Iowa Rail News

Summer 1995

George F. Davison, Jr., Editor


SUMMER MEETING IN BOONE ON JULY 29

The summer meeting of the Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers will be Saturday, July 29, 1995, in Boone. Meetings Chair Gary Billmeyer announced that the meeting will be at Bradshaw's Restaurant, 1215 South Story Street. Bradshaw's is located in the south end of the American Inn Motel, which is 2 blocks north of the intersection of U.S. highway 30 and South Story Street.

Carl Schneider of Altoona, a member of the North American Rail Car Operators Association and its Iowa Division, is the invited speaker. It is expected that he will describe recent tours by rail car operators in Iowa and elsewhere in the middle west. His presentation will include slides of the various tours. Weather permitting, several rail cars are expected to be on display.

The meeting will begin at 11:00 a.m. The meal will cost $5.25, and will feature a choice of a tenderloin, chicken breast sandwich, or hamburger, soup, salad, and beverage.

The business meeting is expected to conclude before 3:00 p.m. Then, there will be an excursion on the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad, including trips on board the trolley that serves downtown Boone and to Frazier behind the B&SV Chinese-built steam locomotive.

FORMER PRESIDENT MOVES TO WISCONSIN

Scott Rogers and his family have moved to Neenah, Wisconsin, where Rogers is now associated with J.J. Keller & Associates. He is senior seminars and workshops program manager.

Rogers explains that he is in charge of the seminar department for J.J. Keller & Associates, a nationally known consulting firm. He will develop and conduct seminars for a variety of clients, helping them understand and comply with Federal and state regulations. Focus of his activities will be DOT, EPA and OSHA regulations which effect motor carriers, other vehicle fleet operators, and manufacturers.

Rogers' new address is 240 Stevens Street, Neenah, WI 54956.

IARP SECRETARY DIES

IARP Secretary W.V. "Pete" St. Peter died at his home in Anamosa, IA, on June 18, 1995. "Pete" was 71. It appears that he died in his sleep of natural causes.

He was well-known and highly respected within the railfan community, not only in Iowa, but also throughout the middle west. He had served IARP as its secretary. He was also editor of The Switch Lamp , the newsletter of the Iowa Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

"Pete" was born August 4, 1923 in Cheboygan, MI. He was single. He was employed by Rockwell Collins as an electronic technician. "Pete" was cited in a recent Cedar Rapids Gazette article for his years of service at Rockwell Collins.

Funeral services for W.V. St. Peter were held June 27, 1995, at Goettsch Funeral Home in Anamosa. Burial was in Cass Cemetery near Anamosa.

President of the Iowa Chapter of the NRHS, Elmer Carr of Ottumwa, gave this tribute to "Pete" in the July edition of The Switch Lamp :

It is with great regret that we inform you of the death of W.V. St. Peter, our long time good friend, a genuine railfan, a hard worker for the Iowa Chapter, our Secretary-Treasurer, and editor of the "Switch Lamp". . . . Much work needs to be done to replace his activities for the Iowa Chapter, NRHS.

IARP, too, has benefitted from the dedication and tireless service of "Pete". His sunny disposition, enthusiasm, and willingness to serve will be missed.

Anyone who knows the name and address of a living relative of W.V. St. Peter is asked to contact:

Elmer Carr
1510 Silverwood Drive
Ottumwa, IA 52501
Telephone: 515-684-4756

Who To Call and Where to Write
The Officers, Directors and Committee Chairs of the Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers, Inc. (IARP)

