Monochrome Monday - The Dapper Conductor

Let's continue our portraits of Alaskan Railroaders with a view of a 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.

Talkeetna, Alaska
Saturday February 20, 2010