| Donald J. Russell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Donald Joseph McKay Russell 1900, January 3 Denver, Colorado, USA |
| Died | 13 December 1985 (aged 85) San Francisco, California, USA |
| Education | Stanford University, 1917–1920 Loyola University, 1955 (LL.D.) |
| Occupation | 1920–1941: Surveying, Engineering, Construction 1941: Assistant to President 1941–1951: Vice President 1943: Director 1951: Executive Vice President 1952–1964: President 1964–1972: Chairman of the Board |
| Board member of | Trustee Stanford University, Stanford Research Institute (Founder and Director), Regent University of San Francisco, Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Phi Upsilon |
| Spouse | Mary Louise Herring |
Donald Joseph McKay Russell (1900–1985) was an American railroad executive. He was president of Southern Pacific Railroad from 1952–1964 and then chairman from 1964–1972.[1] Mr. Russell was featured on the cover of TIME Magazine 11 August 1961 and Forbes Magazine 1 November 1965.
Mr. Russell's corporate biography read: "After serving with the Royal Air Force in World War I and studying engineering at Stanford University, Mr. Russell began his railroad career with Southern Pacific in 1920 as Timekeeper of a Maintenance of Way Gang in the Sacramento Division. Subsequently, he served as Instrument man, Roadmaster, Assistant Engineer and Assistant Superintendent, including assignment as Section Gang and Extra Gang Foreman to gain practical experience in track construction and maintenance. During this period, from 1923–1926, he was in charge of double tracking the line over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and in 1926 and 1927 was in charge of rehablitation of the line between Grass Lake in Northern California, and Kirk, Oregon, and construction of new terminal facilities at Klamath Falls and Crescent Lake Oregon. In 1937 he became Assistant to the General Manager at the Railroad's San Francisco headquarters; in 1939 Superintendent of the Los Angeles Division, and in 1941 Assistant to the President. The same year, he was made Vice President; in 1943 Director; in 1951 Executive Vice President; in 1952 President; and on December 1, 1964, Chairman. Mr. Russell is a member of the Pacific-Union Club, Bohemian Club and Press Club of San Francisco; Burlingame Country Club, Burlingame, California; California Club, Los Angeles; The Links, The Pinnacle Club and The Recess, New York; The Boston Club, New Orleans; and the Metropolitan Club, Washington, D.C."[2]
"He was always "Mr. Russell." He always wore a hat, felt in winter and straw in summer, and he preferred all other male employees to do the same. He inspired a variety of reactions, including awe and fear, but most of all, respect. For Donald J. Russell, in 20 years as president and chairman of Southern Pacific, guided the railroad into the modern era and made it the most respected line in the nation. There was one more reaction that Russell inspired, according to a veteran SP executive: "You always got the feeling that he was concerned about his people." As Russell himself put it, "If you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of the system." Born in 1900, Russell left Stanford University in 1918 to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War I. He was badly injured in a plane crash and, after a long and painful recovery, returned to California. In 1920, he went to work for SP as timekeeper on a Maintenance of Way gang on the Sacramento Division. By 1937 he was assistant to the general manager in San Francisco; by 1941, vice-president, and by 1951, president. Under his leadership, SP began a $3 billion program of modernization, including full locomotive dieselization. SP diversified with truck and piggy-back services, petroleum and coal slurry pipelines, and communications services, among other activities. Gross annual business doubled during the two decades to $1.4 billion, which was a tremendous outlay at that time. . . During his tenure, SP built its causeway across the Great Salt Lake, a monumental engineering feat, and the 78-mile Palmdale-Colton Cutoff in Southern California. Russell directed rescue efforts for passengers stranded on the 'City of San Francisco' when it was marooned by record snow in the Sierra, and led the reconstruction of 25 miles of line in 25 days after an earthquake in the Tehachapi mountains; both events occurred in 1952. Russell also was a champion of research and innovation, and under him SP developed the Hydra-Cushion freight car and the TOPS computer system to track its trains, a system still in use today. The chairman also contributed outside SP, serving as member of the Stanford University Board of Trustees and a fund-raising chairman for Project Hope. He retired from SP in 1972 and died in 1985. Russell anecdotes abound, including this one: After the Sierra line was blocked by a blizzard, a trainmaster told a journalist how upset those in the General Office had been. The journalist couldn't understand such a reaction, as the blizzard was an unavoidable Act of God. The trainmaster said quietly, "Mr. Russell doesn't believe in Acts of God." " [3]
One of the most noteworthy events during his tenure was how his railroad handled the so called "Passenger Problem" during the 1960s. He was essentially accused of deliberately sabotaging the service his passenger trains provided so he could pull Southern Pacific Railroad out of the passenger business.[4]
Robert Jochner, Passenger Department Director for Southern Pacific denied this saying the only reason that Russell downgraded service was not so much to get rid of the passenger trains, but to make sure they made money.[5]
Nevertheless, many passenger trains, some very famous, were discontinued under Russell's tenure as President and Chairman of the Board. They included The San Jose-Oakland Trains, The Shasta Daylight, and perhaps the most controversial decision the Lark.[6]
| Preceded by Hale Holden (1932–1939) position then became vacant |
Chairman of the Southern Pacific Railroad Board of Directors 1964–1972 |
Succeeded by Benjamin Biaggini (1976–1983) position vacant from 1972–1976 |
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