Skip to main content

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records - General Passenger Traffic Department Records

 Record Group
Identifier: CB&Q-A-3

  • Staff Only

Scope and Content of the Collection

Administrative files (correspondence and subject files) of the department, mostly from the second half of the 20th century. Files include correspondence between the General Passenger Traffic Agent to various officials regarding revenue, movement of trains, public relations and service, and general operations. The majority of the record group is reports, memoranda, and correspondence related either to specific passenger trains, or to railroad operations in general.

Forms part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records.

This finding aid describes additions to the original deposit of records inventoried in the Guide to the Burlington Archives in the Newberry Library, 1851-1901 (Chicago: Newberry Library, 1949). Certain materials have been deaccessioned and donated to the Burlington Route Historical Society; see curator for details.

Dates

  • Creation: 1924-1965

Creator

Language

Materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).

Ownership and Literary Rights

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections at reference@newberry.org.

History of the General Passenger Traffic Department

The General Passenger Traffic Department (GPTD) worked in tandem with the Advertising Department in ensuring the quality and reliability of the passenger travelers' experience, and promoting tourism as well as business travel along the routes of the CB&Q. The GPTD was responsible for maintaining schedules, ticketing, excursions, equipment staffing, equipment, and passenger public relations. They maintained separate files about each of the Passenger Train lines in the fleet, noting train performance, stops, complaints, compliments, equipment issues, space assignments, and publicity. They reported back to the Administration about schedule changes and punctuality of trains, as well as hired outside firms to conduct "Secret Shopper" (quality control) inspections.

Extent

50.7 Linear Feet (94.5 boxes, 10 record cartons, and 1 oversize box)

Abstract

The General Passenger Traffic Department ensured the quality and reliability of the passenger travelers' experience, and promoting tourism as well as business travel along the routes of the CB&Q. Records include administrative files relating to specific passenger trains, or to railroad operations in general. Forms part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records.

Organization

Papers are organized in the following series:

Series A-3-1: Correspondence, 1961, 1963
Boxes 1-3
Series A-3-2: Passenger Trains, 1924-1965
Boxes 4-95
Series A-3-3: Subject Files, 1930-1965
Boxes 96-105; +1

Collection Stack Location

4a 37 4-7; 4a 21 3

Provenance

Deposit of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Company, 1943, with subsequent additions, 1948-onward. Ownership transferred to Newberry Library by Burlington Northern Company, 1975.

Processed by

Martha Briggs, Alison Hinderliter, Lisa Janssen, Kelly Kress, Emma Martin, Andrew Olofsson, and Pamela Olson, 2014.

Title
Inventory of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records - General Passenger Traffic Department Records, 1924-1965
Status
Completed
Author
Alison Hinderliter and Kelly Kress
Date
©2014.
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
60 West Walton Street
Chicago Illinois 60610 United States
312-255-3512