Railroaders' Nostalgia > Retirement Party For One Of Amtrak / Metrolink's Finest Engineers

Yesterday I went to the re-purposed ex-Santa Fe station in Corona, CA (mundo's hang out in the 1940s and 50s) for a retirement party for Steve Case, who finished off his career as one of Metrolink's finest engineers. The station is now a restaurant and bar. Steve started his railroad career with Santa Fe, then Amtrak inter-city when they started hiring their own T&E people, then Amtrak when it initially landed the Metrolink operating contract, then Connex, then back to Amtrak when they re-assumed the Metrolink operating contract.

It was great seeing a lot of active and retired employees, some of whom I haven't seen in a long time. All things considered, it looks like we're holding up pretty well. There was food, booze (Rule G was not in effect) and even live music, with Amtrak/Metrolink engineer John Kennedy strumming a guitar and singing a funny song, the lyrics of which are reproduced below.

Amtrak # 4, the SOUTHWEST CHIEF, did a slow roll-by and some extra whistling in Steve's honor when it passed us later in the evening. Ditto for some Metrolink trains.

Here's a trio of photos and a who's who.

First photo L to R: Joe Bell, retired AMTK engineer with SP heritage; Christy Pacheco, active AMTK/SCAX conductor with UP, AMTK and Connex/SCAX heritage; Joe Theis, retired ATSF and AMTK engineer (Joe was # 1 on the AMTK national roster for several years. He used to hostle steam engines at ATSF in his early days!); Dennis Querio, a "short-timer" conductor at BNSF, who also worked at ATSF, AMTK and AMTK/SCAX. Note the "CORONA" sign in the background, on the east end of the building. It refers to the city, not the beer.

Second photo L to R: Me, retired AMTK-AMTK/SCAX-AMTK conductor with ATSF heritage as a clerk, towerman & train order operator; Joe Bell again (these are officially his photos from his camera); the man of honor -- Steve Case, engineer extraordinaire - Happy retirement, Steve!; Keith Moore, retired AMTK/SCAX conductor (and UTU union rep) with PC, CR, AMTK, Connex/SCAX heritage.

Third Photo L to R: Chuck Wright, current AMTK/SCAX engineer with heritage at ATSF, AMTK and Connex/SCAX; Charlie Hartsfield, retired AMTK engineer with heritage at ATSF and AMTK/SCAX. He was also a clerk at ATSF.

https://www.facebook.com/CoronaDepotBar/

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The PTC Song

Woe is me,
PTC Just put us in penalty
Don’t think that we’re gonna make it through

We’re stuck in Tunnel 26
And Oh Boy now, we’re in a fix
Just between us two, I’d say we’re screwed

The passengers are throw’n fits
The GPS just took a chit
The “Help Desk” doesn’t even have a clue

Dispatcher’s askin’ questions
But giving no suggestions
“You’ve broke our fine machine so shame on you!”

(Chorus)

I’ve filled out all the forms and papers
Cycled all the electric breakers
Hope and pray is all that I can do

They’re telling me to “cut it out”
But I just want to scream and shout
And go and pick me up some sniffing glue

(Chorus)

This freak’n bunch of hypocrites
Says “Safety’s always topped our list”
But want us to get by with one man crews

Oh, they’re spending tons of money
And I think it’s kind of funny
We’ll still be whacking people two by two

(Chorus)

When it’s all said and done
A stopped train is the safest one
Our ridership will dwindle to a few

I hope that I’ll still have a job
But if I don’t, I will not sob
I’ll move in with Steve Case and “that’ll do”!!



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/17 09:39 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

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All the best to Steve. Only knew him by name. I have worked with Chris Pacheco many moons ago, went to engineer training in Topeka with Chuck Wright and just saw Dennis Q and Joe T at a Santa Fe engineer retiree get together in Long Beach in June. Time flies. What a lineup.
JB

Happy retirement Steve. You're gonna love it!

Thanks for posting.Some familiar faces to be sure.Worked with most of these guys , a great bunch.Bill Webb

Steve taught me the ins and outs of the early San Gabriel sub. When you still had to get a Santa Fe warrant from the DS from Pomona to San Bernardino. He got me qualified. Really good man. Not crazy about his choice of cigars though. ;)

Your lyrics are the best I have soaked up since santafe199 posted " Welcome to my roundhouse" in the flavor of GnR. Keep on jamming! Thank you for your post.

"I wanna go home"!!

HOLEY MOLEY, Joe Bell is everywhere! hahahaha

Joe Bell was always right where I needed him to get me qualified to Kingmnan and back!

Congrats Steve. Welcome to the crowd.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY