In Memoriam Carl Illwitzer

 It is a great shock to learn of the death over the weekend of B&G Assistant Carl Illwitzer.  He was 66.

Good pictures of Carl are hard to find, because he was always at work, and generally preferred not to even look at photographers.

I believe he joined the Museum about 1979 -- at least that's when I first met him.  He was one of Bruneau's electrical/mechanical experts and often did rebuilds on various components - air compressors, reversers, etc.  As the story goes, he was the last person ever to run the D22 line car - after it arrived, he tested some circuits out on the thing and then briefly moved it back and forth under power by holding a "hot stick" up through the gaping holes in the roof to contact the overhead wire!  He was trusted enough to know what he was doing that he was the only person, we believe, to ever have his rulebook list him as qualified on "all electric equipment" (or something to that effect).

In later years, of course, he was one of the few full-time paid employees, and was always to be seen busy on various B&G projects and general maintenance.  We cannot imagine how he will be replaced.

There will be a remembrance for Carl at the Museum sometime soon, and we will post a notice when arrangements are made.