President: Richard F. "Dick" Welch, 3349 Southgate Court, S.W., #108, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404-5424 319-362-6824
Vice President/Legal Counsel/
Editor Iowa Rail News : George F. Davison, Jr., 2501 Grand Avenue, Suite C, Des Moines, IA 50312-5311 515-288-6532
Secretary: Vacant
Treasurer: Mary Buczek, 1422 West 9th Street, Davenport, IA 52804-4018 319-323-3390
Director: John Ely, Jr., 203 23rd Street, N.E., Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-4902 319-363-3927
Excursion Chair: Eliot A. Keller, 2105 A.C.T. Circle, Iowa City, IA 52245-9636 319-351-9300
Membership Chair/NARP
Region 10 Director: Cathy Johnson, 242 Ferson Avenue, Iowa City, IA 52246-3509 319-337-5989
Meetings Chair: Gary Billmeyer, 1301 Rittenhouse Street, Des Moines, IA 50315-6531 515-285-2807
Records Chair: Jerry Droll, P.O. Box 353, Clarence, IA 52216-0353 319-452-3010
General Correspondence 3349 Southgate Court, S.W., #108, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404-5424

Iowa Rail News is the official publication of the Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers, Inc./It is published quarterly.


Wilbur St. Peter will be sorely missed. He was one of the most dedicated rail advocated I have had the privilege to know. Wilbur was an excellent secretary, keeping accurate notes on the events of our organization. You often saw his cheerful face at many rail event around the middle west, especially on various excursion trains. We will all miss Wilbur.

Our immediate past president Scott Rogers is now in Wisconsin. Scott is a true leader and was instrumental in bringing IARP from its infancy to what it is today. Not only did he serve as our President, but he was a director of NARP. We will miss Scott and wish him well.

My wife, Melba, and I had the pleasure of attending a special dinner in Burlington on June 22 to honor the effort to restore the Burlington passenger station. We were feted in a former Great Northern full length dome which has been converted to an executive lounge. Among its features are a full kitchen and lounge on the lower level. 22 persons can be seated for dinner on the upper level. The dinner of filet mignon, vegetables, shrimp cocktail, and cheesecake with fresh blueberries was prepared by Burlington Northern chefs and served in the finest railroad traditions with white linen and fine china. After dinner, I met with Pat Jackson, a member of "Friends of the Depot", and Jeff Heland, Mayor of Burlington. We discussed the renovation of the Burlington railroad depot. To support and encourage this effort, IARP has donated $100.00.

1995 OVERLAND LIMITED

Streamliner passenger service returns for two days in August between Chicago and Clinton. The Chicago Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society will sponsor the 1995 Overland Limited Streamliner on August 12 and 13. The Union Pacific Railroad's A-B-A E units and refurbished passenger train set will operate on the Union Pacific/Chicago & Northwestern on this schedule:
Westbound
LV Chicago/CNW Station 8:30 a.m.
AR Clinton 12:30 p.m.
Eastbound
LV Clinton 3:00 p.m.
AR Chicago/CNW Station 7:30 p.m.

Round trip deluxe coach is $99.00; dome liner will be $139.00, and first class $139.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Chicago Chapter of the NRHS at 708-637-1914.

UNION PACIFIC HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The eleventh annual national convention of the Union Pacific Historical Society will be August 30 through September 1 in Omaha. Convention hotel is the Red Lion at 1616 Dodge Street.

The convention will feature tours of Fox Park (where the UP maintains its passenger fleet); the Harriman Dispatch Center; and the U.P. Omaha Car Shops. A symposium entitled There's More to Union Pacific's History That the Flanged Wheel will include three well-known railroad historians: Maury Klein, Don Hofsommer, and Roger Grant.

On September 2 Pacific Limited Group will operate a passenger special from Council Bluffs to Kansas City. UPHS has reserved 150 seats. Coach: $99.00; Dome: $129.00. Reservations for the passenger trip must be made with Pacific Limited Group at 1-800-444-3985.

More information on the convention can be obtained from Rip Rice, 809 South 91st Circle, Omaha, NE 68114.

WELCOME ABOARD

Welcome to new life member Paul Rowe of Des Moines. He lives at 2801 Madison.

Ernest Lester, a frequent contributor to Iowa Rail News , has a new address. It is 1104 Kimberly Road, Unit 1108, Bettendorf, IA 52722-4125.