I was a conductor trainee at SEPTA in 1985. Because I got married that Fall, SETPA wouldn't allow me the time off for our honeymoon. So I left SEPTA. In 2008, I became a light rail train operator at Phoenix Metro Light Rail. I love driving those trains but that's where it stops! 
To you Signal Maintainers, I tip my hat. I never heard of a Signal Maintainer who was sitting at home watching a football game on TV during bad weather.
Not exactly a "real railroad" per say, but I work as an engineer and fireman on the railroad at Greenfield Village here in Michigan. Obviously it technically is a real railroad since we run full size standard gauge equipment which demands just as much attention as equipment running on bigger railroads (as well as attention to safety). Even for a small railroad, it can be somewhat of an operating challenge. It's a three mile loop that was built with many tight curves and steep uphill and downhill grades (at least one that is a little over 2%).
In the winter months, the operating crews spend their time working in the roundhouse doing winter maintenance stuff. In that time I've been working on gaining some basic machining and fabricating skills. My main project this winter (with some help from the mechanics of course) has been fabricating the sheetmetal smokebox baffle panels for our small 25 ton 4-4-0 that has been out of service for work on its dry pipe. Even small steam locomotives require a ton of care and maintenance to run properly.
Unlike a lot of groups that run bigger steam locomotives, we're one of the relative few in the U.S. that run steam 7 days a week about 7 months out of the year. We have three operable steam locomotives and one waiting for it's turn in the shop sometime in the future when funds are available.
SANTAFE158
sounds like a neat little operation
Bob C.
First off, a sincere "thank you" to Hot Water....and all of the other veterans on this board....who served in Vietnam or during that time period. It was a very unique and challenging period in our Country's history and I don't think you guys (and gals) were shown enough gratitude four plus decades ago.
Speaking of Hot Water, would I be correct when I say that you were/he was the Fireman on the SP 4449, UP 844, and UP 3985? That's a rather impressive list of steam locomotives.
Am I missing any? I thought you may have been involved with Santa Fe #3751....but I could way off base here.
Berkshire President posted:First off, a sincere "thank you" to Hot Water....and all of the other veterans on this board....who served in Vietnam or during that time period. It was a very unique and challenging period in our Country's history and I don't think you guys (and gals) were shown enough gratitude four plus decades ago.
Tell me about it! Even though one could get lots of discounts for traveling in the U.S., if you were in uniform, it wasn't worth the constant hassle from the "public" in bus terminals, train stations, and airports. I never worn my uniform in public.
Speaking of Hot Water, would I be correct when I say that you were/he was the Fireman on the SP 4449, UP 844, and UP 3985? That's a rather impressive list of steam locomotives.
I didn't attempt to list all the steam locomotives I learned on, even back in the mid to late 1950s. I spent lots of time on the PRR at South Amboy, NJ learning to service and clean fires on the K4s and the lone K4sa locomotives.
During the fall of 1962, I spent lots of time on the Buffalo Creek & Gauley RR in West Virginia, while working on the delivery of new GP30s to the NEW. I was assigned to the Portsmouth, Ohio shop and the N&W required my full attention on weekends. Thus, my "days off" in the middle of the week were spent on the BC&G.
While on the 1963 Southern Rwy delivery out of Chattanooga, TN I was able to spend quite a bit of time on the Kentucky & Tennessee RR, ATTEMPTING to fire their big 2-8-2 #12 (known today as 4501), on my "days off".
During my 1964 assignment in Mexico, on the N de M, training their Engineers on the new GP35 units, they would "pay me back" by training me to run their 4-8-4s! I even had a special "Government Pass", with a hand written letter from the Regional Superintendent in Mexico City, that stated in Spanish that I was permitted to run the steam locomotives as well as the new diesels. After I was there for more than a month, the word got around among the crews that there was this crazy gringo who like running the steam locomotives. More than one Engineer actually left the cab, and rode on top of the tender reading his newspaper, and left me to deal with only the Fireman, to practice learning english!
When the CP "Royal Hudson" #2860 came to Chicago, I fired it all the way from Windsor, to Shiller Park, IL on the Soo Line.
Am I missing any? I thought you may have been involved with Santa Fe #3751....but I could way off base here.
Although I have been around #3751 quit a number of times, I never needed to fire her, as I trained Bob Kittel well, on 4449, back in 1977.
N&W/NS Shenandoah (aka Virginia) Division 40+ yrs. Machinist Apprentice (1 yr.) , T&E the rest.
It was nice having so many people keeping things going just so that I could run trains up and down the Shenandoah Valley on a regular basis. Thank you team!
Wyhog posted:All of that operation greatly surprised me! I wrote a thank you letter to Southern and Northwest Airlines. So you see, Hot Water, you should have worn your uniform after all ;-)
It sure wasn't like THAT in 1965/1966! The money discounts were not worth get spat upon!
Hot Water posted:Wyhog posted:All of that operation greatly surprised me! I wrote a thank you letter to Southern and Northwest Airlines. So you see, Hot Water, you should have worn your uniform after all ;-)
It sure wasn't like THAT in 1965/1966! The money discounts were not worth get spat upon!
I've seen film footage of such happenings.....and it makes me sick to my stomach every time I see it. The idiocy and lunacy of the people on the other end is nothing short of appalling. The soldiers, Marines, and all others who served in Vietnam deserved a much better "thank you" than that....and then some.
Nice job Walter Cronkite, Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara....and a host of others.
Trainman for Canadian National Railways...Brakeman/ Conductor/ Baggage man/ Flagman/ . Started May 7th 1965. Everyone remembers their first trip. That's their seniority date which decides what jobs you may work and when your vacation may take place...
We still had 5 man crews , Good power was RS-11s or GP9s wooden cabooses, and lots of work. I worked a spare board for about 6 years before having enough seniority to hold a reg job. I was laid off the first year and loaded express cars on the midnight shift at Union station... The second year laid off again and out to Jasper Alberta for part of the winter . They were really short of men and being a Junior man spent most of my time as a head end brakeman. Hard to Believe but west of Jasper was still single track Train Order territory in 1966. One thing about the westerns ,They were really friendly to work with, Ex On completion of a trip I would get stuck taking the power to the shop and one might expect the other crew members to be long gone home. Nope, they were always waiting and wanted to know if I need anything. Fortunately the station at Jasper was run by CN and I could get what they called a Pie book .(a book of tickets that could be cashed in for food and the amount taken off your cheque.
Anyway things change over the years, new power, No caboose . less work . I was injured in a serious switching accident(1989) which pretty much ended my railroading career...
Still alive and kicking though . I do come from a family of railroaders. father, uncles. cousins . grandfather.
Engineer w/A&M RR. Still at it trying to put together a retirement.
Hi all,
I worked as a conductor for Guilford Transportation.. then, Lionel for 7 years after a stint in the US Army. Then on to DTE, then working with LaSalle on Railcar leasing and now my own company, leasing railcars and some really cool stuff coming forth.
Some neat stories above.... Thanks and good post topic..
Dan
I used to work on the Narrow gauge RR in the Open Hearth at Youngstown Sheet and Tube which changed names just a year or so before they closed the mill.
In 2006 I was hired by NS as a conductor trainee for 11 months on the Harrisburg division in Allentown. It was a great experience but didn't care for management to much so I resigned.
