Summary:
Family background and early years with other railroads: Southern and the Pennsylvania, for more than 16 years. Left Penn Railroad to sell railroad accessories. Total of 20 years spent in railroading, mostly with the Union Switch and Signaling Company in New York City, Pittsburgh and Chicago. Came to position at L&N by acquaintance with Mr. Kendall at the Pennsylvania Railroad. At L&N, organized advanced program maintenance and capital expenditure; promoted togetherness of the L&N family and positive feelings. Reorganized accounting department, started public relations; justified to the president all expenditures. Procedures for request from various depts. and presentation to the board of directors for all money spent. Discussion of the Osborn Yard in Louisville. Osborn Yard and the importance of Telex system and real time to L&N. South Louisville shops and the bad order ratio of rolling stock; renovation and new machinery; one stop repair satellite shops. Budgetary process: preplanning and projected needs, meeting with department heads, emergency measures, close relationship with deparments and their heads. Holding companies formed by the railroads to diversify their services. Transportation field from the manufacturing side rather than of the railroad. Maintenance of way, communication and signal needs, national microwave system, package deals and systems of equipment, government funding of highway crossing and flasher gates, railroads' roles in developing research such as test tracks, having railroad using department to generate ideas and where there is competition and cooperation among railroad or suppliers. Mergers, positive and negative aspects of recent mergers and pending mergers recalled.
Topic(s):
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company, Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company--Employees, Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company--Management
