any other railroaders, besides me, on the forum?

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Just wondering?...I myself work in the BNSF Structures(B&B) dept. Started the railroad in the summer 05, Kansas division. Been learning to play the PSG since April this year.
I thought it would be interesting to get to know some of you, if you are willing to do so Cool

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“TONESNOB”

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Edward, I am not a railroader but I might be drawn into the hobby by my grandson (3 yrs old) who seems to have more than a passing interest in trains. Maybe we could get together on email and you could tell me what the best way would be to get a little tyke started on model railroad?
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BenRom Pedal Steel Guitars
https://www.facebook.com/groups/212050572323614/

Jerry Van Hoose · From: Wears Valley, Tennessee

CSX engineer & instructor (retired Very Happy

). Amtrak - northeastern corridor, coal fields - eastern Ky, Va, & Tn.

Joe Rouse · From: San Antonio, Texas

Engineer for the SPRR and then the UPRR after they bought the SP.Been retired since 2000...jr

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Congrats Jerry! Hope you get every year you gave'em back, and then some! I see alot of CSX engines on the Trans-Con. Amtrak runs on the LaHunta sub in my area.
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“TONESNOB”

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Joe, the UP runs not three blocks from my house. We share several routes with the UP in Kansas. Congrats on your retirement as well. Santa Fe nearly merged with the Southern Pacific before the BN, if not mistaken .
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“TONESNOB”

John Faulkinbury · From: Topeka, Kansas

I worked for Santa Fe RR as a overhead crane operator from '78 to '90

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

John, which shop?
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“TONESNOB”

John Faulkinbury · From: Topeka, Kansas

I worked at Hobart (intermodal Div.)

Mike Wilson · From: Mansfield, Ohio, USA

Engineer for CSX Railroad, 2 years to go. . would I ever do it over again? Hell NO. Would I recommend it to anyone? Not in todays railroad. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, but unless you work for a railroad you have no idea what you miss out on and how much it controls your life. I can't wait till I can retire.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

I used to drive this one with my ZW.

John LeMaster · From: North Florida

I started on the B&O/C&O when I was a teenager - 18. B&O/C&O name was later changed to Chessie System, and still later, it became CSX. Worked a bunch of jobs in several cities. Retired a few years ago.

Began playing steel guitar about 4 years after I began working for the railroad...still learning to play steel.

John L.

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Magnum D10, Emmons D10 push-pull

Jerry Van Hoose · From: Wears Valley, Tennessee

John, same here. I began on the C&O as a fireman, then it became Chessie, and eventually, CSX. I also had the privilege of training many engineers during my tenure. I spent a year working on the Clinchfield R.R.(CSX) in conjunction with the Electro Motive Division of GM, operating & testing new designs of locomotives.

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Mike, I still have 21 1/2 to go...if they don't change retirement age! And it is a different railroad, they only seem to care about "scorecards". Hang in there buddy!
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“TONESNOB”

Joe Rouse · From: San Antonio, Texas

Hey Edward,
I remember when the ATSF and SPRR almost merged. After that merger failed the D&RGW then bought the SPRR and stripped it of almost all land, timber and real estate the SP owned and then sold off the railroad to the UPRR. We used to gripe about the SPRR policies until the D&RGW bought us and we griped even more, but when the UPRR took us over we felt we should wash our mouths out the way they treated us. I was bad ordered in Sept. of 2000 and received my pension in March 2001. I've always missed the people I worked with but not the UPRR.I started my effort to play the psg 7 years ago and love it. Hang in there Mike...2 years will buy you a good pension....jr

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Yeah Joe, my dad's old Santa Fe. He looked forward to the at&sf-sprr merge, when it didn't happen, it was a kick in the groin for them too! Then in came the BN, sure they got the NW coal route, but all these little branch lines were abandoned and inherited a lot of bad management and outdated railroad. I've never known anything different, since I hired on post-merger. The fellas I've met from the BN side are good folks and some can-do boys. I don't imagine anything different with your experiences.
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“TONESNOB”

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

John L, I'm curious about your magnum d-10,I've not seen or been around one. Who makes it? Where? Is it a pull/release? Please more info/photos? It looks very sharp & modern
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“TONESNOB”

Joe Rouse · From: San Antonio, Texas

Edward,
Please don't get me wrong about the working people on the UPRR. They were working people just like us and mostly really good people. In any merger or take over there will always be a few disgruntled no matter how they benefited from the marriage. The UPRR employees didnt want the merge anymore than the SPRR employees. The Robber Barons(railroads) were all about the stock showing good and not much for the infrastructure, locomotive maintenance etc....still the job paid well and I have a good pension so life goes on....jr

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Joe, you're absolutely right. I'm glad to see that so many of you are enjoying your well earned/deserved retirement and enjoying the hardest instrument I've ever attempted to play!
Also I am extremely grateful to find so many chose to post on this thread. It's really given me a more sense of belonging to find that we've got a little more in-comman than just the instrument. Not my intention to start a "click", just get to know more of you guys.
I'm on the road with my steel because I choose not to move closer to my career. I'm (MOW) or maintenance in the way to you trainmen, ha! There are some talented pickers where I work, but haven't met a single steel player working on the railroad, until now.
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“TONESNOB”

John LeMaster · From: North Florida

Edward, the Magnum is a Bud Carter design. They were built by the same folks who built the Carter steel guitars. Since the untimely passing of John Fabian, neither Carter nor Magnum steel guitars are being built, as I understand it.

Instead of polished aluminum end plates, pedal bar, etc., the Magnum has powder coated parts. I have owned Carters, also. Both are very fine guitars. *Edit* Oops, failed to answer your other question. The Magnum is an all pull changer.

Jerry, I started back in the late 1960s in West Virginia on the Baltimore and Ohio part of the company.

John L.
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Magnum D10, Emmons D10 push-pull

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

I'm currently playing a MARLEN D-10. I rescued this guitar from a music store in Wichita for $400! It only has enough parts to make the A,B, &C pedals function. I've trusted a buddy of mine with the only knee lever. He's going to duplicate it so that I will have at least 5 when he is done. My e/9 neck will be ready then. Hopefully he can help me reverse engineer some lowering system. If not, I'll hit up James Morehead for advice.
I aim to restore this MARLEN and take it to its previous owner so that he could play it,
if he's inclined to do so.
I've learned a little, and have a ways to go, but my goal is to play steel in a band. I've had it apart for some much needed cleaning and had no problems putting it back together. Very fascinating the pull/release system. The guitar itself is pretty stable and all the little things I've done have helped it considerably.
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“TONESNOB”

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

I've got a little in my blood.

My grandfather was a section foreman with MoPac back in the 1920's and 1930's.

Joe Rouse · From: San Antonio, Texas

Hey Lee, Where was your grandfathers seniority at, here in Texas?....jr

Don R Brown · From: Rochester, New York, USA

Edward, I started with New York Central in 1967. Went through Penn Central and Conrail, then left in 1979 to work for shortline (smaller) railroads. Less money but far less BS and more job satisfaction. If you count NYC/PC/CR as only one railroad, altogether I worked for 18 different railroads in 7 states doing everything from manual labor to president.

I retired in July 2011, and got my Stage One in February 2012. Having a ball with it, just wish I had started the steel back about the time I went railroading.

BTW - if you can stick it out to retirement you'll be way better off under Railroad Retirement than Social Security. I get my benefit, which is more than SS would be, and my wife gets the Spouse Benefit which is 47% of what I get. And since my wife worked 15 years in railroading, she gets HER benefit and I get a Spouse Benefit which is 47% of HERS.

Remember safety - playing steel is easier if you have all the hands and feet you were born with.

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Thanks Don,
Not a task or day goes by that I don't think about the consequences or the dangers in my line of work. I'm injury free and intend on staying that way. I've got 4 daughters, a son and wife all depending on me to come home every Thursday night the way I left Sunday night, tired,broke,& hungry:-)
Haven't let'em down yet.
My dad & uncle are both retired from the BNSF,track dept. I have a twin who is a track welder, rarely work on the same territory. He's been out here ten years longer than I.
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“TONESNOB”

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