The Retired BNSF Employee Luncheon June 21st, 2018 in Tales of the Jointed Track

I was approached by a railroader Bill Nabors, who worked with me, as a laborer, at C&S 7th Street Roundhouse. I also crew changed with him, when he went into engine service with the BN. Bill said, “You know that there is a BNSF retirees lunch every 3rd Thursday of the month”. “No , I didn’t”. Bill said “I am having trouble walking, but will be there if you come”. I said I would.

Now this is 45 minute to an hour drive, depending on traffic and how you go. I-25 is the shits through Denver. I’ll take the long way and save about 20 minutes. I live in Highlands Ranch, CO, which is extreme North Douglas County. This is off of 104th Avenue and I-25. A trek, but so be it.

Golden Corral 9571 Grant Street:

I left at 1015 am, LOL I took the “short way” Highway 85 (South Santa Fe Drive) to I-25 to Thornton Parkway. Good Grief took me an hour, but I got there at 11:05. Running late, like the railroad. Psst, don’t tell anybody, I took the long way home and beat my time by 25 minutes..LOL.

Now, there are people I recognize, people I don’t. I know most BN and C&S Train, engine and Yard people. I am the only Santa Fe. There are Car Department men, and off the Mechanical.

Cast of Thousands.... No … sounds good doesn’t it?:

Charlie Berg:
Charlie has to be late 70’s early 80’s. I worked with him in the shops and when I was with the Santa Fe. He was a roundhouse Foreman, when I went Santa Fe. Looks good. He asked if I was going to be here next meeting. I’ll try :)

Bill Nabors:
Bill was a Laborer at the C&S 7th Street Facility. He went into “Craft” as a Machinist Apprentice, worked with me a short while, till I bailed and went with the Santa Fe. I crew changed with him, many times, when he was on the Sterling Coal pool.

Mike Hoogenboom:
Mike, also was a laborer at 7th Street. He went later with the BN into engine service. I also crew changed with him as well.

George Last:
I knew George, only in the yard office. He did some Sterling Coal Pool work, but seniority was able to hold the McCook Pool. First was Denver to Akron, CO, and then the Interdivisional run to McCook. He did a brief stint on the BNSF trackage rights on the Moffat Pool. He also was an engineer.

Herbie Lord:
Herbie was a trainman with the BN. I think by his age he was a former CB&Q man before the merger ( the BN merger with GN,NP,SP&S,CB&Q) . Since I was engine service, we all interacted.

Doug Hieliger:
Doug, I knew when he was in engine service. Doug was a shop laborer at the 23rd St roundhouse. I was Santa Fe at that time, so I did not know him. I knew him, during his training on the BN as engineer. We crew changed many times. He retired in December of 2012, three months after I did. Doug was a good rail, knowledgeable and dependable. He had a restored Metallic Dark Green 68 Dodge Charger, that was “bitchin”.

Randy Buckalew:
Randy I think was a shop Laborer as well with the BN, after I left. He was an inside and outside hostler. What is a Hostler you may query? They move lite locomotive consists, and fuel. Inside, you work within the limits of the roundhouse or DSF ( Diesel Service Facility ).
An Outside, you can take power to and from a train or yard, within a 10 mile radius or the terminal.

Nate Hackney:
Nate was a Brakeman/Conductor on the former BN/BNSF Denver to Sterling and return Coal pool. Again, just Yard office stuff.

Mike Weston:
Mike was a C&S engineer. Worked the yard or the Beer runs, when he could hold. I don’t know, if he ever was, or held the Denver to Cheyenne pool.

Some of us are older than others. Great health,poor health. Time marches on.