JANUARY 1956 - Milwaukee Road Archive

LAST month's holiday travel was the
usual "home for Christmas" rush on
all railroads, but even more so on The
Milwaukee Road, which enjoyed the
largest volume of passenger business in
its history, The increase, clearly reflecting
the Milwaukee's key position as the Chi.
cago.Omaha link in the Overland Route,
also served to answer the question of how
a railroad meets the situation when, practically
overnight, its reservation work is
more than tripled.
When the Milwaukee took over the
operation of the four "City" trains and
the Challenger on Oct. 30, the work of
the reservation bureau in the Chicago
Union Station was greatly increased.
All space on the Overland trains, includ.
ing coach seats, is reserved, or more than
thre.e times as many units as Reservations
had handled before.
The additional work called for many
changes-more space, more equipment,
A view of the newly installed rotating reservation board.
•
the new look RESER VA I'IONS
more personnel. The result-a distinctly tions, the diagram board was replaced by were doubled, and a photostat machine
new look in Reservations. a rotating board. Operating like a "lazy installed for duplicating diagrams.
The first move was to increase the staff susan," the new board provides for Space for the new setup was provided
of 15 to 32, the reinforcements consist­ making reservations quickly on any of by knocking through a wall in the office.
ing of an assistant manager and 16 reser­ 16 trains over a period of two months. However, while the work was in progvation
clerks. In addition to Walter A. An advance diagram rack, also new, ress, business went on as usual, seven
Keller, who has been manager of the holds car diagrams for several additional days a week induding holidays, and by
bureau since it was opened in 1925, the months. Dec. 12 the bureau was in full operation.
supervisory force now includes Harold As a further efficiency measure, a During the holidays space was sold out
Williamson as night manager, J. J. Black switchboard was installed to channel almost every day. At their peak the buas
assistant manager, and A. M. Schirp, calls for reservations to the bureau with· reau handled approximately 2,000 wire
relief manager. out going through the company board. requests a day, and more than 3,000
To speed the assignment of reserva· The facilities of the wire department phone calls.
Far left: Walter A. Keller.
manager of the reservation
bureau (right), checks the
new advance diagram rack
wit h Harold Williamson,
night manager.
Left: Mary J. Heron, res·
ervation clerk, operating
the photostat machine, new
in the line of equipment
for reproducing permanent
records.
January, 1956 5