Railroaders' Nostalgia > VPO in aisle four!

My wife and I were shopping this afternoon in our local Omaha supermarket when this fellow coming down our aisle suddenly spoke to me.

"John?" he asked, getting my attention.  I stared at him trying to make recognition.   He was a little shorter than me, with a gray stubble, thinning gray hair.   "Bromley?".  In other words he looked pretty much like me, an old fart, except I still shave every morning.  He stuck out his hand and introduced himself.   "Dennis Duffy," he declared.

The years swept away as my memory suddenly came alive.   Dennis was the Union Pacific VPO during some our wildest times.  I introduced my wife Pat to him.  She exclaimed:  "Dennis Duffy!  I've heard your name a thousand times!"

"Uh oh," I thought.

But it turned out to be an enjoyable encounter.  i'll keep our comments just between us kids.  :-)

JB-Omaha




 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/16 14:20 by Copy19.

Dennis is a first class human being!  Glad you ran into him.  I got to know him pretty well and many more of the UP Operating Team members as we worked diligently to improve the double stack intermodal product.  With over $1Billion of annual revenue produced by APL and Pacer, it was nice the team usually listened and it's even nicer to know that our work together actually did improve the intermodal product on the UPRR!  Hard work at times, but good days!

Pete Baumhefner

In the late 90's TO member UPNW2-1083 and I caught a UP eastbound passenger train with th E-9s out of LAUPT to Yermo,Ca. We were on duty before sunrise. I went to the rear of the train to put a fresh battery in the EOT as this was before the air driven EOTs arrived. While I was changing out the battery out of the darkness comes Dennis Duffy with 2 special agents. He was out jogging around the passenger terminal with his escorts. He came over and intrduced himself and we chatted for about 5 mins then he continued on his run. I walked back up to the head end just as Brian showed up with MOP Dave Perez and a big box of donuts, I met another Vice President, John Rebensdorf. He showed me his Rules card and Engineer's License. We then climbed up into the cab, the VP sat in the seat, and Brian sat down beside me with the box of donuts and off we went. The VP ran a good train for never having run Los Angeles to Yermo before. It was kind of cool meeting two names that were printed on my timetable.

I got to go to the CCT in 2004 when Mr Duffy , and Mr Rebensdorf and George Strum brought me back to the UP to become the GM on the CCT. I have been on a few business car trips where John was the engineer as he enjoyed running the train upfront and not in the rear of the train and  he is one of the most knowledgeable people in the railroad industry he knew where every rail ran or had run coast to coast. He also was very approachable and a people person. I miss working with him and for Dennis

Dennis Duffy is one of the best operating minds in the business and he know how to treat employees and interact  with employees and he is a great listener and always took time to find out what all the field employees thought.

There are not two finer gentelmen who always wanted the UP and it's employees to be the best in the industry and knew how to treat everyone right and you wanted to always work hard for them and do your best.

John B I will retire in October of this year with 47 years on the railroad. And I may not shave every day if I can get away with it if  you run into Dennis again say hello for me.  I know John R will be one of the main speakers at the UPHS meeting in Sacramento at the end of July

Fredo Thanks the flash back to John Running a special 

safe and great weekend to all 

Yes John Rebensdorf was a fascinating guy.   He drove a lot of the top dogs crazy but was well worth listening to.
JB-Omaha

MOP.Dave Perez told me that John had run the UP Passenger Special all over the system,except LA to Yermo. When we arrrived at Yermo he went back to the cars as he had run Yermo to Las Vegas before.

Fredo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In the late 90's TO member UPNW2-1083 and I caught
> a UP eastbound passenger train with th E-9s out of
> LAUPT to Yermo,Ca. We were on duty before sunrise.
> I went to the rear of the train to put a fresh
> battery in the EOT as this was before the air
> driven EOTs arrived. While I was changing out the
> battery out of the darkness comes Dennis Duffy
> with 2 special agents. He was out jogging around
> the passenger terminal with his escorts. He came
> over and intrduced himself and we chatted for
> about 5 mins then he continued on his run. I
> walked back up to the head end just as Brian
> showed up with MOP Dave Perez and a big box of
> donuts, I met another Vice President, John
> Rebensdorf. He showed me his Rules card and
> Engineer's License. We then climbed up into the
> cab, the VP sat in the seat, and Brian sat down
> beside me with the box of donuts and off we went.
> The VP ran a good train for never having run Los
> Angeles to Yermo before. It was kind of cool
> meeting two names that were printed on my
> timetable.

