KCSfan Mark (1932-2015)
http://www.auldsfuneral.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=1646969#
Good-bye, Mark, thank you for excellent example, be with God, rest in peace.
Oh no! This is terrible news.
I am going to miss Mark’s excellent questions and wealth of knowledge.
Rest in piece, and thank you for all of your contributions.
My sincere condolences to his family.
Texas Eagle Trip Report
Posted by KCSfan on Thursday, September 04, 2008 2:09 AM
My wife and I just completed a caoch roundtrip from Shreveport to Chicago on Amtrak (Thruway to/from Shreveport connecting with the Texas Eagle at Longview, TX). The thruway operator said that his passenger loads were at or near full capacity recently compared to pre-high gas price times when few used the service.
Northbound (Amtrak east) the Eagle, No.22, was 4 hours late departing Longview and arrived in Chicago almost 4 hours to the minute late proving that the scheduled running time between the two points is doable. I had expected it would lose more time northbound from Longview and was surprised that the UP dispatchers apparently made a concerted effort to prevent that from happening. The delay was due to a freight derailment blocking the line in or around Austin so southbound No. 21 had been annulled south of Ft. Worth where its consist was turned around and ran north as No. 22 that day.
About 40 passengers boarded at Longview which included those of us from Shreveport and a number who came on the Thruway connection from Houston. The waiting room in the old T&P station in Longvie
Mike, that is a great tribute to Mark. I well remember the gracious reception he gave me in Shreveport a year and a half ago, taking me around the city and pointing out what is and what used to be in the way of railroads.
ALL:
Another great source of information has died. I wish I would have met him.
Thank you Mark—KCS Fan.
Ed Burns
Happily retired NP-BN-BNSF from Minneapolis.
“The Spirit of the Rightous is a blessing.” Somehow, I feel that Mark’s spirit will not only live on, but even manage to read this Forum now and then and even possibly inspire some of us on occason with memories we had forgotten.
Such thoughts are intrinsic to my own beliefs, like Christians believe that the spirits of JC, the Apostles, and the Saints live, and we Jews, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Kings David and Solomon.
David, that was lovely. I wish I had your wisdom and way with words.
Thanks, but much of the credit should go to my current teachers at my Yeshiva, Yeshivat Beit Orot in Jerusalem, to NYC Rabbis Gerstein, Angel, and Rohde at Congregation Shearith Israel, and the well-know Stephen S, Wise, who officiated at my Bar Mitzvah. Also my first Hebrew teacher, my Aunt Leah Klepper, and at least one Christian minister, Father John Andrew of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Fifth Avenue, New York.
Please tell me he told that story, and someone can point me to a place I can read it.
For ITRR Fans: The Legend of Dinky.
http://cs.trains.com/ctr/f/3/t/91631.aspx
Posted by KCSfan on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 4:12 AM
Hi Wally,
Yes the ITC cars could easily do 70 mph and more. The normal top speed on the Danville-Decatur line which I rode, and on the Bloomington line as well, was probably closer to 60 mph. I have heard stories of the ITC racing and beating Alton passenger trains at points between Lincoln and Springfield where the two roads ran side by side. Of course this was only for short stretches since the ITC left its private ROW and ran down the city streets of just about every town along the way.
I caught my first sight of an ITC train at dusk around Hamel on the Peoria-St. Louis main line during a family car trip to Springfield, MO in 1942. Dad was driving 60 mph down US 66 when we were overtaken and passed by a 6 car southbound ITC train. I didn’t get a close up look since the ITC at that point ran about 1/2 mile west of the highway but I disticntly remember the brightly light
Iinteresting that Mark also knew well William Teague, the organsit of St. Paul Church, who remained a good friend long after my acoustical work for the Church was completed. I play his CD that shows off the Aeolian Skinner organ quite frequently, and it sounds great on the stereo equipment, much of which came with me from the USA 19 years ago and still works, but now of course with computer playback instead of a dedicated CD player. On m first visit to Shreveport, the trackless trolley was still running, and Bill arranged a break in my work so I could ride it. Second visit: wires still up but the typical GMs provided the service.
Oh, I’ve been off the list too long…oh, Mark. Well, buddy, I’ll look you up in Heaven someday. At a place where we can sit and watch the Kansas City Southern roll by endless to our heart’s content. Now I know why I did not get a reply to my messages.
Via con Dios. Rest in Peace
ABD