When I was 18, I started working for AT&SF, in the Topeka Shops as a Freight Carman Apprentice. Learned a lot about all the mechanical aspects of building, repairing freight cars. Topeka was also a freight car factory back then, I helped build thousands of new cars of all kinds during my time there. (Little or no car work there anymore, it's a locomotive shop now, all of it). I especially enjoyed air brake work on the West Rip track, working outside summer and winter because the air was a little cleaner. I wanted to switch over to engine service, so applied for a craft transfer, and after a couple of years, I became a Middle Division Fireman, working west out of Emporia to Newton, Ark City, and/or Wellington. After firing on the road for about 9 months, I went into a 6 months training program, which included six weeks at the Topeka Simulator class. When that was complete, I was promoted to Engineer. I continued working out of Emporia until September of '88 when the run-through agreement moved our home terminal to Kansas City, but continued running to the same away terminals, just not changing crews at Emporia anymore. Retired with 42 years at the end of 2010.
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