Railroaders' Nostalgia > Thank You Ross Rowland

Today marks my 30th year with Amtrak.

After the Freedom Train, I returned home to Santa Barbara. I went to work driving for a local delivery service that eventually morphed into a subcontractor to the new “FedEx” before it grew to the point of covering the country by itself. By 1984, I was driving for Greyhound and had found my way to Dutch Flat (Placer County, on Donner Pass). Greyhound was a fun job and I loved it (no, really!), but there was a lot of unrest and some long strikes. The Dog's future was looking a bit dodgy.

So I sent off an application to Amtrak in Oakland. What I didn't know was that all the Zephyr OBS jobs in Oakland had been moved to Chicago only months before – and one probably needed 20-plus years to hold Oakland. They ignored me.

Next I tried Los Angeles – but they found the notion that I might work the extra board from Dutch Flat, 444.4-miles north, naive. (read: stupid.)

At this same time, Ross Rowland, founder of the AFT, held a seat on Amtrak's board of directors. I learned this suddenly valuable fact from a photo caption in Trains Magazine. Ross was cutting a ribbon, re-launching the Auto Train for Amtrak. Would he remember me? It had been eight years since we all went our separate ways in Miami. In the grand scheme of things on the AFT, I was a rather small fish.

He remembered me straight away and said he'd, “See what he could do,” and asked, “So, how are you anyway?” He couldn't have been nicer.

The next day I got a call from LA. I'd been “highly recommended” in Washington, D.C., and if it wasn't too much bother, could I maybe come to work for them?

Two-million-miles later, I'm still here. Thank you Ross.

SR Bush
Dutch Flat
LSA/Oakland OBS

Side story:
I DID work the LA Extra Board from Dutch Flat for three years before I held a regular job on 3 and 4. And I only missed one call.
Ross was in LA on his private car, Brothers Two. I went out and tapped on the door. Ross welcomed me aboard ... “Have you eaten?” he asked. While Ross and I enjoyed our steaks, somewhere a phone rang. And I got dropped.

I do love irony.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/14 08:41 by BoilingMan.

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The pleasure was mine and you've more than rewarded me by posting all your great movement diagrams and site pics. Glad I was able to help you get aboard the Amtrak team and doubly glad you thrived there.

Great memories, Thanks, Ross

Congratulations on 30 years and thanks for sharing you railroading career with us on TO.

The American Freedom Train led to a number of railroad careers. Like you I couldn't believe they were paying us to see the country and experience all the different railroads. As you said before, most employees were not railfans. But for the few that were...what a ride. My time on the crew of the 4449 was a dream (1975-1976), although many a long night was had, we would not have changed anything. I was really able to experience the Freedom Train when I transferred to security for 4 or 5 months while the T1 was on through the northeast. But upon return of the 4449 at Washington D.C. I transferred back to the engine crew. Firing the '49 was a dream, and as you thanked Ross...I guess I need to thank Doyle. On July 1st I retired from the Union Pacific in engine service. AFT-SP-UP, it went buy in a blur! Thanks Doyle for taking on a kid who had a lot to learn. You said we were always under a microscope, and to be a professional...something I used my entire career...Craig (PB).

I met Mr. Rowland when he brought 614 to Louisville 20 years or more ago. There was a lot of stuff going on, coaling the tender, getting the fire department hose connected for watering, meeting the local railway museum group (I was part of that group), oiling, and other odds and ends. All I can say about Ross is that he is a Class A, Number 1 "nice guy." Reading his comments here on Trainorders is always a reward. His comments are thought out, no flying off the handle with enraged comments that many of us are so good at doing. When I see something authored by "co614" I don't skim through it, I read it carefully.

Mr, Rowland, you've never done anything for me personally but that's OK. I never ask. I've had a great career in another industry that I enjoyed. Though you've never done anything for me personally you have contributed greatly to the rail industry and to the hobby we on this board love. I appreciate that.

Thank you for everything Mr. Rowland.

John

Congrats on your anniversary.
You may know my friend Ben Wilbur another former Bus Operator, Ben and I worked for RTD at Ocean Park Division 6 before he hired on with Amtrak around 1980.
TAH

There was someone at Amtrak I worked with that had a bus background like that- but it was years ago and I don't remember who it was. What does (did? He'd have 4 or 5yrs on me!) he do for Amtrak, and where did he work?
SR

Ben Wilbur is conductor on Amtrak 3-4 LA-Kingman AZ.

If he hired in 1980, and had I met him in the mid-80's, he probably wasn't a conductor at the time. Amtrak didn't have their own conductors until 1986 (a bit later on 1/2), and didn't begin taking in OBS people for T&E until the very early 90's.
SR

Craig: Congratulations on the successful escape from the arms of the Borg!