Nostalgia & History > WAG Wednesday: Portrait of a trainman!

Every once in a while a truly magnificent RR photo-op will come down the pike and if you’re fortunate your eyes will be wide open and you’ll activate your shutter release, thereby preserving the moment. For railfan photographers it’s a magic moment we always strive for. In February 1978 Art Gibson was aboard Amtrak train #6, somewhere in the wilds of western Wyoming. He was engaged a “rolling” conversation with a senior passenger brakeman (flagman). Like any competent railfan photographer he had his faithful camera with him. And when a fleeting photo-op presented itself Art was ready!

As far as I’m concerned Art’s striking image below is strong enough to stand up alone as this week’s WAG Wednesday without any further information offered. Which is good, because he understandably has no clue as to exactly where in Wyoming #6 was when he shot this slide. But Art does offer a couple of anecdotes worth writing about: Somewhere along this journey their rolling conversation was interrupted, and Art found himself being led to the very end of the train. At some specific spot in his working district this man had the habit of being at the rear car to look for an eagle that always seemed to be trackside when the train passed by. I guess it was something of a minor local legend, and that bird was his unofficial “pet eagle”. As Art relayed this saga to me I could tell he was very amused by the event.

Here’s another amusing but more complicated cautionary tale involving this senior passenger crewman: On this same trip the ongoing conversation took him & Art to the vestibule at the other end of the car. Now present was the train’s conductor who happened to be a young man in his mid 20s, fresh off of the extra-board. With the train at speed the senior man watched as his young boss was standing straddled over the floor plates directly atop the 2 cars’ couplers. Where upon Art witnessed him saying: “Now you’re my boss here, and I’m just a hired hand. So I can’t be telling you what to do. But I would suggest that you not keep standing exactly where you are. Passenger cars have been known to come uncoupled at the most inopportune times, and you could find yourself in a bad situation…”

And now I have to add my own participation in this scenario! Just over a month after Art shot this remarkable portrait yours truly was along (4-2-78) on an NRHS-sponsored Amtrak trip from various points in Kansas down to & back from Oklahoma City. Yes Virginia, this would be the “Lone Star”. That trip is where I first met the incomparable Art Gibson, aka “WAG Jr”. I would eventually learn that Art’s bark was much worse than his bite. But at the time I was jolly well intimidated by the man. On the way back home there were a few of us working the Dutch doors on train #16, a brand-new experience for me. Besides myself were Mr Gibson and future KS Gang buddies Dave Franz and the late John Arbuckle. At one point this novice, still-wet-behind-the-ears railfan stood astraddle the floor plates directly over the couplers. Art emulated the man in his portrait shot below, and told me in no uncertain terms about the no-no I was perpetrating. I doubt Art remembers this scene, but it was an impactful moment for me! And a cautionary lesson I would never forget.

As Paul Harvey used to say: “Now you know the REST of the story…”

1. Mr (name unknown) Amtrak passenger brakeman, probably with lots of Union Pacific seniority sits with time piece in hand for a quick Kodachrome portrait. Location: “En Route”, Wyoming. Photo date: February 27, 1978.
Photo by William A. -Art- Gibson (WAG) Jr,

Thanks for the stern advice!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Art Gibson (wag216)

count-down to a rodney tag



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/23 03:49 by santafe199.

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Knowing Art I can just hear him telling you those words.  But a wonderful picture, story and memory you have shared.  I always look out for anything WAG.  Thanks to both of you!

Mark
 

What a great photo by Mr.Gibson and an excellent story to go along with it Lance !
I met a few of these veterans in the 1970's and I was in awe at what they had seen and worked with.
Thanks.
Gary
 

A true "A+" classic historic image made even better by your rest of the story.
Bob

The only thing missing from this photo is the man's name. 

Now that I see the photo Lance, you have me jogging my memory as to who that was.
I will check with a friend to see if might remember but we both are getting older and entering the ozone level.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

This shot and back story is why I am a TO Member.  Fantastic Post ! 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/20 16:39 by perklocal.

Very nice! I would also like to know a bit more about his beautiful pocket watch.

HotWater Wrote: > ...  like to know a bit more about his beautiful pocket watch ...

Yeah, it looks like it might be heirloom quality. During the photo-editing process I tried to darken the watch face down a bit to try to read the time it was giving. But results were inconclusive. My best guess, assuming the watch stem is indeed at the 12:00 position: with the little (thicker?) hand looking like it's just before the numeral 10, the big (thinner) hand may be close to parallel, making the time 9:50 or 9:51? If the train was on time that might give us a clue as to its whereabouts in Wyoming. But there's no guarantee the train was on time, OR that the visible hand actually is the little hand. So as they say, all bets are off...  

Lance

That is a great image of a well seasoned railroader.  Working as a Brakeman, I wonder if there is some sort of back story here.....his "whiskers" suggest he would be a Conductor.

If that beautiful timepiece does indeed say "9:50", then #6 would be approaching Green River, WY (departure at 10:35 AM).  If OT.

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/20 16:48 by agentatascadero.

In the picture he is sitting on a roomette toilet.