After learning of his unique nature in the 'lists of 75s' in the anniversary issue, I became interested, and have dug around here and there trying to learn more. Have found surprisingly little.
Having access to the back catalog of printed Trains magazine back til about 1948, I'm sure there must have been coversage in past issues. Can anyone with the DVD library (or encyclopedic recall of their own past issues) offer suggestions as to which issues I should look for? (thanks in advance)
If magazine staff would consider new coverage in an upcoming issue, I'd be particulary interested in potentially eccentric behavior, defending the childhood honor of perceived damsels in distress, "gold gloves" type exploits, and what not.
The only things I've ever read about D.W. Brosnan that went into any detail were in Rush Loving's "The Men Who Loved Trains." They weren't very complimentary.
Others may have differing opinions of the man but Loving doesn't think too much of him.
Convicted OneHaving access to the back catalog of printed Trains magazine back til about 1948, I'm sure there must have been coversage in past issues. Can anyone with the DVD library (or encyclopedic recall of their own past issues) offer suggestions as to which issues I should look for? (thanks in advance)
a starting point:
http://ctr.trains.com/railroad-reference/operations/2001/01/legendary-railroaders
And somemore some quite negative
.
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?18,2957525
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
” Bill expressed the philosophy that had guided his own life, saying that the erosion of individual freedom was caused by “herdlike acceptance of limitations on our rights to be individuals.” “It is important to recognize,” he said, “that the right to personal choice can be given away or voted away in a democracy as well as stolen away by a dictatorship.”
link
He doesn't seem like such a bad guy to me.
Let me pass on a quote I read in a history magazine several years ago concerning biases, don't remember the author, then I'll say no more.
"If someone's researching a controversial figure, remember, the man he's looking for is the man he's going to find."
Firelock76 Let me pass on a quote I read in a history magazine several years ago concerning biases, don't remember the author, then I'll say no more. "If someone's researching a controversial figure, remember, the man he's looking for is the man he's going to find."
Convicted One He doesn't seem like such a bad guy to me.
FROM A COMMENT:
"I worked for Southern in 1964 -1967 as a Special Equipment Engineer and heard many stories about Mr. Brosnan as well as experiencing a few myself. Some were hilariousa and at the same time sad--many of the better ones never made it into the book published about him.He personally treated me with great respect ss I did him .There is no question that in his years in the early sixties he modernized the railroad in terms of operations and marketing and Southern was recognized as the most progresive railrod in the US. But then in the mid sixties he got carried away with himself and did things no normally sane person would do and in late 1967 he was told told to resign."
Firelock76If someone's researching a controversial figure, remember, the man he's looking for is the man he's going to find."
Doubtlessly true. I found it amusing from another account where he was reassuring his managers and supervisors that despite massive forthcoming layoffs to general staff, if the supervisors would just stick beside him, none of them would be laid off.
Of course, thats because they would then be doing the hands-on work of the employees they previously supervised, themselves. And it just sounded so much like a gruff old cuss I once had as a boss, it made me smile.
schlimm Firelock76 Let me pass on a quote I read in a history magazine several years ago concerning biases, don't remember the author, then I'll say no more. "If someone's researching a controversial figure, remember, the man he's looking for is the man he's going to find." True to some degree, but a good historian is one who is more objective.
True to some degree, but a good historian is one who is more objective.
I apologize, I know I said I wasn't going to say any more, but...
What you say is true Schlimm, very true, but historians are human, and some let the biases creep in either unconsiously or conciously. We just have to recognize that fact and judge accordingly.
Well, nobody is totally objective, of course. Anyone who claims he/she is highly objective is mistaken. The first step to relatively greater objectivity is to be aware of one's own biases. And you can put greater trust in a historian who relies more on primary sources rather than secondary or opinion pieces or lionizing fluff, as in the first piece.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1985/06/19/ex-southern-railway-head-dw-brosnan-dies/f88678b9-ef01-487b-8ae8-965f3a491364/
I can't believe the price they seem to think this book is worth.
Convicted One I can't believe the price they seem to think this book is worth.
Must be chiseled on the back of Moses 10 Commandment stone tablets! And filled with gold leaf!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I have both volumes. Did not know they were so valuable.
Convicted OneI can't believe the price they seem to think this book is worth.
I'll confess that I'm delighted to have received those 2 books via intra-library loan through my local library. So MUCH to read in so little time.
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