Nostalgia & History > video slide show of a working crew, 50+ years ago

These were the railroaders I cut my railfanning teeth on. In several posts I have talked about my earliest experiences on the B&O's Baltimore Belt Line.  Looking back on this piece of railroad, it was a great place to get an education on what the industry was at the time. In this little section, I saw piggyback trains, coal trains, mixed freight, pooled power, passenger{actually a train that took patrons to Delaware Park}, transfer runs, helpers, and the Belt Line's local crew who worked the many businesses along the line at the time. It was this crew, working my little piece of railroad between Huntingdon Ave and Sisson Street in the Remington section of the city, that taught me how to get up close and personal with railroaders.

I was 14 when I first met the men on the Oak Street job as it was called.  As they came through the short Huntingdon Ave. tunnel and came off the mainline onto the track that went from Sisson Street down to the Oak Street yard, they were greeted by this skinny little kid with a camera.  At first a curiosity to them, they went about their work, but didn't seem to be bothered by the picture taking. They were friendly, but they were all business. Fast forward, I started showing up about once a week. Their curiosity turned to real interest in me and my interest in them. I showed pictures of them in action, and when able, gave them copies. This relationship grew over the next three years to the point that I literally would meet them at Bayview yard, where they started their second trick day, and rode with them for their entire 8 hour workday. It was an experience that I still treasure as among my top railfan experiences. It taught me the human side of the industry, and that it was more than locomotives, cars, and cabooses. This is a small tribute to working railroaders.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/19 04:51 by Roadjob.

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Wow!  You have really outdone yourself this time, Bill.
/Ted

this video is the best i"ve ever seen on this sight. Right to the heart. Outstanging Bill, thank you

your video was great, just like all of your images..........

66

Incredible video and love the soundtrak too.

Bill,
If you did this at fourteen,you have a wonderful talent.
I cannot remember 14.That was nearly 70 years ago.
If I did see and admire trains and had a camera (not)
I would have taken only "train" pictures,not human
interest.
I give my thanks to you for the memories.

Uncle Joe
Seffner,Fl.

Very nicely done. Thanks for sharing.

Wonderfully done! Those B&O guys will now live on forever.

Chris Bost
Leesport, PA

Beautiful video. It reminds me of when I must have been about 8 years old growing up on the "Panhandle Line" of the mighty PRR between Dayton, Ohio and Richmond, Indiana. I would be outside playing when a train would go by and I would STOP whatever I was doing to go and watch. I was such a regular at trackside that the "Local" would come to town and the crew would let me ride up and down the tracks (only a distance of a mile or so) when they switched the grain elevator there. Can you imagine the crap that would stir if someone did that today and the "authorities" found out. Back then, it was all just innocent fun. No one got hurt and the crew made a boy's dream come true of "riding the rails". Thanks for taking a grandfather back to 1965 to re-live some memories.    ×   

Excellent !

I hope you can share more of your work. Thank you.
John