Winter 2007 NRHS Bulletin showed up yesterday (Winter 07/Spring 08; what's 15 months amongst friends?) comprised of a magazine length article regarding the Q's "postwar" years.
Most of the coverage and extensive photos were from areas away from Chicago, It appeared that Kansas City was the "epicenter" for the article.
While the article did address the Lewis W. Menk presidency, it avoided the usual "Menk the Fink' diatribe I had to listen to during my 1960's railfanning days.
Mr. Menk was addressed as such simply because he foresaw the "writing on the wall' regarding passenger service. Menk came on the Q property during 1965 at a time when the Denver Zephyr would have 20 car consists and at peak holiday periods be operated in sections, surely Q passenger trains were putting more into the cookie jar than they were taking out. The railfan and likely the rail passenger community were both astounded when he announced that he wanted "out" of this business. Of particular bane to the railfans was the Q's steam locomotive excursion program was quickly discontinued.
While Menk may have been the housemother who clicked the lights before all the frat brothers were drunk (forget the rest involving the sorority sisters), he did foresee that there was no way this business was going to go but down. At that time, there were still "gaps" in I-80 and Southwest Airlines? WAZZAT.
In view of the skeleton "one a day' system operated by Amtrak for little purpose other than to garner congressional support for the needed Northeast Corridor, Louis Menk was indeed prophetic - and was prepared to swallow the bitter pill.
Most of the coverage and extensive photos were from areas away from Chicago, It appeared that Kansas City was the "epicenter" for the article.
While the article did address the Lewis W. Menk presidency, it avoided the usual "Menk the Fink' diatribe I had to listen to during my 1960's railfanning days.
Mr. Menk was addressed as such simply because he foresaw the "writing on the wall' regarding passenger service. Menk came on the Q property during 1965 at a time when the Denver Zephyr would have 20 car consists and at peak holiday periods be operated in sections, surely Q passenger trains were putting more into the cookie jar than they were taking out. The railfan and likely the rail passenger community were both astounded when he announced that he wanted "out" of this business. Of particular bane to the railfans was the Q's steam locomotive excursion program was quickly discontinued.
While Menk may have been the housemother who clicked the lights before all the frat brothers were drunk (forget the rest involving the sorority sisters), he did foresee that there was no way this business was going to go but down. At that time, there were still "gaps" in I-80 and Southwest Airlines? WAZZAT.
In view of the skeleton "one a day' system operated by Amtrak for little purpose other than to garner congressional support for the needed Northeast Corridor, Louis Menk was indeed prophetic - and was prepared to swallow the bitter pill.
