I know I don't post on here very often, but some of you may have noticed my lack of activity over the last few weeks. The reason behind that is that I've been busy settling down in Williams, Arizona, for my new job. I'm working nights as a car cleaner for the Grand Canyon Railway. I'd like to take this opportunity to remind all the other folks of my generation of something important:

You can't always get what you want.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not scolding you all like a spoiled child, but I think it's important that we take any opportunity we get. I really wanted to get into operations, such as being an engineer or a car man, but I did not get that chance. Instead, I took road that led to me being a car cleaner. I'm getting my foot in the door, showing them that I'm a good worker. By doing so, I'm opening up future possibilities. I just have to be patient, and keep strong. I hope you all will do the same. I wish the best of luck to all of you, we are the future of railroad preservation.

Thank you, and good night.

Zak Lybrand
Car Cleaner, Grand Canyon Railway

Congratulations, Zak! You're absolutely right, this is a foot in the door, a stepping stone toward what you really want.

It's a great chance to become known to operating and mechanical crews and management, all the while soaking up knowledge and experience. You can demonstrate your work ethic and interest while showing that you're not afraid of working hard to climb the ladder. The exposure to live railroading, both diesel and the infrequent steam operation, is a tremendous side benefit.

Best of luck as you pursue your dreams!

Steve Hunter
Cardinal, Ontario

Nothing wrong with that. In the golden age of steam, you'd have started as an engine wiper and would have known you probably wouldn't hold a regular run on the three-dollar side of the cab until you had some white whiskers. The whole idea of an entry-level job was that you learned these machines by being around them, by cleaning the dirty parts and watching the mechanics fix what broke, and by the occasional opportunity to do something associated with the next job up. The old heads got their knowledge that way. You're honoring the tradition. Good for you!

It's simply called "paying your dues". I started at Wilmington and Western as a volunteer in 1980 at the age of 14. They put me to work scraping paint and clearing brush. Within a week I was covered with poison ivy! I did everything they asked and soon they were letting me get involved with the steam locomotives. Work hard and I'm sure you can work you way on up in no time.

But, if you try, sometimes, you get what you need..........

Welcome to railroading. Keep your eyes and ears open and what you learn without even knowing you are learning it will eventually amaze you. Best wishes.

dave

Grats! Sounds like you're in for some real adventures, and the start of a brilliant career.

Just one thing... as much as we'd love to hear your adventures... don't get dooced.

Reminds me of a story from long ago, about a young man who heard that a local landowner needed a man to chop down some trees. He went home, sharpened up his axe, and looked up the landowner, who asked, "When can you start?" and the young man replied, "soon as I get to the first tree, sir."

I'm not even a nuthin on the GCR, your ahead of me...ehheh...good luck on your start, ah well I got to pull 765's throttle and hog it a short distance...yay! 8-P

Are things still set for steam all the way on the 18th? Be a very long trip for me to make it from IL. Half tempted to hope the GCR still has steam next year and go see 765 instead, but with them only doing two trips this year, I get worried that it will get scrapped again. Any news you could share would be great.
Thanks

I've been the general manager of more than one tourist railroad, and been a volunteer at others. I've run steam and diesel. I've spiked rail. I've sold tickets. I've designed passenger cars on flatcar frames. I've done accounting. I've operated a backhoe. I've.........

.......cleaned cars.........many times.

Keep at it! My statement here is that if you're going to do any managing, you'd better darn well understand the positions you're managing. "Paying your dues" is certainly a good way to put it, and it will pay off later.

Good luck,
Mark

Thanks, all, for your kind wishes!


Do you currently work for the GCR? What do you do?


Things are looking good for the Cataract Creek Ramblers on the 4th and the 5th, and I haven't heard anything bad about the 18th, so if nothing fouls up on those two days, yeah, the 4960 ought to be set for the Canyon trip.

Zak,

Looks like you beat me to the punch! I had just finished a reply advising against posting under your own name (1) information about Xanterra/GCRY's operations and (2) public comments that the company could label negative. If you received an employee handbook, read it cover-to-cover and know by heart what the company's rules/policies are regarding divulging info and going public with negative comments.
If you have union representation, check that carefully also. There is probably a probationary period until you "get over the derail" and have union protection. If so, they can fire you with no reason given during that period.

When I finished that masterpiece and hit "Submit", SHAZAM!, your post that I replied to had disappeared. Are you clairvoyant or did someone send you a PM with advice similar to mine? Never mind, no answer required.

Another piece of advice.....lay low for awhile, then come back under an alias when you want to post GC stuff. And don't make it easy for them to find you! It ain't the BNSF....there aren't a lot of needles in the GCRY haystack.

Paranoid? Hell, yes. When you want this to be the stepping stone to a long career in railroading, a little paranoia is a good thing. You need that job one heck of lot more than any of us on RyPN need to know the latest "sandhouse gossip".

Adding my best wishes to the others that have been expressed earlier,

Jim Tatum.

Thanks for that bit of advice, Jim. Yes, someone contacted me through a different medium and said, "Hey, you ought to to be careful..." Now, here's my question. You and this other person both brought up not posting something that could be viewed as a negative comment. I don't know if you're both just giving me broad generalizations of what not to post, or if there is something specific in my posts (besides the one that I already deleted). Let me know so that I can learn from my mistakes, please.

Oh, and just because I have a feeling someone is going to ask, no, I don't know if GCRY employees are unionized. I sure as hell know that car cleaners aren't, but I don't know about road crews, shop crews, maintenance, or any of the other dozens of different jobs that Xanterra has under their control.

Its good to hear this. I think self-awareness is often missing in youth today, as it was in past generations.

I'm a big believer that "techne" (know how, practical knowledge) is as important as "episteme" (know, book learnin').

Is especially true today, when the "institutions of higher learning" are justifying their outrageous and unsustainable grabs for private and public money, mistreatment of graduate assistants and the general economic protection of the amalgamated priestood of professors by ignoring, or offering debased and distorted versions of "higher education", as justification for grabbing an extra 2-3 years tuition. (All while stuffing their students full of notions of ready made superior enlightenment)

Seriously, everybody should get at least one job doing something distasteful, difficult and maybe dangerous. (not that the job indicated is deficient in anything but glamour)
The more demanding and boneheaded your boss, the better. You'll value a good one, when you get one.

Its a good treatment for all those years when the teacher refused to say "no, 2 +2 doesn't equal 5", but instead lavished praise on you for "trying".

Otherwise, you might end up in a job you can't handle, taking time off 6 times in the first eight months of the year and expressing dismay at the price of arrugula.

<snip>

Thanks for that bit of advice, Jim. Yes, someone contacted me through a different medium and said, "Hey, you ought to to be careful..." Now, here's my question. You and this other person both brought up not posting something that could be viewed as a negative comment. I don't know if you're both just giving me broad generalizations of what not to post, or if there is something specific in my posts (besides the one that I already deleted). Let me know so that I can learn from my mistakes, please.

<snip>

Zak,

The comment I referred to was in the post you deleted. We aren't going to resurrect it here. I'll send you a private message about it. It's actually fairly innocuous, but has the potential of being viewed as otherwise.

I think you have a great future ahead of you. You have already amply demonstrated the ability to listen and learn. That's a trait that many of us "old heads" would do well to emulate.

Look for a PM shortly.

Jim Tatum.