i am so freakin jealous of my wife.....

[trojandad]

shes about to be trained on how to drive railroad locomotives....im having this "stomp my feet" reaction inside....id almost give my retirement to get to drive one of those things......just sayin.....:clap:

[Old LB]

shes about to be trained on how to drive railroad locomotives....im having this "stomp my feet" reaction inside....id almost give my retirement to get to drive one of those things......just sayin.....:clap:

You don't drive a locomotive, it does not have a steering wheel, lol. It is pretty cool though, the newer units have sound proof cabs with computer monitors for all your instruments, A/C & heat, high back reclining seats, restrooms, fidge, all the comforts you could want for a 12 hour day. Is she going to work for the railroad?

[ccmom]

Your wife sounds like an amazing woman and I love how you brag on her...even if this time there's envy involved. Sounds like you are blessed to have one another so good for you!!!

[trojandad]

You don't drive a locomotive, it does not have a steering wheel, lol. It is pretty cool though, the newer units have sound proof cabs with computer monitors for all your instruments, A/C & heat, high back reclining seats, restrooms, fidge, all the comforts you could want for a 12 hour day. Is she going to work for the railroad?

yea, union pacific wants to hire her as a field engineer and, in doing so, her training will include learning how to at least move the trains if need be...sorry if i used the wrong word, i have zero experience with them, just every little boy growing up wants to "drive" one of them....

and yea, ccmom, im exagerating on the envy but when you go into law and your wife gets to learn to drive a train, im so freakin impressed....lol....she has gotten the union pacific scholarship each year shes been at a&m and they had a dinner tonight with all the new hires today, and evidently the head guy told the other students about her grade point as well as the thank you letters shes written each semester before she got there, and when we came into the room the entire bunch stood up and applauded her for her body of work...she had no idea why they were applauding and when she found out started tearing happy tears.....shes very worthy to be proud of, better than i deserve, thats for sure....:)

[Tejastrue]

That's wonderful TD. Congrats to your wife. Your love shines through with every word you share about her. Sorry about the train. Maybe she'll be able to sneak you on board just to give that rush.

[trojandad]

That's wonderful TD. Congrats to your wife. Your love shines through with every word you share about her. Sorry about the train. Maybe she'll be able to sneak you on board just to give that rush.

man, from your mouth to Gods ear......

[Old LB]

yea, union pacific wants to hire her as a field engineer and, in doing so, her training will include learning how to at least move the trains if need be...sorry if i used the wrong word, i have zero experience with them, just every little boy growing up wants to "drive" one of them....

and yea, ccmom, im exagerating on the envy but when you go into law and your wife gets to learn to drive a train, im so freakin impressed....lol....she has gotten the union pacific scholarship each year shes been at a&m and they had a dinner tonight with all the new hires today, and evidently the head guy told the other students about her grade point as well as the thank you letters shes written each semester before she got there, and when we came into the room the entire bunch stood up and applauded her for her body of work...she had no idea why they were applauding and when she found out started tearing happy tears.....shes very worthy to be proud of, better than i deserve, thats for sure....:)

I was teasing about the driving, most people refer to it that way. UP will be a very good career for your wife, best of luck to you both. The pay is really good and the retirement is better than that.

[NastySlot]

Man she's so Lucky....If I could go back I ve always thought that an Train Engineer or working for the Railroad would a great job.

[1st and goal]

To be truthful, I'm a bit jealous too.:) Your love for her shines up the world.

[trojandad]

To be truthful, I'm a bit jealous too.:) Your love for her shines up the world.

if anybody knows that kind of love, its you, buddy....

its just funny, she and i met years ago when she worked for me doing strictly office work, shes 5 foot nothin, 100 and nothin and ten years ago im thinkin (as anyone would) "what a dainty little woman"....then she told me she had a surprise coming home yesterday, walked in the door with those striped train overalls on with one of those small billed caps on saying "guess where im thinking about going to work with?"....

my first thought (right after "ive never seen anyone make striped train engineer overalls look THAT hot!!!!) was "boy, somebody could have won an awful big bet with me ten years ago that THAT teeny woman would be someday driving a 100 ton locomotive"....

then my second thought (or third, such as it were) was "can i drive one, too?".....i knew the answer before i asked the question, it was just that little boy inside slipping out....

[BwdLion73]

That is cool. Ask her if you can at least honk the horn!

[LionFan72]

Man, I am so happy for you and your wife! You can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it really is a train!:cheerl: Hope things only progress from here for your family.

[nobogey72]

I knew a girl in college that didn't know how to drive a train, but could sure pull one.

[trojandad]

Man, I am so happy for you and your wife! You can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it really is a train!:cheerl: Hope things only progress from here for your family.

she enjoyed that one....that was good....

and bwdlion73, ive actually honked the horn in one once....back in the 60's when i was teeny a train stopped in front of my grandfathers gas station near cleveland, one of the guys in the train was having a seizure and their radio evidently went out (long before cell phones), so they stopped and asked my grandfather for his phone....my g'pa instead took the man to the hospital in his truck and while he was unloaded off the train one of the guys asked if i wanted to honk the horn....it was so loud i was grabbing both ears with my hands....but that engine sure wasnt air conditioned with all the accessories that old lb described, so im sure things have changed a ton since then....

but yea, id love to just be in the cab somewhere, for sure....

