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Passes

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Railroad passes gave unlimited transportation over the Green Bay Route.

Railroad passes like those below were issued by railroads to allow free travel to employees, their families, and special guests of the line.  People traveling with these passes were usually referred to as "dead heads," because they provided no revenue to the trip.

In the 1870's the Green Bay & Minnesota carried an average of 50,000 passengers.  The business doubled by the 1880s and peaked at 310,000 in 1915.  By 1947 the number of passengers fell to less than 1,000.  Passenger service ended on the Kewaunee division in 1937 and the Interstate Commerce Commission granted permission to discontinue all service and the last passenger trains ran on April 4, 1949.

The railroad was never known as an extremely  passenger-friendly railroad -- GB&W employees referred to it as the "Grab Bags & Walk" -- but it did run a mixed passenger and freight train throughout the 1940s.


Mr. A. H. Baldwin
Vice President
North Wisconsin Ry.

1873
This pass harkens to the first days of the Green Bay Route.  The Green Bay & Lake Pepin RR pass from 1873 was given to the vice-president of the North Wisconsin Ry, which was organized a few years earlier to build a line from St. Croix Lake to the west end of Lake Superior.  The  GB&LP didn't complete it's rail line to the Mississippi River until December of 1873; the North Wisconsin Ry eventually became a part of the Omaha Road in 1880.

#153: Mr. Charles Fargo
American Express Co.
back side

#57: Mr. Orrin Gardiner
Providence & Springfield RR

1875
As construction of the railroad neared completion and the railroad realized that Lake Pepin would not be western end of the railroad, it was renamed the Green Bay & Minnesota RR.

#292R: Mr. A. H. Baldwin
General Manager
North Wisconsin Ry.

1876
Like the 1873 pass above, here is another pass issued to the vice-president of the North Wisconsin  Ry.

#79: Mr. Robert Gatzmer
General Ticket Agent
Philadelphia & Atlantic City Railway
back side

1881
This was the last year of Green Bay & Minnesota passes. The pass was valid until December 31, 1881, but the railroad went out of business several months earlier.

#79: C.E. Ennover
Assistant Freight Agent
BH&W Rwy. Co.
back side

#785: Mr. D. J. Flanders
Agent
Boston & Maine RR

1882
The Green Bay & Minnesota went bankrupt and was reorganized as the Green Bay, Winona, & Saint Paul RR in the fall of 1981. Ironically, the GBW&StP never laid rails to Saint Paul.

#101 H: Mr. William H. Hurlburt
General Western Passenger Agent
New York, Lake Erie and Western RR
back side

Mr. H. D. Hyde
General Solicitor
Minneapolis & St. Louis RR

1883
The color of the pass and the style of the border changed the following year.

Mr. W.S. Weed
General Freight Agent
Lake Erie & Western Ry.
back side

1884
A new style was introduced in 1884.

#E1178: Mr. E. B. Beardsley
Treasurer
back side

#E232: Thomas P. Fowler
President
New York, Ontario & Western Ry.
back side

1889
This ornate pass was issued by the Green Bay, Winona, & Saint  Paul RR in 1889.

#X258: J.G. Platt
back side

#X1394: Mr. W. Jenkins
Traveling Freight Agent
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR
#X1394: Mr. W. Jenkins
Traveling Freight Agent
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR

1890
The following year saw this style of pass.  This pass was issued to a freight agent of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR, which had controlling ownership of the GBW&StP.  The DL&W would continue to influence the railroad for the next half-century.

#1085: Mr. W. Jenkins
Traveling Freight Agent
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR
back side

#631: Mr. A. McDonald
Assistant General Freight and Passenger Agent
Minnesota and Northwestern RR
back side

1891
Here's the pass issued to the same Delaware, Lackawanna & Western freight agent the following year.

The second pass was issued to an agent of the Minnesota & Northwestern RR, which became  part of the Chicago Great Western the following year. In 1901 the CGW acquired the Winona & South Western and established an interchange with the Green Bay Route in the namesake city.


#1291: Mr. A. Fell
Western Freight Manager
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR
#E83: Miss. C. E. Fell

#1023: Louis Heasbrouck
back side

1892
By 1892 the DL&W was developing a scheme for a great east-west transportation route connecting New York City and Pennsylvania's abundant coal resources with the quickly-developing West.  The GBW&StP was part of this route.   Abraham Fell was in charge of DL&W's freight traveling to western locations; here are passes issued to him and his daughter.  Mr. Fell was paid jointly by the DL&W, GBW&StP, and the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha for his efforts in generating traffic.

