Railroads--Management

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.

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.

Covers Milton Smith from 1866 on -- ran locomotive for General Sherman. History of L&N prior to Milton Smith, local fund raising. Headquarters at 9th & Broadway, 8 miles first ride to present Strawberry Yards. About 1858 L&N Louisville tracks met north of Bowling Green. The change from local ownership to New York domination; position of L&N after Civil War; New York financiers; Atlantic Coast Line connection. Leadership under William Kendall and John Tilford. Merger of NC&StL, explanation for modern mergers. Interstate Commerce Commission, reasons behind formation. Increased railroad expenses. Promotional campaigns: The General, removal from Chattanooga February 1962, history and restoration. Given to Georgia. Special cars. Career opportunities with L&N Magazine. Railfans and the Sulzer collection. Modernization of the L&N railroad. Centralized traffic control. Microwave system-signaling, telephones, computers. Development of railroad's private telephone system, two-way radio, closed circuit television. Connected regulations. Classification yards, uncoupling trains, sorting cars for new loads - types of cars and methods for shipping to proper yards and customers. Rental process and load time on various cars, adjustments for products hauled by railroad, coal market. Improve car accounting process. Press relations. Investigative reporting, change in attitude toward L&N. Positive L&N community actions. Community responsibility and public relations. Involvement with railroad and its image. Employee loyalty and the L&N Magazine. People connected to the L&N Magazine: Tom Owen, Kincaid Kerr, Martin RoBards, William Heffren and Charles Castner. Kincaid Kerr's edition of L&N History. Research and responsibility for preservation of materials. Structure of L&N under John Tilford and William Kendall. Land development, agricultural to industrial. Cybernetics and System - subsidiary now selling time to other companies. Legal structure, attorneys and doctors along the line. Railroad towns, services for employees, old railroad YMCA. Changes in personnel including minorities and women. Black firemen and switching in the southern states. Reasons behind families of railroad tradition. Reasons for male secretaries throughout most of L&N's history. Articles on minorities in first time positions. Management and labor. Change in policy of executives moving up from ranks of employment. Labor still based on seniority in relation to leadership.

Background prior to coming to L&N. Apprenticeship with L&N and rise through the ranks to Vice-President for Operations. Wiggins' father's experience with L&N, 1922; Decatur, 1937: to Louisville. Apprenticeship program. Change in types of craftsmen needed by the railroad. Loyalty to steam and threat to coal interest as the diesels took hold. War period: machinists and other craftsmen not drafted. Craftsmen and atmosphere of work at the South Louisville shops, safety emphasis. Reflections on role of Mr. Wiggins' generation, innovation and modernization, reduction on the amount of labor required for certain jobs and centralized traffic control. Discussion of microwave, computers. Modernization of train yards such as Osborn Yard. In-depth analysis of reasons for diesel superiority over steam engines: maintenance, manpower, air pollution. Freight cars, roller bearing improvement, hot box, car shaker, unit train operation. Coal transfer process and unit train, Paradise, Kentucky mine to mouth operation unloading improvements, air cylinder and door mechanism. South Louisville shops, importance in relation to other shops in the system, reflections of great railroad families: EO Rollings, Curtis Rollings, EO Rollings, Jr. Last ten years with L&N and the consolidation with the Family Lines System. Reflections on leadership.