Train Callers

ALL ABOARD, Rock Island Golden State Limited, eight forty-five, for Excelsior Springs, Kansas City, Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston, Dalhart, Santa Rosa, Carrizozo, Alamogordo, El Paso, Douglas, Chandler, Phoenix, Palm Springs, Mexicali, Calexico, Agua Caliente, San Diego, Los Angeles and all points in California. . . . The train is now ready on Track 10 . . . Golden State Limited. . . . ALL ABOARD. . . .

Thus, in one mighty breath, does Jack Barrowcliffe nightly dispatch from Chicago's La Salle Street Station the Golden State Limited, Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific's crack express to the West Coast. Last week, in Chicago, Dispatcher Barrow-cliffe and five other train-callers participated in a contest the like of which had never before been held--a train-calling competition in connection with Western Railroad Week. The contest was held from a flat car at Wabash Avenue and Madison Street in Chicago's "Loop." Some 2,000 people heard the proceedings through amplifiers, many thousands more over the NBC radio network. One railroad president and two vice presidents judged the contestants on "pronunciation, articulation, inflection and diction."

After the judges had heard all the contestants they awarded a silver cup and the U. S. train-calling championship to Rock Island's Barrowcliffe for his rendering of the following call:

All aboard Milwaukee Road, ten forty-five, The Olympian for Milwaukee, La Crosse, Winona, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Gallatin Gateway, Three Forks, Butte, Coeur d'Alene, Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma. . . . Train is now ready on Track 15. ... The Olympian. . . . ALL ABOARD.

Runner-up was Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R.'s leather-lunged Joe Lahr.

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