[RITSlist] John Ingram

Tue Feb 5 14:51:02 CST 2008

To All;

I remember John Ingram.  While on duty as a Fleet Manager in transportation, one week end while having lunch break,at   a restaurant (Demars) across from La Salle Street Station I overheard a comment from Ingram, i.e., "Well what's going to happen to the Cripple",  meaning Rock Island.  I was so mad over this comment that I moved a couple of booths down so I would not have to hear other comments from this so called CEO. 

Carl Wohlwend 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: jeff worones 
  To: ritslist at simpson.edu 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 1:10 PM
  Subject: Re: [RITSlist] John Ingram

  The only mention I found was this from the Railway Age 'breaking news' site:

  Ex-FRA Administrator John Ingram dies

  John W. Ingram, who was Federal Railroad Administrator from 1971 to 1974, died Jan. 27 at the age of 79. From the FRA, Ingram went to the troubled Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and served as president of that railroad until it went into bankruptcy in May 1985. Ingram's first railroad job was as a brakeman with the Long Island. Trained as a transportation economist, he held marketing positions with both the New York Central and Illinois Central.

  No comment on the stated bankruptcy date...

  Searching further I found this tidbit on the Railroad.net forums (relating to a discussion of Metra's FP40H names):

  F40PH 122: Some of you will say “hey that’s named ‘Village of Deerfield!’” And you’re right it is. But for a time it was named after Metra’s long time head of Public Relations Christopher Knapton. He sounded like a real class act, a real railroader. Here is a small article I found about his career in railroading: 

  "Knapton was known to a generation of railroaders and railfans as a straight shooter who could spread laughter even during tough times. In a thumbnail obituary he authored for himself near the end, he made a point of calling himself "a New Englender by birth, a Midwesterner by choice." Chicago was the center of Knapton's Midwestern experience, first as vice president of the Rock Island, then as Midwestern head of corporate communications for Amtrak, and finally as head of communications for the Chicago commuter railroad Metra. 

  During 1972-74, he was head of communications for the Federal Railroad 
  Administration under John Ingram. When Ingram left to head the foundering Rock Island, he made Knapton vice president of communications. Knapton engineered the Rock's new image --blue with a stylized "R". While sharing drinks with friends, Knapton debated a new slogan. His favorite, never used, was, "if it wasn't fun, we wouldn't do it." 

  In the end, nothing could save the Rock. But Knapton went on to Amtrak, then back to Washington and the Association of American Railroads. In 1984, he returned to Chicago as Metra's director of media relations, becoming a sort of radio personality, explaining to Chicagoans why their trains occasionally were late. Under Knapton, its newsletter "On the (Bi)Level" became must reading. When readers complained about typographical errors, Knapton slapped on this motto: "The only publication anywhere with intentional puncuation, spelling, 
  and grammatical goofs so bored communters can correct it while riding." 

  Knapton retired in 1996 and became ill in December 1997. Friends suggested that Metra temporarily name a locomotive for him [page 30, May 1998 Trains]. Under the pretext of taking Knapton by ambulance for treatment, he was driven from LaGrange Memorial Hospital to a siding near the Burlington Northern Santa Fe triple-track main line to see F40PH 122, the new "Christopher Knapton." 
  --Don Phillips 
  Trains Magazine - November 1998."

  I love the comment on spelling errors in the newsletter!

  Jeff

  Jeff Worones

  Seattle WA

  ----- Original Message ----
  From: "GRIMM, TIM" <grimmt at wdmcs.org>
  To: "ritslist at simpson.edu" <ritslist at simpson.edu>
  Sent: Monday, February 4, 2008 9:44:45 AM
  Subject: [RITSlist] John Ingram

  Well, I'm sure most of you have visited the RITS website, but for those who didn't know I have a posting of an interview with Mr. Ingram I did back in Dec 98. One day I'll get that artile to print in the Digest for those who don't use a computer.

  My couple of questions I have are:

  Does anybody know how old he was when he passed?

  And does anybody have an idea of where-abouts he lived in retirement??? I just always wondered and Ingram himself would never say as you can see from my interview.

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