Former Pullman Company employee Al Quiroz shared a story about what he drilled into the walls of Pullman trains to give them a bit of luck—one of the many personal touches behind the craftsmanship of the cars.
Today, he was interviewed by WLS-TV (ABC 7 Chicago) about his years at the Pullman Company and what it means to be one of the last former workers still living in the historic company town, now preserved as Pullman National Historical Park. The segment will air tonight.
Governor JB Pritzker was in Pullman today to announce a major restoration of the Gilded Age Hotel Florence at Pullman National Historical Park. Follow the Hotel Florence for updates as this historic landmark begins its next chapter.
I’m proud to see my dad, Felix Quiroz, featured in Rieles y Raíces (Rails and Roots): Traqueros in Chicago and the Midwest at the @explorenmma . You can see a glimpse of his photo in this @fox32chicago segment.
When my brother Ray Quiroz and I were growing up, we didn’t know much about our father’s early life or his work on the railroads, there were pieces of his past we were never able to hear or share. This exhibit helps put those pieces together. Ray and I later worked at Pullman Standard building train cars, and we’re proud to still live in Pullman, now Pullman National Historical Park. Seeing my Pullman Standard worker ID on display connects our family across generations and shows that Mexican railroad workers didn’t just help build Chicago, they built lives and communities here. Link to full story in comments.
This cotton twill worker’s apron was given to me by my father-in-law, Charlie Gartelmann, who worked in the Pullman Company’s repair shop. The same type of fabric used to make this apron was also used to cover the mattresses on Pullman sleeper cars in the 1930s. This very apron is now on exhibit at the @chicagomuseum #AquíenChicago exhibition, on view through November 2026.
The keys I once used to open train car doors at Pullman Standard are now on exhibit at the Chicago History Museum. These — along with hundreds of other objects and photos — are part of a new exhibition, Aquí en Chicago, celebrating the stories and contributions of Latinos across the city. #AquíEnChicago
Tia Ewing of Fox 32 News covered the opening of the new Chicago History Museum exhibit Aquí en Chicago, which features three items I used during my years working at the Pullman Company. The exhibit officially opens to the public this Sunday, October 25.
For years while working at Pullman Standard, I carried this trusty metal Victory Model lunch box—packed with a ham sandwich, a thermos of coffee, and a banana. Today, it’s part of the exhibit Aquí En Chicago at the Chicago History Museum, celebrating the stories and contributions of Latinos in the city. #AquíEnChicago
Al “Pullman Al” Quiroz, Ralph Larson, Alfonso Quiroz, Cindy McMahon, Julie Quiroz, Rhonda Davis, Marilyn Quiroz, Bob Bushwaller, and other masked ghouls posed on the grand staircase inside the Hotel Florence in 1986 after organizing the Haunted House—a one-night event that turned the historic hotel into a spine-chilling Halloween attraction.
My brother Ray and I will be at the @pullmanclubcoffee this weekend as part of the @historicpullmanhousetour , sharing stories about how we built Pullman train cars. Step back into Chicago’s Gilded Age and explore restored homes, from grand houses to workers’ cottages. Tickets: PullmanIL.org
The Historic Pullman House Tour has something for everyone! 🏡✨ Bring the whole family and experience Pullman’s history Oct 11–12. #Pullman #HouseTour #HistoricPullman #ChicagoHistory #PullmanHouseTour
See the Market Hall in Pullman National Historical Park during the Historic Pullman House Tour, Oct 11–12! A must-see stop on your journey through history. #PullmanHouseTour #PullmanHistory #HistoricHomes #ChicagoHistory #MarketHall
