Railroad is Family

     It might seem strange to classify the people that you work with as family instead of co-workers but that is something I do everyday.  When I started working for this company 5 years ago, I went to the REDI center for conductor training, and they told us "Look around, these people will become your family".  I didn't believe them.  I thought a few would become friends, others acquaintances and others annoyances to be tolerated.  After they said that, they had us all write down our name, room number and cell phone numbers on a sheet of paper, made photo copies and handed it out to everyone.  As a girl sitting in a class of 70 guys, I was a little bit nervous.  The list did come in handy later on in our 6 weeks in Atlanta, but not for anything more than you would find in any college dorm.
      Last night my phone rang at about 2am, it was a co-worker's wife and she needed her husband. It was obvious this was more than a jealous wife looking for her husband. I got up and went to the desk and asked for the room number, she wouldn't give it out but did call his room and hand me the phone.  I then asked him for his room number, not wanting to discuss the problem in front of the nice desk lady. I ran down to his room, got everyone on the same page and groggily padded back to my room.  Realize that I am in my pj's with a pair of unlaced work boots on, walking down a hotel hallway.  I have just left my husband in bed and a man in his boxers answered the door I knocked on. This is not a usual work place scenario. This made me once again think of the instructor telling me "Look around these people will become your family".
      In September I got married to my boyfriend of 10 years. When we got together neither of us worked for the railroad, now we both do.  Our wedding was catered by a railroader, we were married by a railroader and there were many guests that were railroaders.  Our true families may have been outnumbered if it wasn't for the crazy schedules we all keep that prevented some railroaders from attending.
     A few months before I left the transportation department I got sick going to Richmond on a train.  I hid it from my engineer, but by the time I got to the hotel, I knew something was really wrong.  I called the train master to let him know what was going on and then called my husband who was thankfully working not to far away.  He carted me to the hospital where I learned I had pancreatitis and needed my gall bladder removed.  I was out of work for 7 weeks. During my off time my co- workers pulled a kitty together of close to $1,000.00 for me.  They do it for everyone who is off and I have thrown my money into a kitty before but I never knew what it meant to the person receiving it.  I was floored, and could not write thank you enough times on that thank you card I posted on the board.
     There are countless other times that I can recall where someone covered for someone else or helped out in one way or another.  This can be a tough job, sometimes physical, out in all weather and away from family and loved ones.  Most times we get along like most families, there are a few black sheep and we might yell and argue but at the end of the day, we let it go.  I have been fortune to have worked with great people in both the transportation department and the signal department and I am happy to consider these people my family.