Thomasburg travelogue
erates its through trains, both passen- ger and freight, from this energy source.”
The guide provided historic and archi- tectural backgrounds for many of the city’s structures, several of which could be seen from the taxi on our short ride down Railroad Avenue to our accommo- dations at the Washington House Hotel. Our room overlooked the small U&I yard, the river, and the industrial dis- trict on the opposite side. In one direc- tion we could see the dam and power house of Midland Power. The railroad crossed the river on a trestle just below the dam. In the other direction loomed the large plant of the city’s major indus- try, Christensen Typewriter Company. The U&I’s
electric-powered through trains were so quiet that we continually
A lively conversation about work or home life (top) takes place outside the freight house. Number 604 is an NW2 switcher named “Ralph” after the road owner’s friend Ralph Wehlitz, who hates
missed them, but small diesel-electric locomotives stationed at a brick engine- house between the depot and the river worked the yard, systematically taking cars dropped off by through trains to the city’s industries.
The conference would begin tomor- row morning, and we would learn more about this unique railroad. Tonight, at the behest of the conference host, we would be off to the Max Theater next door to see the year’s two top movies, Oklahoma and Seven Year Itch, in air conditioned comfort. The next day we rose early and for breakfast decided to walk to the Keyboard Cafe on the cor- ner by the typewriter factory. As we passed several commercial establish- 42
city’s leading
diesels. The afternoon shadows cast a long hand (above) as a tour trains heads for the Katherine River. The caboose, U&I No. 1, is a kitbash of two AHM four-wheel caboose bodies.
ments we noticed J.W. Christensen, the
owner of the company bearing
industrialist and his
name, waving from the steps of his of- fice. Urban legend has it that Mr. Christensen cornered the typewriter market as a result of patents on im- provements suggested by his daughter, a legal secretary.
Time was getting tight for our meet- ing, and as we left the cafe a city trolley was turning the corner, so we jumped on board and rode to the depot. On the ride we noticed a new city library under construction and commercial establish- ments from the familiar Montgomery Ward, Woolworths, and A&P to local ones unfamiliar to us, such as
Krombach’s Department Store. We spent much of the day at the rail- road’s general offices listening to pre- sentations on the U&I’s electric opera- tions, frequent trains, and fast freight car turnaround to maximize availabili- ty and minimize per-diem costs. Afterward, the railroad hosted a rail tour of parts of the industrial district across the river. As we walked through the depot we fell in step beside Jed Hoover, U&I Division Superintendent, who had been a presenter at our meet- ings. Mr. Hoover closely resembled an English bulldog and had a forceful and direct manner reminiscent of Dan Thorne in Danger Lights.
One of our group asked Mr. Hoover, FEBRUARY 2012
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