Railroads

Main topics: Education, early years with the L&N, characterizations of the L&N presidents: Milton H. Smith, Wible L. Mapother, James B. Hill, and John Tilford; made General Counsel under Hill. Under Tilford the push made to change to diesel power. ICC: Joseph Eastman and his connection with Louis D. Brandeis. Passenger service. Importance of business following the rail lines and the modernization of the L&N. Merger background. Change in hierarchy of the L&N. Board of directors of the L&N, chairman of the board of the Seaboard Coast Line. Importance of decision to convert from steam to diesel power. Financing the railroad through bond issues: L&N always had conservative financial policy. L&N involvement with coal fields in eastern and western Kentucky, Birmingham area. Law Department: involvement in issues that went before the ICC, cases involved rates. Levels of appeal before going to the Supreme Court. Cases before the Supreme Court, N.C.&St.L. Political activities in 1950s. Legislation adverse and profitable to the railroad. Lobbyists for the L&N - Pinkston and Lewis from Lexington. Labor and rates were main concern. Development of law staff. Prime Osborn - great knowledge about ICC. Philip M. Lanier - Vice President Law and General Counsel. Personal items about Mr. Grubbs' life, activities at St. Paul United Methodist Church and foundation of LOA (Love One Another) class. Family relationships and books written by Grubbs.

E. L. Howard was employed as a locomotive engineer for 39 years by the L&N Railroad. This interview deals with his experiences in the transportation field including the age of steam.

William Kendall talks about his experiences prior to joining the L&N: Pennsylvania Atlantic Coast Line; and the Clinchfield railroads. 1954 Assistant to L&N president John Tilford, just prior to 1955 strike. Some reflections on the strike and its effect on the railroad. Improvement of labor relations from that point on. Merger of NC&StL in 1957; groundwork done before Kendall came to L&N. Board of Directors of L&N and ACL under the chairmanship of ALM Wiggins. Gradual change in makeup of the board continuing until the late 1960s. Change in meeting place and financial offices. Technological changes, the diesel and its importance to the railroad. Steam elimination and the adaptability of personnel. Modernization of the yards: Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham and DeCoursey. Increase of tonnage made modernization necessary. Replacement cars and increased capacity of carriers. Investment tax credits for new purchases. Decline in passenger service, poor financial return, coming of Amtrack. Consolidation period and cooperation in common areas for saving among the Family Lines under the Seaboard Coast Lines. Plans for retirement and process of selection of successor, Prime Osborn. Background for his present partnership with Cleancoal Terminals. Kendall's association with various directorates. Brief description of family life during these years. Development of young talent within an organization.

Clarence Monin was general chairman of the Engine Service Employees of L&N System & Affiliated Lines (Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers). Main topics: family background and education; apprentice locomotive engineer program; specific articles in the BLE agreements such as hours of service; explanation of the National Manning Agreement and the Reserve Engineer Agreement; present and future trends in the training of locomotive engineering personnel; effect of civil rights and equal opportunity legislation; BLE grievance procedure; legislative concerns of the BLE; changes in union membership, attitude and trends for the future; comments on the 1955 strike against L&N railroad; positive changes in the management of the L&N Railroad.

Curtis and Ernest Rollings trace their family history with the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. The interview also covers such topics as changes in technology, company policy, labor relations and Louisville's role as a rail transportation center in the state and the nation.

C.W. (Wes) Shores was the General Chairman of the L&N side of the SCL/L&N System Board of the Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks (BRAC) working at the Union headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. Main topics: background on early experiences concerning railroad yards; synopsis of Shores' union career advancements; description of the structure and present leadership of the union on the System Board and International levels; duties and responsibilities of the Louisville headquarters; grievance and claim procedures; procedure of moving BRAC employees to the Jacksonville area; benefits for employees initiated and negotiated by BRAC including activities connected with the 1955 strike against the L&N railroad; comments on merger experiences with various lines; description of the range of positions covered by the BRAC agreements; comments on equal opportunity hiring; additional personal comments on educational background.

