January 31, 1945

Hi Fellow,

We received your most welcome letter, and we’re sure glad you received your gifts and liked them. By the time you receive this letter you will no doubt have seen plenty of action. We of the shops wish you all the luck in the world. Jack Dunham was the last one from here to go in the service; he is in the navy in California. As you know we built 2000 cars. It is like the 6000. They had it out several days hauling freight and two weeks on the B&O hauling passengers. They seem very much pleased with it. It made its schedule between Baltimore and Washington exactly on time in spite of snow and sleet. It is back now for some changes. Bob Van Valkenburg had charge of building is and now he is in field service. He also did the engineering on the trips. The next day after he signed the Christmas cards. He was put in 2B again until April. Now the status has changed so I don’t know what will happen. Things here are about as usual, we are scheduled for 16 switches a month, we can make it fine we have the material; but sometimes we don’t have it. We have had a rugged winter this year; it has snowed and rained and froze and a good many streets and sidewalks are thick ice. I guess the weather even there isn’t so good either.

We had a letter from most of the fellows. Johnny Barnett, the welder is one in the Pacific. We had a nice letter from him. Smitty you know is in the Merchant marines, he is probably shipped by now. Teddy is on the USS Laramie and travels around the world. They sure are fighting now and the way it looks maybe it won’t be too long before you boys can think of coming back. Well Joe take good care of yourself and may God bless you. Write when you can

As even, the clerk

Helen