under the pretext of taking Knapton by ambulance for treatment, he was driven from LaGrange Memorial Hospital to a siding near the Burlington Northern Santa Fe triple-track main line to see F40PH 122, the new "Christopher Knapton."
--Don Phillips
Trains Magazine - November 1998."
F40PH-2 130: Richard D. Newland
All I could find on him is the following quote:
“In RTA’s beginning, two of the original suburban RTA board members --Richard Newland of Waukegan and Daniel Baldino of suburban Cook County…”
150 F40PH-2 Leonard S. Eisenberg
This is another name that I came up with nothing for. This is the locomotive with the C&NW M-19A safety award plaque on it so maybe he was involved in some way with that.
151 F40PH-2 Leo J. Cusick
I found the following quote in Metro Magazine about him:
"After entering the transportation industry at the age of 15, Leo Cusick went on to serve as an executive level official for several major transit agencies across the country, including systems in New York, Chicago, Boston and Kansas City, Mo. At the time of his retirement, Cusick was chief operating officer of the Northeastern Illinois RTA. His impact on Chicago’s Metra was such that the agency named one of its passenger rail units the “Leo J. Cusick” in his honor. Cusick was also inducted into APTA’s Hall of Fame."
F40PHM-2 200 Norman W. Muelner :
I found the following quote made by a Burlington Northern engineer to be the best, no-nonsense description of Mr. Muelner:
“He was a BN trainmaster. He had gotten off a train to help get another train going that had gone into emergency. He was the struck by another passing suburban train. I believe the weather was really bad at the time. Most of the guys will tell you he was great to work with.”
And last but not least F40C 614: Edward F. Brabec
"Journeyman in his trade, persuasive labor voice in public affairs, leader of the Plumbers' Union, and President of the Chicago Federation of Labor until his untimely death in 1986."
"Brabec began his career within organized labor as a member of the Journeymen Plumbers Union in 1946. He became a leader as the Secretary-Treasurer of his union in 1958. Throughout the Cold War era, Brabec actively promoted the cause of labor unions in various organizations. He served on the Chicago and Cook County Trades Council, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Regional Transportation Authority, and in 1984 he became president of the Chicago Federation of Labor."
Last edited by c604. on Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.