THE KATE SHELLEY

When was the last time that you rode on a passenger train? Chances are if you were born after 1970, the likelihood of ever doing so is very remote. Many of the major railroads were curtailing operations and Amtrak came into existence in 1971. One of the more interesting railroad tales I have come across was just recently, through the inquisitiveness of Jim Hey from Dixon. It is the story of the "Kate Shelley."

The early part of 1934 was a time of revelation for the railroad industry, with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and the Union Pacific announcing an entirely new concept in passenger trains - the "streamliner." The new streamliners, with their diesel-powered engines began their careers with extended publicity tours. The Burlington's stainless steel Zephyr and the Union Pacific's familiar yellow and brown colors roamed the rails of their owners bringing a vast amount of attention from the media to the new changes in the railroad industry.

As the Chicago & Northwestern railroad began operating their fleet of the new streamliners they were to be known as the 400. Their claim was the new trains could cover 400 miles in 400 minutes, and were billed as the fastest train on the American continent. Advertising spoke of powerful locomotives able to travel 100 mph over heavy steel rails on an oiled, dust free and newly laid ballasted roadbed. The 400 was touted as a speedster with spacious and comfortable standard-sized steel cars and a cooling system providing pure, clean, properly humidified air. Also praised were reclining seats in the lounge coach, the latest style parlor car, and a select-your-own-price dining car. Such improvement was a competitive necessity for automobiles were averaging 50 mph on recently improved highways.

Up until 1947 these new generation trains operated mainly on long distance runs leaving many intercity passenger service routes to the old locomotives. During this year a major change was announced by virtually every line, streamliners would now carry intercity passengers. The C&NW; inaugurated a daytime streamliner between Lake Michigan and the Missouri River. Equipment for this Chicago to Omaha service would consist of parlor cars, diner, coaches and a tap-diner- lounge.

But it would not be until October of 1955 that the trains operating the intercity passenger service on this line would become known as the "Kate Shelley." It would be one of the few trains operated anywhere in North America which was named for a woman. At the age of 15 in 1881, Miss Shelley had been almost single handedly responsible for saving the lives of two train service employees when a bridge near her rural home west of Boone, Iowa, collapsed from the weight of a light engine during a violent rain storm.

Miss Shelley later worked as an agent at the small C&NW; station in Moingona, Iowa. The railway's Des Moines River Bridge which was constructed in 1901 was also named for her during 1926. Since Boone, Iowa, was to be the western terminus of the new 400 and was close to the Shelley homestead, it was appropriately named for the womans act of heroism. The 340 mile trip between Chicago and Boone required six hours travel time.

Stops were made at Geneva, DeKalb, Rochelle, Dixon and Sterling in Illinois and Clinton, Mount Vernon (a flag stop), Cedar Rapids, Belle Plaine, Tama, Marshalltown, and Ames in Iowa before terminating at Boone. This was the route of the Kate until mid-August of 1956 when the route then ended at Cedar Rapids and lost its tie with Miss Shelley's home territory. From that time until October of 1957 the Kate Shelley train would then begin to end its journey at Clinton, Iowa due to belt tightening and low ridership.

There were many devoted passengers and admirers of the "Kate Shelley" which utilized its service to and from Chicago from Dixon. The familiar trains pulling into the Dixon Depot never failed to have a flair for attracting the curious youngsters to watch the giant trains arrive and depart. The railroad would ultimately and with some sadness from the devoted passengers officially drop the name of the "Kate Shelley" in 1963. The trains continued the same route and service with roughly the same equipment until April of 1971. Although the name had been discarded, the rail service was still affectionately referred to as the Kate. For those old enough to remember, the memories are still present, as though it was only yesterday.

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