[BwdLion73]

I had a friend that worked at the roundhouse in Brownwood when I was young. We went down early one morning and I road in an engine for a short distance. I still remember him telling me it got around 4 gallons to the mile!! Not 4 miles to the gallon.

[44INAROW]

My husband worked for Southern Pacific from Feb 1977 until May 1997 - then Union Pacific bought them and he worked for him until his accident in Oct 1997 -
when our boys were little - hubby worked out of Yoakum for a while- they went from Yoakum to Hearne - 10 mile an hour track - took 12 hours!.. This is in the "good ole days" - before all the freaking regulations lol. but anyway - at this time - he was a Brakeman, (he became a conductor in 1988) - there was a Brakemen and Engineer on the Engine and a Brakeman and Conductor on the Caboose. (I told you it was a long time ago - now they don't have Brakeman or Cabooses) anyway - depending on who the Yardmaster on duty was and the Engineer - I might get a call from hubby to bring Aaron and Chad (they were probably 3 and 5 yrs old) to a big curve between Yoakum and Shiner and they'd stop the train and the boys would get on - and ride the engine to Flatonia. They'd let them blow the horn through Shiner, Moulton and Weimar - they LOVED that.. I NEVER got to ride :( Damn, he made good money with SP - that all ended when he was involved in a head on collision with 2 UP trains on Post Oak and Main in Houston on Oct 27, 1997 - we are thankful he lived to tell that story. I wish your wife well and I hope she enjoys it - I know he loved his job.. and the benefits were great too.. damn, wish we had those now..

[trojandad]

My husband worked for Southern Pacific from Feb 1977 until May 1997 - then Union Pacific bought them and he worked for him until his accident in Oct 1997 -
when our boys were little - hubby worked out of Yoakum for a while- they went from Yoakum to Hearne - 10 mile an hour track - took 12 hours!.. This is in the "good ole days" - before all the freaking regulations lol. but anyway - at this time - he was a Brakeman, (he became a conductor in 1988) - there was a Brakemen and Engineer on the Engine and a Brakeman and Conductor on the Caboose. (I told you it was a long time ago - now they don't have Brakeman or Cabooses) anyway - depending on who the Yardmaster on duty was and the Engineer - I might get a call from hubby to bring Aaron and Chad (they were probably 3 and 5 yrs old) to a big curve between Yoakum and Shiner and they'd stop the train and the boys would get on - and ride the engine to Flatonia. They'd let them blow the horn through Shiner, Moulton and Weimar - they LOVED that.. I NEVER got to ride :( Damn, he made good money with SP - that all ended when he was involved in a head on collision with 2 UP trains on Post Oak and Main in Houston on Oct 27, 1997 - we are thankful he lived to tell that story. I wish your wife well and I hope she enjoys it - I know he loved his job.. and the benefits were great too.. damn, wish we had those now..

bless your heart, i bet you freaked at the news THAT day....glad he made it thru something that bad...

that was one point i didnt make about the train stopping, those were thedays when the train would stop in order for the guys to come buy my grandfathers bbq he would make every fri-sun for people driving to and from houston....us 59 was a 2 lane road then (am i dating myself?!?!) and traffic would be stop and go all the way into houston, so stopped cars needed food and drink...the train would stop at 3:18 every weekend day, pick up 10 lb of bbq and get rid of it all by the time they hit the station in houston, or sell what was left when they got there...on this particular day they had the man with the medical problem so we helped, but they stopped EVERY weekend....but like you said, all that left with the days of the caboose....lol

weve heard nothing but good about up from everybody so far, she has several other companies offer real nice packages but up wants her in a supervisory position right off the bat contrary to the others....plus she likes the idea of each bridge she rebuilds from fire destruction being hers...and i was amazed that they started her so close to six figures, usually good benefits are bought with mediocre salary....

[trojandad]

another reason im crazy about this woman...this is a conversation today between her and a student in front of the academic hall on campus...


student: "would you like to sign a petition to get an innocent man off death row? itll take five seconds; i just need your signature."

felicia: "you can prove his innocence in 5 seconds?"

student: "well, no."

felicia: <walking away> "Have a nice day"


a great brain sure is sexy....among other items....:inlove:

[trojandad]

and to make your point about union pacific treating their people well, she just called from a&m, up has given her a scholarship for the past 3 years, but today she finds out they have doubled the amount for this last year with a note reading "hope this helps, thanks for considering us"....amazing that a company does something like that with the economy like it is...

[Old LB]

and to make your point about union pacific treating their people well, she just called from a&m, up has given her a scholarship for the past 3 years, but today she finds out they have doubled the amount for this last year with a note reading "hope this helps, thanks for considering us"....amazing that a company does something like that with the economy like it is...

Sound like your wife is well educated, the money you are talking about is just the beginning. With an engineering degree and her willingness to take on responsibility her earning potential could be limited to where she wants to stop. The railroads are experiencing a lot of folks retiring and they need good people right now. They have deep pockets and are willing to pay those who have good education and a will to work. It is a great career.

[trojandad]

old lb, do you currently work for a rail line? or is your knowledge from someone close? you sound like youve really got some good insight into the field....