MOP Dave Perez drove both of us down to LAUPT for the special but Dave got off on the wrong street.
As we were working our way to the station we turned down one street and saw this guy jogging around downtown L.A. at 4 in the morning.
 We laughed about it thinking this guy was sure taking his chances running around one of the worst places in L.A.
As we came closer we saw 2 men running with him. It turned out to be Dennis Duffy and 2 special agents to protect him.

As you may recall, Fred, everyone was in a panic because we were late getting to the train.
We did make a record breaking run from LAUPT to Yermo, what was it, 3 hours and 5 minutes?
Those were good donuts though!

Here's a shot you took at the fuel rack in Yermo as we were handing the train off to a Vegas crew. That's me next to the E-units and Dave patiently waiting for us by the Retzenberger van.-BMT

---

Sure we made good time. Dave Perez was a little timid telling him we were moving a "Little too Fast" a few places. I had to tell him that the curve at the east end of Hesperia was 50 freight/55 passenger. He got it down to 62. I knew that would be OK as 4 months before Ray Enriquez and I caught the E Units with MOP Jim Whiteside running and he took the same curve at 67. I don't think I will ever forget the sounds of the 949 going around that curve. We went by Casa Delicious at MP 45.2 at 80 MPH when I told him about the speed on that curve and that it was time to do something about it real quick. 

Fredo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sure we made good time. Dave Perez was a little
> timid telling him we were moving a "Little too
> Fast" a few places. I had to tell him that the
> curve at the east end of Hesperia was 50
> freight/55 passenger. He got it down to 62. I knew
> that would be OK as 4 months before Ray Enriquez
> and I caught the E Units with MOP Jim Whiteside
> running and he took the same curve at 67. I don't
> think I will ever forget the sounds of the 949
> going around that curve. We went by Casa Delicious
> at MP 45.2 at 80 MPH when I told him about the
> speed on that curve and that it was time to do
> something about it real quick.

Whiteside knew only 2 throttle positions, idle and 8!-BMT

cctgm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I got to go to the CCT in 2004 when Mr Duffy , and
> Mr Rebensdorf and George Strum brought me back to
> the UP to become the GM on the CCT. I have been on
> a few business car trips where John was the
> engineer as he enjoyed running the train upfront
> and not in the rear of the train and  he is one
> of the most knowledgeable people in the railroad
> industry he knew where every rail ran or had run
> coast to coast. He also was very approachable and
> a people person. I miss working with him and for
> Dennis
>
> Dennis Duffy is one of the best operating minds in
> the business and he know how to treat employees
> and interact  with employees and he is a great
> listener and always took time to find out what all
> the field employees thought.
>
> There are not two finer gentelmen who always
> wanted the UP and it's employees to be the best in
> the industry and knew how to treat everyone right
> and you wanted to always work hard for them and do
> your best.
>
> John B I will retire in October of this year with
> 47 years on the railroad. And I may not shave
> every day if I can get away with it if  you run
> into Dennis again say hello for me.  I know John
> R will be one of the main speakers at the UPHS
> meeting in Sacramento at the end of July
>
> Fredo Thanks the flash back to John Running a
> special 
>
> safe and great weekend to all 

what is CCT?
C

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

Fredo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
 I had to tell him that the
> curve at the east end of Hesperia was 50
> freight/55 passenger. He got it down to 62.

If you worked with Disco Knights, you never went around those curves at less that 60 mph. I don't know how many times I worked the APL helpers, with him on the head end.  I'd be in full dynamic but I could swear he was in power! BTW-the 50mph curve at the west end of Oro Grande is good for 70! But you do have to restrain your grip or it ends up on the conductor's side of the cab!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/16 21:54 by crackerjackhoghead.

He tripped the overspeed at Hodge. When we got to the fuel rack at Yermo the only passenger on the train, the mechanical official in charge of the train started fueling UPP 208 the power car and Whiteside said real cocky,"Who the Hell is that?'. I said "Marty". He said," How do you know that?' I told him that he was in charge of the train and he checked every handbrake that I had released as the train was tied down when we got on it. Then Ray told him the guy's name is on the information reguarding lenght,weight,tons per brake,top spped, and use the dynamic brakes to save the disc brakes on the cars.Whiteside asked Ray, "Where did  you see that?' Ray told him," It was on each seat when we got on. You have been sitting on it" Whiteside let out with, "S**t, do you think he was watching?' I answered like when you tripped the overspeed and re set everything on the fly or when you pinned him up against the window at he 55MPH curve at Hesperia?" We were waiting for the Vegas crew to show up so Whiteside disappeared to the fuel rack office. Ray and I went over and asked if we could go inside the cars and after he inspected the bottoms of our shoes for diesel turds he took us inside the Feather River and Dick Davidson's gym car as it was it's first trip.Another interesting  trip on the railroad.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/16 22:03 by Fredo.

Central California Traction Co.


CarolVoss Wrote:
> what is CCT?
> C

CarolVoss Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> cctgm Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I got to go to the CCT in 2004 when Mr Duffy ,
> and
> > Mr Rebensdorf and George Strum brought me back
> to
> > the UP to become the GM on the CCT. I have been
> on
> > a few business car trips where John was the
> > engineer as he enjoyed running the train
> upfront
> > and not in the rear of the train and  he is
> one
> > of the most knowledgeable people in the
> railroad
> > industry he knew where every rail ran or had
> run
> > coast to coast. He also was very approachable
> and
> > a people person. I miss working with him and
> for
> > Dennis
> >
> > Dennis Duffy is one of the best operating minds
> in
> > the business and he know how to treat employees
> > and interact  with employees and he is a great
> > listener and always took time to find out what
> all
> > the field employees thought.
> >
> > There are not two finer gentelmen who always
> > wanted the UP and it's employees to be the best
> in
> > the industry and knew how to treat everyone
> right
> > and you wanted to always work hard for them and
> do
> > your best.
> >
> > John B I will retire in October of this year
> with
> > 47 years on the railroad. And I may not shave
> > every day if I can get away with it if  you
> run
> > into Dennis again say hello for me.  I know
> John
> > R will be one of the main speakers at the UPHS
> > meeting in Sacramento at the end of July
> >
> > Fredo Thanks the flash back to John Running a
> > special 
> >
> > safe and great weekend to all 
>
> what is CCT?
> C

CCT= Central California Traction- jointly owned by Western Pacific, AT&SF and SP, now BNSF and UP.

mapboy

John B:

Didn't realize Duff was still in Omaha. What a great thread! PKB, JHR, DJD, you, & CV all chiming in. Makes me wax nostalgic. Dennis was a great VPO. As you said interesting times. 

Woody

Carol the CCT is Central California Traction Company Around since 1905 and now owned by the UP 2/3 and BNSF 1/3. We operate between Stockton and Lodi and do the switching at the port of Stockton our website is www.cctrailroad.com look us up we are very proud of our operation

cctgm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Carol the CCT is Central California Traction
> Company Around since 1905 and now owned by the UP
> 2/3 and BNSF 1/3. We operate between Stockton and
> Lodi and do the switching at the port of Stockton
> our website is www.cctrailroad.com look us up we
> are very proud of our operation


MEA CULPA MEA MAXIMA CULPA--  thanks to you and Stash for cluing me in-- we have orchards in Modesto and are familiar with Stockton and Lodi etc-- used to sit at that windmill restaurant in Modesto with Rob Carlson founder of AP when that street running  train came by and rocked  the place, and then there is the Beards Modesto and Empire line----- sorry I am so dense.  :-). CCT  just didnt register with me.  :-)

C
 

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

That's when 951 and 949 still had a door on the nose.  Guessing that was your last opportinity for a streamliner version of the fire extinguisher manuver.

DRGW5502 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That's when 951 and 949 still had a door on the
> nose.  Guessing that was your last opportinity
> for a streamliner version of the
> fire extinguisher manuver.

Ok, I'll bite.  Please explain.
JB-Omaha

Copy19 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DRGW5502 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > That's when 951 and 949 still had a door on the
> > nose.  Guessing that was your last opportinity
> > for a streamliner version of the
> > fire extinguisher manuver.
>
> Ok, I'll bite.  Please explain.
> JB-Omaha

Fredo is going to have to explain this one, and it's good one!-BMT

Fredo, where are you?