Down Memory Lane on the DQ

Capt. Carroll S. 'Rip' Ware

Capt. Ware was probably Pilot on more of my DQ trips than anyone else. "I goes where the river flows."was how he described his license. He was most proud of being one of the pilots for the President Carter trip in August 1979, and I have his picture with the Carters up in my museum. On the unbound trip the week before Carters arrived, the DQ was swarmed by media at each stop, and at LaCrosse I was privileged to share front page coverage with Capt. Ware as that reporter, Pat Moore, bypassed the usual interview suspects and sought out the two people she knew who would probably give her something other than the party line!

1) in the Forward Cabin Lounge at Winona with Capt. Walter Karnath and his wife, 1977
2) Mrs. Chief Al Boulton, Pete Feilhauer, Capt. Wagner, and Capt. Ware in an Upper Miss lock. Note Capt. Ware has been tidying up the Officers Quarters - he's holding a broom. 1977
3) 1982

More Pilots

1) Harry Cappy Louden enjoying a letter on the lazy bench. He was THE Ohio River pilot in my time, and before that he served on occasion as Alternate Master. 1977
2) Oren Russell and Harry Louden talking to Travis Vasconcelos and Mary Bill Bauer in McAlpine Lock 1977
3) Art Zoom Zoom Zimmer 1977

Back in the 1970s and 80s most of the DQ pilots were retired from either towing companies or the Corps of Engineers. I remember on my very first trip, there were two pilots in the pilothouse the first time I went up there. One of them asked if I knew why there were two there, and before I could wager a guess, he replied: because we're so old, one of us might not make it the whole watch! I don't have proof positive, but I think those two pilots were named Ware and Karnath...

And finally, for this round

1)My favorite pose of Capt. Ernest E. Wagner, taken on Sept. 26, 1978 in Dubuque. This was his last trip as DQ Master and it happened to be my birthday, so I lock- hopped with the Dubuque luminaries down to 12 at Bellevue.

2) a bonus - one of these ladies would later become a crew member, but they were both passengers in my early days. Any one want to name them? hint: mother/daughter

Since no one else has, I'll do it: Bobbi and Heidi Steinike in the second pic!

So, I'm not the only one with photo problems. I can no longer post photos as the program that resizes pictures is kaput.

Since we are on the subject of DQ crew, I will bring up an observation I have made. After watching several episodes of Downton Abby, it suddenly occured to me that there was something oddly familiar about it. A sort of deja vu. I finally realized that there were parallels to working on the DQ. I told my husband that, and he asked if there was that much intrigue on the DQ. I laughed.

Only the Shadow Knows--and he ain't talkin'!
🙂

DQ/DA

I can see your point re: Downton Abbey! I'd hate to think which character you'd liken me to!

Downton Abbey

I have taken the on line test and I am the Butler. 🙁

You're next Ted

I've pulled some more pix to post tonight, and you are in these, Purser Ted!

More pilots

1) at Prairie du Chien in 1978: Henry Gross and Ray Pritchard
2) Lexie Palmore
3) Ben Bennett - as I looked at the enlargement, I do believe that is Capt. David Rainbolt behind him, no?

On to the calliope players

Back in those days, not only were there several crew members capable and willing to play the calliope, but the Masters appreciated its significance and wanted it played at the locks, departures, and even passing some towns.
Here are the 1977-78 calliopists (with Vic Tooker not pictured- he had probably been called to the Pentagon or somewhere)
1) Dan Forman Dan started on the DQ in August 1974, a week before my second trip. He transferred over to the MQ and played there until he left to care for his brother Richard. Dan lives in Cincinnati and has become quite the pasta maker. And for those who remember him and his birds, believe it or not, he now has a cat!
2) Lexie Palmore at Cape Girardeau MO.
3) Gabe Chengery This was his first trip as Master going into his hometown of Pittsburgh.

More perfessors

1) Bob Reynolds - Mate or Watchman in 77, Bob?
2) Fred Dodd - came aboard as a banjo player in 1976, branched out to the calliope a couple years later. He was playing the calliope on national TV as the DQ came into Wabasha on the Carter trip. Vic had wanted nothing to do with the calliope that trip, but when he saw Fred on national TV, he played the rest of the trip.
3) Keith Norrington - Watchman for the 1978 season.

You can see the double keyboard and the Unifon boxes in all these pictures.

and last but not least...

1) Watchman David Tschiggfrie - Dave taught in Dubuque and worked many summers as Watchman. One year he had the special assignment of stripping down the railings and refinishing them. One of his most notable calliope renditions was Who's Sorry Now? as we passed the MQ as she was downbound on the UMR for the first time in 1979. Her upbound trip had several 'mishaps', to put it mildly. The calliope player on the MQ, Capt. Chengery, returned fire with The Old Gray Mare....

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Judy. In 1977 I'm assuming I was Mate; my 21st birthday was April 12 -- before that I was Head Deckhand (a post I held for about 6 months before getting my license), afterwards, Mate.

I got paid $5 for that gig. Some guy came around the corner, left the money on the console and disappeared. Maybe he was the mayor or something. Big E put it to me that I was to play, no excuses.

Glad to hear news about Dan. He was so much fun. Constantly cracking me up.