Location Omaha, Nebraska Folded 1995 | Founded 1939 | |
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Similar Railmen Drum and Bugle Co, Esperanza Drum and Bugle Co, Forte Drum and Bugle Corps, Edmonton Strutters Drum and, Eruption Drum and Bugle Co | ||
The Railmen Drum and Bugle Corps (1939–1995) is a defunct competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the Railmen folded after the 1995 season.
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History
The Railmen were formed in 1939 as the Union Pacific Drum and Bugle Corps. a musical activity for children of employees of the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) under director Chris Jensen. The group was to perform in parades and other events as representatives of the UP, and it made its first appearance in Omaha during "Golden Spike Days," a four-day celebration of the world premier of the Cecil B. DeMille film, Union Pacific. Under Jensen, and his successor Ken Whittle,t he corps continued as a combination corporate public relations device and activity for employees children for forty-five years.
When Whittle assumed leadership in 1971, the corps started a gradual to transition to a competitive junior field corps. In 1983, the corps began accepting non-UP members, and the corps made its competitive debut in 1983, performing at a single show in Omaha. Becoming a touring corps in 1984, the Railmen performed at seven Drum Corps Midwest (DCM) and DCI shows. They made their first DCI Championship appearance at Madison in 1985, placing seventh of nineteen Class A corps.
The corps quickly became a crowd favorite, but the UP was dissatisfied with the corps' new identity. The budgets were cut back, and then the UP terminated its sponsorship in 1988. The corps converted to a non-profit youth organization under new director Shane Macklin. However, fundraising in the Omaha area was difficult, since the public perception was that the corps was still sponsored by the UP. By 1994, the corps became unable to field a junior corps and marched a senior corps in a much-reduced season. The junior corps returned in 1995, but the small corps was able to finish only 14th of thirty-two corps at DCM and 13th of forty-one Division III corps at the DCI World Championships in Buffalo. With no funds and little success in raising more, the corps' board decided to fold the corps after the 1995 season.
Show Summary(1985–95)
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Gold background indicates DCI Championship; pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates DCI semifinalist.