Nostalgia & History > The unsung heroes of the railroad industry

Enough of dead lines, lets move back into positive territory.  We all love to photograph the trains, yards, and the people that make the wheels turn, but, how many times have the people who hold the rails together had their place on film. I loved the human touch of railroading, and always respected all who drew the company paycheck. Maintenance crews, and even the cops were the glue that held the road together. Not all my experiences with the railroad police were shall we say, congenial, but, for the most part civil. It was always  intriguing to watch the dance of the guys who pounded, pushed, and pulled the basic elements of a railroad into place, or in the case of derilments, put back together. There was always a rythm to the work that was executed with precision and skill. When talking to these people, they had a dedication to what they did, and, in those days, Identified with "their" railroad as much as the operating crews did.

top...Chicago 1970

middle...Helper on coal train on Baltimore Belt Line passing maintenance crew...1965

bottom...Altoona 1970

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...near Hornell NY 1975

middle...Shennendoah Jct. WVa. 1975
bottom...Sand Patch 1974
 

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...Lackawanna NY 1972

bottom... one for the cops, Hagerstown 1978

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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Shots that we forget about and failed to document.

The guys at Sand Patch without a plaid shirt are OUT OF UNIFORM!
-Ted

Great series of shots.  That must have been some hard work before it all became automated.

Randy Lundgren
Elgin, TX

Bill, thanks for all the photos once again and I especially love the one of the Chessie Steam Special in Hagerstown on the old Western Maryland Railway.
John in White Marsh, Maryland
 

Growing up in Lackawanna NY I am guessing that picture was taken from the Ridge Road bridge.

Excellent views of workers with a very hard job.
Gary

Just like any industry: Good men (and women) do the work, and the suits get the money.
Bill Pyper
Salem, Oregon
 

I just watched a video on FB last night of a Russian gandy dancer replacing a tie by himself.   He did good.

Thanks for the recognition.

RTB said it for me too

Awesome!! Thanks for sharing these photos!!