The pass is also good for travel on the Kewaunee, Green Bay & Western RR, a newly constructed line, affiliated with the GBW&StP.  

Despite the new construction, in reality the GBW&StP was in dire straights by this time; fine print on the back of the pass indicates that the railroad was actually in receivership by the Farmers' Loan & Trust Company, holder of the railroad's mortgage.


#44: Mr. A. Fell
Western Freight Manager
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR
#1133: Mr. Frank M. Baker
General Superintendent
Atlantic & Pacific Ry

#1191: Mr Geo A. Gilman
General Accountant
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR
back side

1893
Mr. Fell was back again in 1893, still soliciting freight traffic which now included a car ferry connection across Lake Michigan.

The second pass shown was issued to the General Superintendent of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. Despite the grandiose name, the A&P actually went from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Needles, California and became a part of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe in 1897.


#792: Mr. Geo. A. Gilman
General Agent
Blue Lines

1894
By 1894 a new style of pass was in use.

#996: Mr. Thos. P. Fowler
President
New York Ontario & Western Ry.

1895
This was the style of pass used during the last full year of operation of the Green Bay, Winona & St. Paul Railroad.  By May of the following year the railroad was reorganized as the Green Bay & Western by a group of bondholders.  Thomas Fowler, who was issued this card, appears on several Green Bay Route passes through 1909.

#428: Mr. Thos. P. Fowler
President
New York Ontario & Western Ry.
back side

#483: Mr. J.D. Hawks
Vice-President and General Manager
Detroit and Mackinac Ry.

1896
The Kewaunee, Green Bay & Western RR was built in 1890 to connect the Lake Michigan port with Green Bay and points further west.  Although always closely aligned with the GBW&StP, in 1896 the KGB&W was still an independent railroad, as evidenced by this pass.  The following year would see the newly formed Green Bay & Western gain a majority ownership of the Kewaunee line.



#1077: Mr. Burton Johnson
General Freight Agent
Wisconsin Central Lines

1897
The GBW&StP was unable to emerge from bankruptcy and was auctioned off in early summer of 1896.  This style of pass was issued during the first full year of operation of successor Green Bay & Western, which essentially consisted of the DL&W bondholders of the GBW&StP.

#350: Mr. J. K. O. Sherwood
Treasurer
Central New England Ry.
back side

1900
Of particular interest on the back of this turn-of-the-century pass is the wording that politicians are prohibited from using the pass.  Joseph Jordan became General Manager of the line by this time and his signature was on the passes; he had previously worked for the St. Louis & Hannibal Ry -- another railroad controlled by the DL&W.

#493: Mr. E. E. Smythe
General Freight Agent
Kansas City Southern Ry.
back side

1901
The style of the passes settled into a familiar pattern, with only color changes from year to year.

#752: front side

1902
Another year, another pass color.

#346: Mr. A. E. Snuggs
General Agent
Pere Marquette RR
back side

#535: Mr. W. C. Schilling
Manager
M & R. Transportation Co.
#192: Mr. Thos. P. Fowler
President
New York, Ontario & Western Ry.

1905
Passes were blue in 1905.  As in year's past, Wisconsin politicians were prohibited from holding railroad passes.  The pass issued to the Pere Marquette agent was a natural; PM boats connected to the KGB&W at Kewaunee.  The second pass was issued to W. C. Schilling of the M & R Transportation Co., apparently a steamboat line operating out of Green Bay.  The Ahnapee & Western was still an independent line at this time and issued its own passes.

#406: Mr. H. R. Williams
Chief Inspector
W.C.S. Association
#43: Mr. W. C. Schilling
Manager
M & R. Transportation Co.

1906
In 1906 the GB&W/KGB&W passes returned to the more familiar yellow color.  Mr. H. R. Williams, issued this pass, also appears on 1914 and 1920 passes.

This was the last year of Ahnapee & Western independent operation, prior to the GB&W taking a majority interest that fall.  A&W passes were the same style as the previous year, but in a different color.  This pass was issued to W. C. Schilling of the M & R Transportation Co., the same person who was issued a 1905 pass from the GB&W.


