Fred Gurley


Fred G. Gurley was president and executive committee chairman of Atchison, Topeka and [Santa Fe Railway].
Gurley began his railroad career in 1906 on the Chicago, [Burlington and Quincy Railroad], where he worked his way up to become an assistant vice president. In 1939 he transferred to the Santa Fe as a vice president; he was elected president and executive committee chairman of the Santa Fe in 1944. On July 17, 1955, Gurley appeared on Dateline: Disneyland; the special broadcast of the opening of Disneyland. Gurley, along with Walt Disney and California Governor Goodwin Knight operated the inaugural running of the Disneyland Railroad; advertised at the time as the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad. Gurley retired in 1959, but stayed on as a director until 1964. At that time, he was named an honorary director for life by the railroad.

Legacy