Wikipedia

Walter Theodore Krausch

Walter Theodore Krausch, known as W.T. Krausch (1868–1929), was an American architect, engineer, and inventor who worked for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) from the late 1880s to the 1920s.

Life

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Krausch was born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 11, 1868, the son of Theodore and Emma (Heide) Krausch. He was educated at Evanston High School, at a technical school at Buffalo, New York, and by private tutoring.

Although associated with the firm of Theodore Krausch & Company, architects and engineers, at Buffalo, New York from 1888 to 1891, Krausch began work for the CB&Q in 1888.[1] The 1892 Directory of La Grange, Illinois, lists his profession as draughtsman.[2] The CB&Q appointed him to the position of architect by 1901.[3][4]

Krausch was appointed engineer of buildings by the CB&Q in April, 1912.[5] His responsibilities, including designing buildings and supervising construction, were wide-ranging, but probably typical of such a position. Examples include awarding a contract for construction of a large coaling plant at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, to the Roberts & Schaefer Company in 1913; in March 1922 directing preparation of a report on the effects of a fire in the CB&Q office building in Chicago and lessons to be learned;[6] supervising preparation in March 1922 of plans for the station and power house in Aurora, Illinois;[7] in April 1922 receiving bids for construction of a freight house in Chicago;[8] directing the CB&Q's Building Department in work related to the railroad's grade separation project in Aurora, Illinois, in 1922;[9] in August 1922 receiving bids to construct a bridge over the Platte River near Oreapolis, Nebraska.[10]

Krausch was active in professional organizations: he presented the report of the Standing Committee entitled "Modern Locomotive Coaling Station. Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance" to the sixth annual convention of the International Railway Fuel Association at Chicago in May, 1914;[11] presented a paper on coaling plants and fuel economy to a meeting of the Western Railway Club in Chicago November 19, 1917;[12][13] was a member of Committee XXIII Shops and Locomotive Terminals of the American Railway Engineering Association in 1921 and 1922;[14][15] at the annual meeting of the Railway Fire Protection Association at Washington in October 18, 1922, spoke briefly of the recent burning of the CB&Q general office building in Chicago;[16] was a member of the Western Society of Engineers and presented a paper to the Society on "Design of Railway Locomotive Terminals" on March 23, 1923.

As an inventor Krausch developed and patented a number of railroad-related mechanical devices, both alone and with E.F. Weber, assistant engineer, and with Robert Elder.

His personal and social life was centered around La Grange, Illinois. Krausch married Clara Ann Shordiche of La Grange on January 5, 1891.[17] He was a member of the board of trustees of the Village of La Grange from 1909. He was a Republican, an Episcopalian, a Mason, and a member of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter at La Grange. His involvement at Emmanuel Episcopal Church involved serving on its building committee following destruction of the old church to fire.[18] He belonged to the Chicago Engineers' Club, the Suburban Club of La Grange, and the Edgewood Golf Club.[19] Krausch died at his home in La Grange on December 9, 1929.[20][21]

Works

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Structures which Krausch is credited with planning for the CB&Q and other railroads noted include:

Patents

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Patents received, alone and with others, included:

  • 839,858: Hoisting bucket, Automatic dumping and righting, January 1, 1907[34]
  • 1,067,343: Hoisting mechanism, October 31, 1911, with Robert Elder, assigned to Fairbanks, Morse & Company[35]
  • 1,222,708: Hoisting and conveying mechanism, assigned to Fairbanks, Morse & Company, December 29, 1914[36]
  • 1,243,187: Car, Rail-drilling, October 16, 1917, with E.F. Weber[37][38]
  • 1,243,188: Car, Track-laying, October 16, 1917, with E.F. Weber[37][38]
  • 1,243,189: Car, Tie-sawing, October 16, 1917, with E.F. Weber[37][38]
  • 1,356,155: for a storage structure, October 19, 1920[39]
  • 1,498,735: Smokejack and the like, January 2, 1923[40]
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  •  
    Brush Hill (Hinsdale) Station
  •  
    Creston Station
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    Riverside Station
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    La Grange Stone Avenue Station
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    Grand Island
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    Macomb Station
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    Lincoln Depot

