I first met BC O’Brien in 1995. I was a new volunteer at Steamtown and in those days, operations were punctuated by dinner, usually at a now gone nearby restaurant called “Tom and Jerry’s”. With generally two crews (one for the yard shuttle, one for the excursion, and maybe a third for special occasions), there was quite a gang.

The first time I went to one of these events, I sat down where there was an open chair, and it happened to be next to Mr. O’Brien. His introduction was pretty simple, but very inviting. With a big grin, he said “I don’t get it. These guys are on trains all day, and you’d think they talk about girls or something else now”.

Over a period of time, I learned Bernie wasn’t just a working railroader, but somebody who had started on the railroad (The Delaware and Hudson) at the twilight of steam, a witness to the diesel revolution and man whose service merited having his name affixed to a locomotive when he concluded a fifty-year career with the D&H and successors, concluding service in 1998 with CP, having forgotten more than we could ever hope to know made him an authority and we knew it.

One day in 1998, I was the conductor for the Steamtown Yard Shuttle and when it was time for lunch, I signaled to stop the train on “the diamond” (where the “gangway” roundhouse track crosses over the Chamberlain).

Bernie waived for me to come to the cab of the Baldwin 26, which I did. He said “can an old hand teach a new guy something he learned the hard way”. I said “well, being as you were in uniform when I was in liquid form, sure”. He then said, I know we’re the only train in this yard, and you know we’re the only train in this yard. But there’s no point in fouling a track you don’t have to-we might come back from lunch and find out we can’t move. If you do it right every time, you’ll never have to worry about the one time you didn’t. You’re the conductor, but would that be ok with you?”

A quick hand signal and a forward move of about two cars was all it took. That was typical of Bernie-instruction without criticism-you always walked away feeling like you learned something, that he had shown a light on the dark corners of inexperience, and distilled the knowledge of a long and storied career into a few memorable words.

The wisdom of this became evident after lunch, because there was a minor incident in Cresco that day. I received a call to keep the yard crew on duty and be ready to take the ex NKP 514 East if busses were unavailable. Had we had the problem Bernie was guarding against, we might have had another one as well, because the 514 would have been inaccessible to the Pocono Main Track.

In the last couple of years, we saw a little spring leave his steps, but he never lost the vigilance honed since the late 1940's. Every air brake class that he taught carried a reminder that our commodity wasn't freight, but irreplaceable human lives entrusted to our care.

A great railroader has passed on, but a greater man. Those of us who worked with, dined with, and learned from Bernie were given a remarkable gift. May the Good Lord give you nothing but high clears or a one way Form D to his care, Bernie. It was an honor, Sir.

A superb eulogy for a great gentleman, we will miss him.

This once again points out the importance of learning (and documenting) everything you can from such experienced professionals in the industry while the opportunity to do so is available.

PC

it is sad to see another great railroader passing on.

"If you do it right every time, you’ll never have to worry about the one time you didn’t." B.C. O'Brien.

Bernie's ability to teach and inspire was astounding. He was able to crystalize the main lesson, like the above, in a way you never forgot.

Until I met him and the people he taught at Steamtown, I never realized that life lessons appropriate for everyone could be learned by working on the railroad.

Dennis A. Livesey

A wonderful guy. He will be missed.

The Steamtown page on Facebook has some very nice photos and memories. Bernie was a treasure. I am blessed to have known him during the short time I was a Steamtown volunteer, and regret having never ridden with him.

Rob