#547: Mr. W. C. Shilling
General Manager
Green Bay Transportation Co.
#622: Mr. T. J. Burns
T.P.A.
Canadian Pacific Ry.

1907
Although the Ahnapee & Western came under the GBW's control by  1907, that railroad's name was not added to the front of the pass.  W. C. Schilling of the M & R Transportation Co. appears once again on this pass, but by this time steamship lines were clearly on the decline as a means of transportation in and out of Green Bay.

#414: Mr. E. D. Moffett
Travel Agent
Minneapolis, St. Paul, & Sault Saint Marie Ry
back

#705: Mr. L. C. Butler
Auditor
Barry Transportation Cot

1908
Again, the passes were still of a similar style and signed by Joseph Jordan.

#387: Mr. E. G. Clark
A.G.F.A.
Wisconsin Central Ry
#557: Mr. Thomas P. Fowler
President
New York, Ontario and Western Ry

1909
Another year, a similar style.  Mr. E. G. Clark of the Wisconsin Central Ry was issued one of these passes.

#211: Mr. J.D. Hawks
Vice President and General Manager
Detroit & Mackinac Ry.
back

#629: Mr. E. G. Clark
Assistant General Freight Agent
Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Ry.
back

#131: Mr. W.R. Hall
TFA
Rock Island Lines

1910
Another year, a similar style for the joing GB&W/KGB&W line.  The Waupaca - Green Bay Railway, incorporated a few years earlier, was issuing its own passes at this time; the GBW acquired it in 1922 after the line went bankrupt.

#955: Mrs. F. E. Greene
Wife of Chief Clerk to General Manager
Chicago & North Western Ry
#1027: Mr. Jack Green & Ms. Une Green
Son & daughter
#107: Mr. E. G. Clark
A.G.F.A.
Soo Line

back
back

1911
 The standard 1911 passes were of a similar style as previous years.  By this time, the back of the passes made it clear the pass was also "good on the Ahnapee & Western Railway."

There was also a "limited pass" in use as shown in the pass issued to the children of a Chicago & North Western Ry employee.

A Waupaca - Green Bay Ry pass is also shown.  Mr. E. G. Clark is once again shown; this time he is listed as a Soo Line employee, since the Soo Line acquired the Wisconsin Central


#733: Mr. G. A. Gamble
Manager P.M.-L.V. Line.
Pere Marquette Railroad
#605: Mr. E. G. Clark
A.G.F.A.
Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Ry
#113: Mrs. E.G. Clark
Wife

back
#1024: Mr. J. D. Hawks
Vice President and General Manager
Detroit and Mackinac Ry
#84: Mr. W.R. Hall
TFA
Rock Island Lines

1912
The format changed slightly in 1912 when the passes needed to be countersigned by H. E. Dutton on the front (his signature appeared on the back of the passes since the turn of the century).  As a consequence the pass number and year were moved to new locations on the front of the card.  At the same time, Joseph Jordan's title was simplified to simply "General Manager."  Mr. E. G. Clark's pass is shown once again this year, but his employer was now identified by its formal name - the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Ry.  The Waupaca - Green Bay Railway passes were simplified this year.

#870: Mr. C. E. Ritchie
President
Central Ontario Ry.
back

#707: Mr. D. T. Mervine
General Superintendent of Traffic
Wells Fargo & Co.
back

1913
By 1913 the fine print on the back no longer prohibits politicians from using the pass. 

#839: Mr. F. E. Greene
Chief Clerk to General Manager
Chicago & North Western Ry
#63: Mr. Jack Green & Ms. Une Green
Son & daughter

#407: Mr. H.R. Williams
Chief #407: Mr. H.R. Williams
Chief Inspector
Wisconsin Demurrage Bureau

1914
The following year saw the passes return to the familiar yellow color which had been used several times in the past.  Joseph's Jordan's title is now "President."

#471: Mr. W. R. Hall
Traffic Freight Agent
Rock Island Lines
back

1915
1915 saw the passes return to the color from two years earlier.

#529: Mr. E. G. Clark
A.G.F.A.
Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Ry

1916
The same style of pass was used in 1916...

#1271: Mr. George W. Hunter
Reciever
Louisiana and North West RR

1917
... and 1917 ...