References

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  1. ^ Municipal Facts, Volumes 6-8. Denver City and County. 1923. p. 15.
  2. ^ "1892 Directory of La Grange, Illinois" (PDF). www.lagrangehistory.org. La Grange Area Historical Society. 1892. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  3. ^ Engineers, Illinois Society of (1901-01-01). Annual Report ... Proceedings at Annual Meeting ...
  4. ^ Annual Report of the Illinois Society of Engineers and Surveyors: Being the Proceedings of the Society at Its ... Annual Meeting. Illinois Society of Engineers and Surveyors. 1905-01-01.
  5. ^ Iron Trade Review. 1912-01-01.
  6. ^ Engineering News-record. McGraw-Hill. 1922-03-23.
  7. ^ Ironworker. International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers. 1922-03-01.
  8. ^ Ironworker. International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers. 1922-04-01.
  9. ^ Railway Age. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. 1922-07-01.
  10. ^ Ironworker. International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers. 1922-07-01.
  11. ^ Association, International Railway Fuel (1914-01-01). Proceedings of the ... Annual Convention of the International Railway Fuel Association. The Association.
  12. ^ Club, Western Railway (1917-01-01). Official Proceedings.
  13. ^ Railway Age Gazette. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. 1917-11-30.
  14. ^ Association, American Railway Engineering (1921-01-01). Proceedings of the ... Annual Convention of the American Railway Engineering Association. Committee on Publications of the Association.
  15. ^ Association, American Railway Engineering (1922-01-01). Bulletin - American Railway Engineering Association.
  16. ^ Railway Age. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. 1922-10-28.
  17. ^ "Iowa Marriages, 1809–1992," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XJG8-N3Z  : 3 December 2014), Theodore Krausch in entry for Walter Theodore Krausch and Clara Ann Shordicke, 05 Jan 1891; citing Marshalltown, Marshall Co., Iowa, reference 2:3FDTGFR; FHL microfilm 983,770.
  18. ^ Papers of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Vestry Minutes, December, 1924.
  19. ^ The Book of Chicagoans: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Living Men of the City of Chicago. A.N. Marquis. 1911-01-01.
  20. ^ News Letter, Issues 34-41. Association of American Railroads. Operating Transportation Division. Fire Protection and Insurance Section. 1929. p. 20.
  21. ^ Railway Engineering and Maintenance, Volume 27. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. 1932. p. 74.
  22. ^ Potter, Janet Greenstein (1996). Great American Railroad Station. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 319. ISBN 978-0471143895.
  23. ^ a b The Railway Age Gazette, 1901-06-14, Simmons-Boardman Publishing at p. 655
  24. ^ a b Improvement Bulletin. Chapin Publishing Company. 1904-01-01.
  25. ^ "Fact Book -- Gage County (2015 update)". Beatrice Daily Sun. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  26. ^ "Burlington Station listed on National Register". Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  27. ^ a b c The Construction News. Construction News Company. 1913-01-01.
  28. ^ The Construction News. Construction News Company. 1913-01-01.
  29. ^ American Architect and Architecture. American Architect. 1917-01-01.
  30. ^ Industrial Development and Manufacturers Record. Publications Division, Conway Research, Incorporated. 1920-01-01.
  31. ^ a b c d e f The American Contractor. F. W. Dodge Corporation. 1922-01-01.
  32. ^ The Railway Review. 1922-01-01.
  33. ^ "2. Burlington Northern Railroad Depot/Lincoln Station | Haymarket District | Downtown Lincoln, NE". www.exploredowntown.org. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  34. ^ Office, United States Patent (1908-01-01). Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  35. ^ Elder, Robert; Krausch, Walter T. (31 Oct 1911), Hoisting mechanism., retrieved 2016-08-18
  36. ^ Office, United States Patent (1915-01-01). Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  37. ^ a b c Office, United States Patent (1918-01-01). Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office. U.S. Patent Office.
  38. ^ a b c Railway Track and Structures: RT & S. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. 1918-04-01.
  39. ^ Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office. The Office. 1920-01-01.
  40. ^ Krausch, Walter T. (Jun 24, 1924), Smokejack and the like, retrieved 2016-08-18
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