Railroaders' Nostalgia > Steve Alex RIP

Retired Milwaukee Road/SOO/CP/IMRL/ICE Engineer and Conductor Steve Alex of Ottumwa Iowa passed away on Sunday March 23rd at age 74. Ironically the day he passed was the 45th anniversary of the last Milwaukee Road Train out of Perry, Ia which was Steves hometown and he was the conductor on that very last train. 
Steve hired out after high school on November 11, 1969 working out of Perry, and was promoted to conductor May 2, 1973. When Perry closed he exercised his seniority as did many Iowa Division T&E crews to Ottumwa starting there in May of 1980. Steve was promoted to engineer during the SOO Line era in April of 1989 and stayed there til he retired off the IC&E in 2010. 
He was always very friendly to me and could spin a few yarns especially working on the Iowa Division. He was a big help on a couple of articles I did for the Milwaukee Railroader a few years back. 
1. 1st photo is the crew on the very last train out of Perry Iowa March 23 1980. Clint Hopkins, Barry Lee, Steve Alex and Louie Honomichael. Bill Ohde photo. 
2. Steve Grilling out at the yard office in Ottumwa at a retirement party for engineer Jim Kinney in 1998.  
3. I took this photo back in May of 2002 in the IMRL era. Steve was working in the yard at Ottumwa so he invited me and my then six year old son for a cab ride. My son must be giving Steve some "advice". 

RIP Steve. May you have a green signal to heaven. Thank you for everything my friend. 

MILW86A 
 

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Nice tribute and photos of your friend. RIP. Bill Webb