All Aboard Another entry in my portrait series of Alaskan Railroaders and my second take of a good man known all over the world as simply Conductor Steve. You can see by his pressed suit, pocket watch on a gold chain, polished ARR buttons, and Alaska Railroad tie that he has pride in his job and his company. Even in the dead of winter in remote Talkeetna as he helps hearty locals and adventurers unload gear from the baggage car he still looks like a conductor should! In the year I shot this image Steve had 39 years of seniority and I got to know him well until he retired three years later with 42 years on the railroad and number two on the seniority roster. He was a bit chagrined that Harry Ross never let him have that #1 slot for even a day, but that's how it goes on the railroad sometime. Steve normally worked the QAP gravel trains for the first month helping me get them started and then would go to passenger service for the rest of the summer working the Denali Star trains and later the Hurricane Turn. This winter job that worked one overnight Anchorage-Fairbanks freight turn and then this Saturday up Sunday back Anchorage to Fairbanks passenger train usually belonged to Harry. Ten years later my memory escapes me why Steve was on the job this day, but most likely it's cause Harry was on his motorcycle in the sunny southwest or something! Steve gave me a lot of help over the years as I was a young manager and despite being thirty years my senior was always willing to work with me and try to better the railroad. He cared and it showed. Just another great railroader I was lucky to cross paths with for a short time and I'm better for it. This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. Though, sadly I admit that I never took enough of these types of photographs, but those few that I do have deserve to be edited and shared in an album of their own. So, look for more soon in what will be a little series of Alaskan Railroaders. I had the absolute pleasure to work with the finest and most dedicated group of railroaders in all the land for six wonderful years from 2007 to 2013. It was the greatest honor of my life to lead these men and women as we worked as a team to grow service and become more efficient all while doing it safely in some of the harshest conditions to be found anywhere. And as the smiles in these photos will attest, we strove to have FUN while doing it. As in all jobs, there were bad days and frustrating times and personal conflicts that arise in any organization. But more than anywhere I have ever worked in more than two decades now, there was truly an esprit de corps on the Alaska Railroad and the pride these fine folks felt about their chose career was palpable day in and day out. I hope these images help show you a tiny glimpse into that wonderful world that was once my family and my home. So raise a glass to the finest railroaders I’ve ever known! Talkeetna, Alaska
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