| Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroas SW1 9140 at West Chicago, Illinois on February 28, 1965, Ektachrome by Chuck Zeiler. The original charter of the CB&Q was the Aurora Branch (February 12, 1849) constructed by the citizens of Aurora to Turner Junction, now known as West Chicago. This allowed a rail connection to Chicago via the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad (later, the C&NW, now the UP). On this date, the West Chicago Spur (as the Aurora Branch was listed in the CB&Q Employees Timetable) hosted a single train, known as the Irish Mail.I have not (yet) determined the origin of the name of this way freight, but there are a couple of possibilities. The early hand-powered three wheel velocipede used by track inspectors evolved into a four-wheel children's vehicle in the early 1900's, which became known as an Irish Mail. The story goes that in 1877, a mechanic, George Sheffield had a seven mile walk home down the railroad tracks from work. Over the winter he developed a rail scooter that consisted of a bicycle with a third wheel that served to balance the contraption. In typical American fashion he only avoided jail for trespassing on railroad property by noting a break in the tracks one night and saving a train from derailment. Or perhaps it obtained the name from the English mail train known by that name.Also seen is a three-window 28 foot waycar, class NE1 14060, a regular fixture on the Irish Mail. Built in 1885 at West Burlington, Iowa as 177, it became CB&Q 14060 and was destroyed at Eola on February 13, 1966. |