What's the story behind this?


mckay1995@comcast.net

> What's the story behind this?

In brief (meaning: I don't have the precise details at hand), the CB&Q 5632 was painted for some "Golden Anniversary" (maybe the 100th anniversary of the railroad?) out in Chicagoland during the late 1950s, and operated at least one excursion or excursion weekend in that funky golden paint. As you can imagine, modelers went NUTS photographing the prototype for the "Undecorated RR"........ I seem to recall Burlington 4960 also got the golden-paint treatment about the same time for the same reason.


LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

The locomotive had been purchased by Richard Jensen from the CB&Q, which wanted to get out of steam altogether. Around 1966, the loco was painted gold for a celebratory fan trip. She remained in gold for a long time, not looking too bad in my estimation. The horror story ending is that the locomotive was cut up by thugs of the track owner, where she was stored. They owner won in court, but the precious locomotive was cut up into piece that were worth only melting down. Anothr horror story concerns GTW 4-6-2, #5629, also owned by Jensen, and likewise cut up in a dispute that cost an irreplaceable locomtive and proved nothing, other than that ignorant Philistines still walk the earth. Two terrible tragedies.



glueck@maine.edu

> In brief (meaning: I don't have the precise
> details at hand), the CB&Q 5632 was
> painted for some "Golden
> Anniversary" (maybe the 100th
> anniversary of the railroad?) out in
> Chicagoland during the late 1950s, and
> operated at least one excursion or excursion
> weekend in that funky golden paint. As you
> can imagine, modelers went NUTS
> photographing the prototype for the
> "Undecorated RR"........ I seem to
> recall Burlington 4960 also got the
> golden-paint treatment about the same time
> for the same reason.

5632 was painted gold to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Chicago to Aurora mainline. She pulled a Chicago to Aurora roundtrip for dignitaries on the evening of May 20, 1964. On Saturday, May 23, she powered a suburban train from Union Station to Aurora and return, carrying approximately 3300 people on one train, allegedly still a record. She reprised her role in Kansas City in November of 1964 for the 50th anniversary of the Kansas City Terminal. This was to be her final public trip. And yes, 4960 got in on the act first in October of 1963 when she operated out of Casper, WY, in gold paint. Enroute to this trip, she ran into the rear of a passenger train and the jury-rigged headlight platform forever altered her looks as it positioned the headlight a little higher on her smokebox front. You can see a photo of her in gold on page 25 of "Burlington Route - Color Pictorial Volume 1" by Alfred Holck.

http://www.261.com
milw261@sbcglobal.net

> She pulled a Chicago to Aurora
> roundtrip for dignitaries on the evening of
> May 20, 1964. On Saturday, May 23, she
> powered a suburban train from Union Station
> to Aurora and return, carrying approximately
> 3300 people on one train, allegedly still a
> record.

I think you are right on for the dates. I was in college at the time and we managed a late Friday visit to the Clyde Yard enginehouse on the eve of the Saturday trip. What a sight with that beast hot and ready to go, periodic hissing and clunking noises, and shining golden in the dimly lit innards of that building.

I believe the paint was water based and was able to be steamed and washed off after every such golden adventure. We all wondered what it would look like returning from a trip on a rainy day!

Bob Kutella


68trolley@comcast.net

> I think you are right on for the dates. I
> was in college at the time and we managed a
> late Friday visit to the Clyde Yard
> enginehouse on the eve of the Saturday trip.
> What a sight with that beast hot and ready
> to go, periodic hissing and clunking noises,
> and shining golden in the dimly lit innards
> of that building.

> I believe the paint was water based and was
> able to be steamed and washed off after
> every such golden adventure. We all wondered
> what it would look like returning from a
> trip on a rainy day!

> Bob Kutella

Bob,
The dates are right. It was a great week for "Q" steam. 5632 handled a Chicago to Galesburg via Mendota fan trip on Sunday, May 17, 1964, where she picked-up the 4960 ahead for the trip back up the mainline to Chicago. The '32 was painted gold and operated on Wednesday, May 20 and Saturday, May 23. I rode the doubleheader and saw both of the Wednesday and Saturday trips at Aurora. Exciting times for a 13 year old kid who never dreamed he'd be able to ride another mainline doubleheader 40 years later (261 and 2816).

Don C.

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