Western Railroad Discussion > Mr. Kenefick’s opinion

With all the hysteria about super long PSR trains I’m reminded of an occasion when someone asked Union Pacific President John Kenefick about ”drag freights” and he immediately countered with “Sir, we do not operate drag freights on Union Pacific!”  In later years after he retired he advised me: “You can’t switch boxcars with b... s...”.

I am proud to say that Mr. Kenefick and I became friends.  He could handle it.

John Bromley - Omaha
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/19 16:27 by Copy19.

HaHa.Good stuff John.My bud from Omaha good to meet Mr Kenefick on the side of the road ,when they were moving the Big Boy up onto the bluff for display.
Regards,DK

John our old bosses on the WP and the UP all knew where the work got done and how to treat customers and move the traffic.

I once heard Mr. Flanney watch a crew switching at not to be named location and he said the guy could not switch his way out of a wet paper bag. We all had a chuckle and then I had to go teach him how to switch cars.

Glad I came up railroading with people like Mr Kendrick and Mr Flannery and my old mentors on The Soo and the Eire Lackawanna. I was always proud to be a good switchman, trainman, yardmaster, engineer and a manager who treated employees with respect and thought of them as my railroad family. I learned a lot about good communication from you and Mark Davis.

Be safe my friend 

I am not a rail. But have shipped a few cars. Study railroading and am a fan. I have formed an opinion that Mr Kenefeck was possibly one of the best rail leaders of the 20th century. Possibly ranks as one of the best ever. I suspect many UP employees wish he was at the helm now.

John --
Post Of The Year!  Love your story of Mr. Kenefick!  Man -- was he ever right!  How refreshing to read that the  President of a major railroad actually said that, and, after he retired, was blunt d when he commenmted on  what he thought of one of the UP's then-curent policies.  

You were truly fortunate to have become his friend.

My sons and I got to meet him at Railfair 81 (in Sacramento).  When my younger son said he was a stockholder in the UP, Kenefick pulled out his business card,and gave it to him!  Then Kenefick posed with my sions, so I could take a picture of him with my sons -- and he looked like a proud grandpa, which he probably was.  (I'll post the picture when I can.)

And he was UP President when "We're a great big rollin' railroad" was made and aired, and in it, many, many different rank-and-file employees got to sing a few words of the song.  That commercial really showed how  proud the UP was of all their ordinary employees.  I love that song!  (Can't find the complete original 1979 commercial anywhere, but you will find the first 1:01 of it if you look for it.)

Never a rail -- always a railfan.

(Now -- where did I put that time machine?.......)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/19 00:51 by Margaret_SP_fan.

I wonder how many railfans know that John Kenefick was once the Assistant Superintendant at Alamosa on the D&RGW.  Yep, he was a "narrow gauge" person at one time.  See here:  http://wx4.org/to/foam/sp/maps/perryETT/1953-01-11D%26RGW_Pueblo163-SheldonPerry.pdf .

cctgm Wrote:

> I once heard Mr. Flanney watch a crew switching at not to be named location and he said the guy could not switch his way out of a wet paper bag. We all had a chuckle and then I had to go teach him how to switch cars.

Who is "the guy?"  The switch foreman?