Father/son, brother/brother, etc. combinations were
normal, and still are in this industry. I'm
technecally(bad spelling) third generation railroad.
Grandpa worked for the "Omaha"(? years) and later
"GN"(23 years), dad was with Twin City Lines(stretcars
& buses 31 years)), and I"m with AMTRAK(26+years).
It's in the blood. Plus dad's uncle Frank was with
"Milw. Rd.". Police & firemen are also many times the
same way.
--- PSHedgpeth@a... wrote:
> I found this little jewel in RAILROAD September
> 1943...I'll put in on
> verbatim and then offer a few comments.
>
> "FATHER-SON crews in train and engine service on the
> Burlington Route, Wymore
> Division include Condr. P.S.Caldwell and Brakeman
> J.M. CALDWELL, Condr.
> J.D.Wilson and Brakeman D.A. WILSON (Now in Navy),
> Condr. A.H. Stoldorf and
> fireman D. M. Stolldorf, Engr. J.P. Shoff and Bkmn.
> W.E. Shoff (Army) and
> Fireman H.C. Watson and his son Bkmn. C.M. Watson.
>
> Brothers on the same division include Condrs. R.A.
> and W.E. Robinson,
> Condors. A.H. and J.C. Littrell, Condr. W.H.Delehoy
> and Bkman T.L. DELEHOY;
> Condr I.Patton, Engr. E.D. Patton and Bkmn. S.M.
> Patton; Engrs. A.J. and W.L.
> Mischnick, Engrs H.C. and J.A. Hill and Engr.
> W.Watson, Fireman H.C. atson
> and Bkmn. W.M. Watson.
>
> And these brothers-in-law: Condr. P.S. Caldwell and
> Engr. M.A. Johnson,
> Condrs. W.E.Robinson and J.I. Brown, Condr. G.R.
> Johnson nd Fireman C.W.
> Hansen and Bkmn. I.B. HOLLOWAY and Bkmn. D.W.
> GREENING.
>
> Fathers-in-law and sons -in-law: Engr. R.H. Gourley
> and Bkmn. L.W. Neuman,
> Engr. R.Cook and Bkmn. D.G. WALKER, Switchman H.L.
> Peck and Bkmn. R.K.
> Bachenberg, and SWitchman H.F. Hall and Bkman C.J.
> Hiner (Army).
>
> Uncles and nephews: Condr. G.W. Hines and Bkmn. K.H.
> Steward, Brakeman W.D.
> Moyer and B.G. Hemperley (Army) Condr. E.L. Story,
> Engr. E.D. Patton and
> Brakemen I. and S.M. Patton; Engr. M.A. Johnson and
> Bkman. J.M CALDWELL and
> Chief Dispatcher C.E. Temple and Bkmn. J. F. Miller.
>
>
> For a small division I consider this a pretty good
> line-up.----J.M. CALDWELL
> (BRT 493) 1030 F St. Lincoln, NE."
>
> Well maybe it wasn't really nepotism, but it seems
> like the employement rules
> and management policy wouldn't allow this kind of
> thing today...
>
> The names in ALL CAPS are men I knew and worked with
> in the 1950's on the
> Wymore Division. At that time all these guys were
> young conductors working
> the non preferred jobs and the conductor's extra
> board. I didn't know any of
> the "fathers" in 1943...they had all retired, I
> guess, by the time I came
> along.
>
> I worked my last tour of duty on the
> Fairmont-Hildreth local from July
> 18-September 6 1958 with J.M. (Merle) CALDWELL,
> Condr. I suspected at the
> time that Merle was a "closet railfan"...as he and
> other guys I worked with
> got to know me a bit and found out my genuine
> interest in the railroad, they
> would tell me stories of railroad past.
> I have run across adds in old RAILROAD magazines
> where Merle had advertised
> for pictures etc. He was born in 1910 and hired out
> in 1928 when he was 18.
> Someone said to me one day.."Merle's got a lot of
> seniority for his
> age"...and he did.
>
> D. A. (BUCK) Wilson was local Chairman for the
> Trainmen at the time I was
> there. I worked with GREENING as conductor on the
> Pioneer Zephyr when it was
> running as Train 44 Lincoln to St. Joe and returning
> via Wymore as 42-90).
> Walker was a "forced" conductor on 93-94
> (Lincoln-Wymore turnaround local)
> summer 1958...that was a go to work at 3:00am job at
> Lincoln...Wymore about
> noon and CF about 8:00pm for the return trip with
> about 8 hours of switching
> in the Crete Mills on the way back...It was a pretty
> good paying job, but
> abysmal hours.
>
> I don't know if any of these guys are still alive...
> I know Merle Caldwell,
> and Buck Wilson are gone, don't know about any
> others.
>
> Well, writing this little thing has probably
> benefitted me more than anyone
> else out there, but I thought that it might fit in
> with Leo's recounting of
> some BRT stuff, which I have found extremely
> interesting.
>
> Just from memory, it seems like most of the Trainmen
> belonged to the BRT
> rather than the ORC and the enginemen to the BofLF&E
> rather than the
> BLE....That might be a slanted viewpoint since I
> tended to get better
> acquainted with the younger firemen and brakemen
> rather than the old heads
> Conductors and Engineers.
>
> Well that's a little trip down memory lane for
> me....
>
> Pete
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>
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