Experience prior to working at the L&N. 1940: to Mobile and experiences in WWII effort. 1941-1942: to Louisville, chief in Engineering Department. 1942: to Corbin. Wartime; new tracks into military facilities. 1943-1944: centralized billing for coal shipments from Eastern Kentucky, DeCoursey. Preliminary study of present Osborn Yard. Birmingham, 1946: description of wartime Birmingham. Use of diesel for freight and passenger, first switch engines. Different types of locomotives, problems in change over, diesel to eastern Kentucky to mainline the Clinchfield. Human qualities of steam engine. Hearing for manpower required by diesels - GP Loco - Eisenhower Rules Commission. Bud car feasibility not related to labor considerations. 1954: most of L&N dieselized; 1956: last steam engine locomotive for L&N. Merger of NC&StL: Mr. Small conducted preliminary study on the feasibility of merger without consulting NC&StL. After merger consideration had to be made about cutbacks of duplicate lines. Small's public relation assignment to work with those opposing the cutbacks to the line. Feelings on the part of Nashville interest. Comparison of the NC&StL merger with that of L&N consolidation with Seaboard Coast Line Industries. 1950s-1960s: climate for work relationships at the L&N. Changes in technology in 1957 on-assignment to work on computerization. Increase in number and types of rolling stock. Hurricane damage and precautions: 40-42 days maximum time lost due to damage. L&N's role in communities in various states. Passenger service and Amtrak. Studies on cutting back or dropping service. Small's role in explaining these adjustments. Process of cutbacks. Early 1970s: birth of Amtrak, last L&N run renamed the Floridian. Cutback in service was for economic reasons. Future predictions. Passenger types most often using the L&N for transportation. Changes from 1971 and Mr. Kendall's retirement as president till Mr Small's retirement in 1977.

Rebecca Smith is a retired South Louisville shops employee. She was among a large group of women hired by the L&N Railroad during World War II. Main topics: early life and jobs before employment with the L&N; work experiences in Shop 13; work experiences in Shop 14; importance of the union (International Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers) for women workers; reflections on race relations at the South Louisville shops; condition of the rail cars cleaned by Smith; limitation of facilities for women employees; limitation experienced by women employees that made transition to the skilled crafts difficult; work experiences at Strawberry Yard (good description of all phases of work done by women); additional work experiences after returning to the South Louisville shops; wrap up and personal items about Ms. Smith's life.

Early life in Alabama at Tuskegee High School and Miles Memorial College. Family moved to Kentucky. Contact with the L&N began through older brother Fred. Hired by EO Stocker for dining car position at 10th and Broadway location. Sent to Cincinnati to learn how to conduct Pullman service. Stewart provided all clothes except for black bow tie. Soldier specials, inspectors and meal tickets from officer in charge. Drafted in 1943. Returned to L&N after World War II. Proud of reputation for best dining car service in the United States. Friendship with important people. Businessmen's train from Birmingham to Nashville then Pullman from Louisville to New York. Stewart knew their likes and dislikes. Attendant on political specials for Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and former presidential candidate Thomas E. Dewey. Procedure for preparing special trains. Special security measures for the safety of the passengers. Lady Bird Johnson special. Mr Long: head of transportation for the White House. Makeup of passengers on the trains. Insights on Alabama race relations. Race relations at the L&N and methods of adapting. Before and after unions: sleeping on floor or cots in dining car. Black coach for most black passengers; some runs, blacks not allowed on dining cars at all. Conditions of black coach and exceptions of certain blacks riding Pullman (on standby). L&N policy after the Civil Rights Law of 1964. Positive example of President Hill's actions during the segregated years in regard to Dr. Boyd of the Baptist Publishing House in Nashville. People taking advantage of the L&N's excellent dining car service. How Mr. Stewart was able not to become bitter over racial slurs, etc. Early experiences on Atlanta streetcar gave Mr. Stewart guide for handling racial slurs, etc. Personal settlements of disagreements with management. Reasons for passing up opportunity to become first black steward for the L&N. An important consideration was the loss in seniority in changing from waiter-in-charge to steward. Job security: national union salary negotiations - men drawing full salary then no work when passenger service declined. Murphy House was opened up to compensate for lack of service opportunities. Discord caused by of non-dining car duties assigned at the Murphy House. Stewart's steps to see that the national union aware of his grievances. Unsatisfactory working conditions on Amtrak plus other considerations led to Stewart's resignation from L&N. Discussion of events leading to decision to resign Jan 2, 1973. Felt there was policy of trying to turn one black against another. Deals with Louie Stewart's father HP Stewart (born 1876), who was the son of slaves. HP Stewart was one of two blacks in Alabama to hold a lifetime teaching certificate at the time Governor Patterson invited all certificate holders to a reception in Montgomery (approximately 1939). An interesting account of this man's contribution to black education in Alabama.

Early life: L&N at Middlesboro, Tennessee, L&N 1919 on. Made fuel instructor of the Cumberland Valley Division, age 20. Reasons for the improper back pressure to steam and problems it caused. Promotions through word of mouth among employees. Education by self-study. Safe method of using the air-brake on passenger and freight locomotives. Conservation engineer working on solutions to coal smoke problems concerned with hydrogen gases. Transferred to L&N in Louisville. Various innovations in smoke abatement devices on steam locomotives, boilers in the power house at Louisville shops. President Hill's years at the L&N. Importance of buying clean coal. Justice Potter Stewart's connection to coal facilities in western Kentucky. Blue Diamond Coal Mine in Eastern Kentucky provided quality of coal required.