Here is M-IHBKCK with a good lash-up, sunlight and storm clouds. Great combo! We saw these same exact engines four days ago on the same train. That’s only the second time that has happened to us. Two Bluebonnet’s, the first a GP39-2, an SD40-2, and a BNSF SD40-2 slowly move through Coal City. The sound of these EMD Units throttling up was awesome. Here is a picture of the train. This train had a lady engineer! I’ve seen lady conductors before, but this is my first time ever seeing a lady engineer. If you look closely, you can see her: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=111686 [:)]
Well there is a first time for eveything!! hehehe If you want to see female loco engineers come over here to Philadelphia we have so many working for Septa.
Nice pic [:D]
Thanks Sarah. [:)] I’ve always wanted to go to Philadelphia. I hear it’s a very busy line. [:D]
I always appreciated working with female railroaders. When I was training the females seemed to have more patience and took the time to show us around. We had one lady RTC and she was very nice on the radio and her voice was easy to understand. Made the job easier!
Nick,
Enjoyed the photo. Thanks for sharing…
On the former SP Salt Lake Sub during the early 80s we had two ladies promoted to engineer Barb and Janette. Janette is still working the pool out of Sparks I think and Barb went back to clerking after 8 or 10 years.
The other day saw a new hire brakewoman working the Sparks 50 job.
Jim
Thanks, Jim. [:)] By where I live, a lady works the dispatching tower at night. I listen to it at night a lot.
Nice. She waved too. She also honked for us. [:)]
The only busy lines Philadelphia has is the NEC. In terms of passanger action we have a whole lot of it. Freight action um…lets just say it’s not like in the days of DL&W, PRR, RDG, NYC…so on so fourth. All of that freight action moved out west to places like Chicago and St. Louis.
I live in the Chicagoland Area. I’m from Joliet, IL. We get a lot of trains through here! [:)]
seen lady engineers on csx.
stay safe
joe
If memory serves me correctly the first female locomotive engineer I can recall was Christine Gonzolaz (SP) on the Santa Fe. I remember because she was promoted around the same time I was on the CNW. That would be 1972.
When I was on the South Shore Line we had a number of female engineers. One of them, the late Eleanora Kent, was one of the best railroaders, bar none, that I ever worked with. Her sense of humor was remarkable.
Mitch
The NS Fort Wayne - Chicago line has a woman who calls out the signals on the radio. I dont know if she is the conductor or engineer.
It is refreshing to hear her voice.
ed
Nick:
That is a great shot. Thanks for sharing it. The area around Joliet and south is interesting.
BTW, I saw and photographed a Santa Fe unit today in Chicago at the Brighton Park manual interlocking. It was BNSF 2546, still in Santa Fe livery, but with BNSF alpha code. It had a small train of 5 or so cars…probably a local.
ed
Funny how we [men] don’t always think about career opportunities for women even when there are jobs and job situations we confront every day in which women would be more than capable, and are certainly underrepresented.
In addition to the RR’s, I’d like to see more women involved in NASCAR–from the driver’s seat.
I know of a story of a CN lady engineer who gave the finger to a bunch of teenagers sitting to close to the tracks and acting “super cool”. It was ironic when Niagara Regional Police showed up and the teens were arrested by 4 female police officers. What was even more perfect was the guys were male shovanests; hope the police didn’t rough them up too bad…kind of.
Several years ago, there was a piece on the radio about female loco engineers. When asked about the differences encountered by male and female loco crew members, she replied " If a guy wants to go to the bathroom enroute, he just goes to the back of he unit and lets fly over the hand rail"
I just love it when a Woman is at the Throttle of a Train. At least the Train know’s who is in charge at the Throttle. I found out that one day on the UP! Allan.