37 years with Santa Fe and BNSF. I hired out as a Fireman in 1970 and worked in engine service until 1984, when I became a Company official. My home terminal as an Engineer and Fireman was San Bernardino, California. I fulfilled a long-standing desire to become an Engineer on the Los Angeles Division of the Santa Fe, alongside which I grew up. As an official, I was headquartered at Barstow, California, as well as Sweetwater and Amarillo, Texas. I had temporary assignments at Galveston, Topeka, and Kansas City. As an official I was Road Foreman of Engines, General Supervisor of Train Handling, and Assistant Superintendent, and was certified as a Designated Supervisor of Locomotive Engineers.
I retired on the last day of 2007, at age 61. I had planned to work until I was 65, but my boss intended to retire at age 60, in December, 2007. So, I talked him into waiting until December 31, and we both left railroad service on that day. We left 'em high and dry -- so we said 
-- but they're still in business. Although it was not my long-term plan to retire at that age, it has been good and I have an O-gauge model railroad as proof. I have not burned any bridges, but I did allow my Locomotive Engineer Certificate to expire and turned down offers to be a DSLE for a company which trains and certifies Engineers for smaller railroads. Since retirement, I have been back to the Amarillo office four times in nine years. I still enjoy following the railroad, but I don't work there any more. That part of my life is finished.
Our three daughters had no interest in railroad employment, but our three sons work at BNSF. One is an Engineer here in Amarillo; another is an Engineer on the Joint Line at Denver; and the third is the Director of Safety-Operations for the entire BNSF. He is a DSLE and he gave Hot Water his annual check ride and signed his certificate aboard the 4449 from Sacramento to Keddie a few years back.
