Summer 2002
Volume 109 - No. 2
Summer 2002
Volume 109 - No. 2
Steaming towards the Games
Another BLE member creates an Olympic memory
Looking back on the 16 days of the Salt Lake Olympic Games in February, BLE Division 115 (Cheyenne, Wyo.) member Bob Krieger agreed with many people that his favorite moment was watching figure skater Sarah Hughes win the Olympic gold medal.
Krieger created an Olympic moment of his own before the Olympics even
began. On Jan. 31, 2002, he carried the Olympic Torch through the streets
of Denver.
Like fellow BLE member Gary Woo (Locomotive Engineers Journal, Spring 2002, pg. 18), Brother Krieger was chosen by his superiors at Union Pacific to carry the torch. He carried it proudly and was swept up by the groundswell of patriotism that accompanied the torch-bearers.
"I have been working on my family's genealogy and I am the grandson of German immigrants," said Krieger. "After he immigrated here in the early 1900s, my grandfather went back over to Germany as a member of the U.S. Army to fight for America against the country he had just left. He was proud to be here and proudly defended the freedoms we have here. I am proud that I have the freedom to do things like carry the Olympic torch."
Brother Krieger started his torch run early in the morning and was greeted by relatively small crowds. He was not disappointed, however.
"There were not a lot of people lining the route, but the ones that were there were cheering very loudly," Krieger said. "They were chanting 'USA! USA!' It felt very good to participate in this and made me proud to be an American."
Brother Krieger began his career on the Rock Island Railroad in 1974. In 1976, he began working for the Union Pacific in Cheyenne and he joined BLE Division 115 in 1977.
Krieger's department at Union Pacific actively participated in the Olympic games. For over 20 years, Bob has worked with the U.P. steam program, which helped to set up the train that carried the Olympic flame to different places around the country.
In 1979, Bob became involved with the group of employees who decided to bring U.P.'s 3985 Challenger back into service. Two years later, they completed the restoration and traveled with 3985 to the opening celebration in Sacramento, California.
After the mechanical department personnel were pulled from steam duty
in 1988, the railroad came to the group of former restoration members to
test them for crew positions on steam locomotives. Brother Krieger was selected
to be a fireman on the U.P. steam crew.
In 1991, the railroad was going to double head the 3985 with its other venerable locomotive, 844, back to the California State Railroad Museum's for its 10th anniversary celebration in Sacramento. He became the engineer of the 3985 that year and has engineered the steam locomotives for his supervisor, Steve Lee - the program manager and main engineer, since then.
"It was an honor to represent the Union Pacific Railroad and the engineer's craft in this event," said Krieger. "Over the years with the steam program, I have had opportunities to participate in several function including convention displays, excursions, and the most heart rendering Make-A-Wish program. (Carrying the Olympic torch) will undoubtedly be another memorable event in my life too."
After a month-long steam trip through the western states this summer, Brother Krieger will work on creating a home for his Olympic mementos.
"I am going to make a wall mount with the torch, my photo, the number I wore and some other stuff and hang it up in the house," said Krieger.
Through his work with the steam crew, Brother Krieger has been able to participate in many special events and carrying the Olympic Torch will be added to the list of his special moments.
Photo captions: Top: Krieger carries the torch. Bottom: Brother Krieger in Marysville, Calif. with the 3985 Challenger.
© 2002 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers