We have seen numerous references to Mr. Donnelly from time to time concerning his involvement with numerous steam locomotives large and small. Can anyone tell us more about this generous individual? It sure seems like he was behind many steam related efforts than I was aware of.

Sincerely,

Rob Gardner

train@nls.net

The late corporate magnate Elliott Donnelly was proprietor of the infamous "Donnelly Directory" telephone publication that has been in publication for several years. He was a very generous benefactor of many rail-related organizations, including underwriting at least one storage building at Illinois Railway Museum and donor of the railroad archival collections at Lake Forest College in Illinois. >

We have seen numerous references to Mr.
> Donnelly from time to time concerning his
> involvement with numerous steam locomotives
> large and small. Can anyone tell us more
> about this generous individual? It sure
> seems like he was behind many steam related
> efforts than I was aware of.

> Sincerely,

> Rob Gardner

> The late corporate magnate Elliott Donnelly
> was proprietor of the infamous
> "Donnelly Directory" telephone
> publication that has been in publication for
> several years. He was a very generous
> benefactor of many rail-related
> organizations, including underwriting at
> least one storage building at Illinois
> Railway Museum and donor of the railroad
> archival collections at Lake Forest College
> in Illinois. >

Elliott Donnelley (note CORRECT spelling) had nothing to do with the "Donnelley Directory" but was the Vice Chairman of the Board of R.R. Donnelley & Sons, the nation's largest private printing firm. He was involved with the Possum Trot Railroad and several private, more limited projects. He and his estate have also given large amounts of money to various railroad museums, including (but not limited to) the Illinois Railway Museum. BTW, one of my close relatives worked for Donnelley and knew Elliott well.

What was the Possum Trot RR? Also, what was the
Quinsippi RR (15" gauge, I believe?).

Thank you,

Rob Gardner


train@nls.net

To expand a little more on Elliot Donnelley. He was the grandson of the founder of RR Donnelley & Sons. Until the past year, RRD was the WORLD's largest commercial printer. (I work for RRD in Central Illinois).

Elliot also had interest in Colorado NG, once owning a ex-D&RGW business car and caboose among other pieces. He also was modeler in S-gauge, at one time owning a manufacturer of S-gauge equipment(the name escapes me).

Thanks,
Mark Stoeckel

mark.stoeckel@rrd.com

In addition to the below-mentioned 2 foot gauge steam railroad at the Brookfield Zoo, Mr. Donnelley once owned a number of other narrow gauge and park-size steam locomotives. Many of these engines are now part of the collection of the La Porte County Historical Steam Society's Hesston Steam Museum at Hesston, IN.

These included a 2 foot gauge Henschell 0-4-0T from Germany (which has since been sold), a 2 foot gauge Sharp-Stewart 0-4-0T from the Darjeeling & Himalayan Ry of India, and a 3-foot gauge 3-truck Shay from the Oregon Lumber Co. (earlier it had been New Mexico Lumber Co.#7).

Two museum members had bought the Henschell from Mr. Donnelly in the early 60's. The Darjeeling tank engine was donated by the Donnelly family a few years after his death. Mr. Donnelley originally had the Shay on the former dual gauge portion of the Black Hills Central RR. in SD, but I believe it saw only very limited use there. It was given a complete overhaul after moving to Hesston. It's restoration (detailed in a TRAINS magazine article at the time) was just finished before Mr. Donnelley died in 1975.

All of the Donnelley locomotives were damaged in an enginehouse fire at Hesston in 1985. Only the Darjeeling tank engine was returned to service right after the fire, but it was side-lined later with firebox problems. The Shay is supposed to up for repair in the future. The Hesston museum operates today with a 2 foot gauge Czech 0-4-0T and a 2 foot gauge German (O&K) 0-8-0 tender engine.

Mr. Donnelley also had a 14 inch gauge live-steam railroad on his estate at Lake Forrest, IL. After his death, it too was also donated and relocated to the Hesston museum, where it operates today.

Regards,
Jim Robinson

The Quinsippi RR was a 15" gauge large circle of track on Quinsippi Island in the Mississippi at Quincy Illinois. The railroad ran one 4-4-2 built by Sandley and a model of a GP7 painted in BN colors. The Island was also the terminus of a SkyRide to downtown Quincy and displayed CB&Q 4-6-4 3007. It was prone to flooding in the Springtime. It is now a City Park with a great view of the BNSF bridge crossing from Quincy to West Quincy.

> Thank you,

> Rob Gardner


rich_young@afbisinc.com

My apologies...I relied on some very third-hand info! Thanks for the corrections.
Kurt

> Elliott Donnelley (note CORRECT spelling)
> had nothing to do with the "Donnelley
> Directory" but was the Vice Chairman of
> the Board of R.R. Donnelley & Sons, the
> nation's largest private printing firm. He
> was involved with the Possum Trot Railroad
> and several private, more limited projects.
> He and his estate have also given large
> amounts of money to various railroad
> museums, including (but not limited to) the
> Illinois Railway Museum. BTW, one of my
> close relatives worked for Donnelley and
> knew Elliott well.


http://rrmuseumpa.org

Mr. Donnely was the key reason for the formation of the Mid-Continent Railroad Museum at North Freedom, WI by funding the purchase of the line from the C&NW thru a matching debenture bond program with the members. He also made frequent visits and donations that included the building of the engine house, and the purchase of the D&R 9 locomotive.
The family and foundation he established continues to help many museums since his death.
For the 25 NMRA convention in Chicago, he invited the conventioneers out to his estate to ride his back yard railroad, the equipment having been built by the Sandley's of Wisconsin dells.
He also sponsored many steam trips to Colorado for his friends using either 4960 or 5632.
The railroad museum field would be MUCH smaller had not we had the love and encouragement of Elloitt Donnely.

fwantz@pressenter.com