Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company--Public relations

Educated in Virginia, newspaper experience in Lynchburg and Richmond. Work with the Associated Press in Richmond, New York, Nashville, and Washington, D.C, including administrative experience as AP Bureau Chief for Tennessee. Administrative assistant to Senator A. William Robertson of Virginia for the period 1947-1960. Reasons for moving to L&N in 1960: challenge in organizing the railroad's first public relations department. Expansion of public relations' functions to include a news bureau manned by Edison Thomas and Charles Castner. Promotion projects including production of films on L&N history and on the historic locomotive "The General." Use of The General for public service combined with emphasis on L&N progress. Innovative public relations projects: Use of The General, Kentucky arts and crafts train, films. Role of the public relations department in varied company activities: labor relations, government relations, community relations. Special events such as Lady Bird Special political train, special trains for inspection by company directors and business leaders. Rebuilding advertising programs as passenger service dwindled and disappeared. New emphasis on freight sales, promotion, and on corporate image. Cooperation with traffic department in developing advertising. Comments on public relations aspects of L&N expansion and mergers with NC&StL, the C&I, the Tennessee Central and the Monon railroads: media and community leader contacts. Changes in mission of L&N Magazine content aimed at customers and community leaders as well as employees, circulation split with "family section" going only to employees. Public relations' functions relating to company annual report, stockholders' meeting and special presentation of information. Positive aspects of L&N development and service during the 1960-1970 decade.

Family connections with the L&N including Mrs. RoBards's father who was a Diamond Button man. The old L&N Magazine, the importance of its relation to the L&N family. The importance of the L&N to the growth of the following: industry (coal), institutions (colleges), and agriculture (South). RoBards deals with these items in great detail. Role of public relations and the L&N Magazine was to show how these industries relate: various colleges and universities, people of the South and the history of the railroad in the early years, and publicity of "The General" locomotive. Additional information of special trains include: Mammoth Cave trips, Friendly Service (safety emphasis), Kentucky Derby trains and the Bond Rollers. Various topics include: TOTE, dieselization of the railroad, the role of railroads in World War II, and the effects of trucking on the railroad system.