There has been some discussion of the MoPac and this book on other threads and I took it upon myself to startup a new discussion.
I just completed reading H. Craig Minor’s excellent history of the Missouri Pacific:
The Rebirth of the Missouri Pacific, 1956-1983
H. Craig Minor
ISBN 0-89096-159-X
229 pages
Minor had full access, starting in 1979 to “preserving the history of the company since its reorganization in 1956.” That authority came from no other than Dowling Jenks, the CEO and Chairman of the MoPac. The dates chosen for the book are obvious for the rail historian, 1956 was when MoPac left a 20 year bankruptcy/receivership (I believe the longest in railroad history) and 1983 was the year UP purchased MoPac.
The reason for the 20 year receivership and then an 18 year internal struggle was the Alleghany’s stock ownership. The only complaint I have about this book is Minor did not adequately explain how MoPac’s Class B stock was derived, nor the classification of the Class A and Class B shares. A short summary table explaining the two classes of stock would have gone a long way in clearing this up.
That minor point SHOULD NOT discourage interested railfans, particularly those of economic nature from reading this book. Minor does an excellent job with the resources available (and there were huge volumes available, but in the company’s headquarters and the salt mine archives in Kansas!).
Minor traces the control of MoPac by the MRC Corporation, a relatively small pipeline company; the 18 year negotiations to determine the true value of the Class B stock, the arrival of Jenks from the Rock Island, the computer revolution that occurs, and the merger scenes of the 60’s and 70’s. MRC was headed by William Marbury, a very astute financial wizzard. Jenks and Marbury were a very tough team.
This book is a wonderful modern history, well worth the time invested to read it. There are three sections of photog
The MoPac was a great railroad to watch. I went to college in Warrensburg, Missouri on the MoPac KC-St. Louis main line and enjoyed many hours watching those gritty Geeps running freights and growling up a long grade from Knob Knoster into Warrensburg.
It is not a typical “railfan” book, with slick pics and descriptions of locomotives and train watching spots. It is a history of the railroad during those 27 years.
Sounds like a terrific book, Ed.
It seems like all of the railroad books these days just try to have the best photo reproduction.
The May 2005 Trains has a nice map showing how much of the MoPac is still being operated. If you join www.rrpicturearchives.net/ (free), they have a pretty good 2005 tonnage map you can look at.
Their tonnage maps are pretty good. It would be interesting to know what their tonnage was back in the day. Powder River Coal has greatly changed the tonnage maps.
No doubt one of MoPacs biggest assets going for it was being down in the petro chemical world, as that exploded in the 50’s and 60’s.
I too have read the book. Very well produced. The best rr books out there are history theme and not what you can call 'fan" books because you learn very little from that type of format
Thanks for catching that. Do you work in Houston area like Ed? If so, do you ahve an insight on the UP/MoP operations down there?
Sammy…this book and the Death of a Railroad, Erie Lackawanna both are great as far as I am concerned, covering the railroad’s history in the last 50-75 year. I really am not interested in the 19th century stuff, dont know why, just am not.
Ed you did a great review on the book. I to enjoyed reading it. To say that the great systems of today stand on the shoulders of giants would probably be a true statement. The comebacks and reorganizations of the 60’s and 70’s have given us the systems we see now days surely depended on those men of vision in those interesting times. On the subject of Comebacks, I wonder what will be said or written about the NS comeback from near death after the Conrail absorption, or indigestion depending on your point of view.
Thanks for the kind words. Do you remember the two pictures of Jenks at the Texas Flood? That man was no nonsense.
It would be great to read a similar type book on the NW and Southern leading up to their merger and then up to post Conrail digestion. That would probably have to be a couple of volumes. Looking back the whole 80’s scene was very interesting with all the mergers and the Conrail situation.
Does anyone know of a good history book on Conrail? I cant think of one off hand.
I did order from the library today the Conrail Commodities book. But a post 1976 history of Conrail would be a fascinating read.
I will second that request. From what little is known about that most recent history I would bet that there are many still alive that could give the first hand account of that adventure or challenge (depending on our point of view of course). My old history prof would call that subject not history but barely past the Current Events catagory. If anyone knows about such a piblication, I would proably get it form the library or perhaps add it to my library at home.
There has been some discussion of the MoPac and this book on other threads and I took it upon myself to startup a new discussion.
I just completed reading H. Craig Minor’s excellent history of the Missouri Pacific:
The Rebirth of the Missouri Pacific, 1956-1983
H. Craig Minor
ISBN 0-89096-159-X
229 pages
Minor had full access, starting in 1979 to “preserving the history of the company since its reorganization in 1956.” That authority came from no other than Dowling Jenks, the CEO and Chairman of the MoPac. The dates chosen for the book are obvious for the rail historian, 1956 was when MoPac left a 20 year bankruptcy/receivership (I believe the longest in railroad history) and 1983 was the year UP purchased MoPac.
The reason for the 20 year receivership and then an 18 year internal struggle was the Alleghany’s stock ownership. The only complaint I have about this book is Minor did not adequately explain how MoPac’s Class B stock was derived, nor the classification of the Class A and Class B shares. A short summary table explaining the two classes of stock would have gone a long way in clearing this up.
That minor point SHOULD NOT discourage interested railfans, particularly those of economic nature from reading this book. Minor does an excellent job with the resources available (and there were huge volumes available, but in the company’s headquarters and the salt mine archives in Kansas!).
Minor traces the control of MoPac by the MRC Corporation, a relatively small pipeline company; the 18 year negotiations to determine the true value of the Class B stock, the arrival of Jenks from the Rock Island, the computer revolution that occurs, and the merger scenes of the 60’s and 70’s. MRC was headed by William Marbury, a very astute financial wizzard. Jenks and Marbury were a very tough team.
This book is a wonderful modern history, well worth the t