#673: Mr. E.G. Clark
General Freight Agent
Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Ry
#897: Mr. C. M. Sherwood
Traffic Manager & Auditor
Fairchild & North Eastern Railway

1918
... and 1918.  

One of these passes is for Mr. C. M. Sherwood of the Fairchild and Northeastern, a logging railroad running between Fairchild and Greenwood, Wis.  He would later become the General Manager of the Ettrick Railroad, a ten-mile short line whose only connection to the outside world was an interchange with the GB&W at Blair.


#641: Mr. E.G. Clark
General Freight Agent
Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Ry
#652: Mr. H.R. Williams
Inspector, Demurrage & Storage
Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Ry

#1073: Mr. R.L. Darnell
Traveling Auditor
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RR
back

1920
1920 saw a new style of pass, with F. B. Seymour as the new General Manager of the railroad.  The Ahnapee & Western was finally included on the front of the pass.  The text crossed out on the back of pass #1073 said "Good on Waupaca - Green Bay Railway." I'm not sure when that was added to the passes, nor if it was crossed out on all the passes issued this year.

#720: Mr. C. Lapham
Assistant District Engineer
Chicago , Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry

1921
The same format was used the following year, but with a different color.

#903: Mr. H.R. Williams
Inspector, Demurrage & Storage
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha RR
#969: Mr. J.J. McDonald
Chief Inspector
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha RR

1924
This pass uses a new style in 1924.  Mr. H.R. Williams also shows up on the 1920 pass on this page.

#386: G.H. Wescott, et. al
General Manager
Copper Range Railroad
#1078: H.C. Youngs
Lumber Buyer
Chicago , Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry

1926
The 1926 pass was slightly different -- the Kewaunee, Green Bay & Western and the Ahnapee & Western were reduced to a much smaller point on the front of the pass.  Pass #386 was unique in that it was good for the General Manager of a nearby railroad, as well as five additional employees.

#1050: Mr. W.J. Sheridan
General Western Freight Agent
Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Ry.
back

1928
By 1928 the Green Bay Route herald began appearing on the passes.  After nearly thirty years, H. E. Dutton was no longer counter-signing the passes -- J. M. Zahorik would now be signing all remaining passes until the practice of issuing passes was discontinued.

#2454: Mr. V.H. Williams
Traffic Manager
Chicago & Illinois Midland Ry.
#1038: Mr. Ed H. Reuss, Jr.
Vice-president
Wilson Lines, Inc.

back

1929
The same style of pass was in use the following year. 

#A940: Mr. L.E. Pruner
Trainmaster
Chicago & North Western Ry
#A1852: Mr. J.J. Livingston
General Agent
Chicago & North Western Ry

1931-1932
Passes were issued biennially in the 1930s, and the railroad added a grace period effective through the end of January of the following year.  Kewaunee, Green Bay & Western and the Ahnapee & Western were dropped from being explicitly named on the the pass.

#1592: G. W. Loderhose
Assistant Freight Claim Agent
Chicago , Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific RR
#1917: Mrs. C. M. Sherwood
Wife of General Manager
Ettrick Railroad Co.

1934-1935
One of these passes was extended by an additional two years by writing a "7" over the "5" in the date.

#c2: Mr. J. M. Davis
President
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR

1936
This 1936 pass was issued to the president of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR, and was extended through 1937 by overwriting the expiration date.

#x642: Mrs. A. T. Roubal & James
Wife and dependent son of Conductor
Green Bay & Western RR
#x2198: Mr. L. A. Stowell
Traveling Freight Agent
Western Maryland Ry

#c121: Mr. J. M. Davis
President
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR
back

1938-1939
The final change in the style of the passes occurred when Homer McGee became president of the railroad.  After all of these years the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR was still involved in the operations of the railroad, as indicated by the special pass issued to that line's president.

#X1352: Mr. T. J. Kenniff
Freight Traffic Manager
CMStP&O Ry. Co.
#X643: Mrs. M. B. Wigman & son Jack
Wife and dependent son of Machinist Helper
Green Bay & Western RR

1945-1947
Passenger service on the Green Bay & Western drew to a close after World War II.  The last passenger trains operated in April 1949, and the practice of issuing passes came to a close.

I hope you enjoyed this trip through the history of passes on the Green Bay & Western lines.  If you have any passes I hope you can add to this collection by sharing an image of it.

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Updated July 11, 2015