Birchler, Joseph M.

Date:
1980-07-22
Length:
120 minutes
Interviewer:
Bobo, Mary
Transcription available:
yes
Series:
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Series ID:
9999_006
Interview Number(s):
__959
__960
Summary:
Main Topics: Education and early life, experience in the road master's office, general baggage and general passenger department around 1922; description of Union Station in the 1920s, description of passengers and troop trains 1920 through World War II; comments on the military bureau, food supplies and army cooks; offices of the L&N and other railroad passenger agents in the Marion E. Taylor and Starks Building on Fourth Street in Louisville; special tours included trips to: Mammoth Cave, Natural Bridge, to ball games in Cincinnati, Ohio, and St. Louis, Missouri; types of accommodations available on the passenger trains; more comments on experience as chief clerk in the Starks Building Arcade office until move toward consolidation about 1959; changes in Union Station over the years; Louisville, Henderson, and St. Louis Railway merger in 1929; experiences that meant a great deal to Birchler and some of the personalities that he remembers. Included in these were an excursion trip to Niagara Falls, New York; tours for school children; special trains for Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Thomas E. Dewey. Private cars-comments and descriptions; local lines and local transportation; comments on the land grant railroads. Special aspects of the L&N Railroads. Local feeling of loyalty to the L&N. Development of the local community because of the L&N Interurban lines. Traveling passenger agents.
Topic(s):
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company, Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company--Employees, Union Station (Louisville, Ky.)