BLE Focus

Summer 2003
Volume 110 - No. 2

BLE Focus

Heroes Among Us

Every person has a story and the 59,000 members of the BLE are no exception. The members of this organization lead extraordinary lives. In addition to working long hours, they are involved with their families, communities, the world at large and, especially, their workplaces.

For some, what makes their lives extraordinary is their ideas about their workplace and how to make it better. For others, it is an interest outside of their job. For still others, it is their devotion to their families or their communities. Even with the limited free time available to railroad workers and their families, our members still find time to lead lives outside of work.

In this issue of the Locomotive Engineers Journal, we present a glimpse into the lives of a few of our members and their families. The number of stories presented here represents only a small percentage of our membership, but their stories, like the stories of all of our members, deserve telling.

General Chairman Thews rescues toddler

On March 31, Metra General Chairman David Thews set out for work believing it would be like every other day at the office. However, everything changed for Thews in an instant and he became a hero.

Thews was working on the Rock Island line's southbound route at about 12:30 p.m. when he spotted what he thought was an animal on the tracks.

While a lot of strange things have crossed his path over all the years that he has worked for Metra, none were as strange as this.

Thews began to slow his train down form the 45 m.p.h. that he had been travelling.

"It looked like a little dog running, and being an animal lover, I slowed down and tooted the horn," Thews said.

As he got closer, Thews began to see that it wasn't a dog that was crossing his path, but a toddler. He stopped the train about 30 feet away from the 2 year old boy and got out and slowly approached the boy.

"I didn't want to scare him," Thews said. "I was scared though, I really was. I put my arms out and he put his arms out and I hugged him.

"I was shaking like a leaf, and he was just having a good time, cute little guy."

The boy was greatly interested in the train, saying "choo, choo," Thews said.

Thews turned the boy over to the police, who reunited him with his parents.

"I am just glad it was a good story instead of a bad one," Thews said.

Full steam ahead

MRL engineer Bob Bateman keeps steam engines rolling

Brother Bob Bateman aboard the steam locomotive SP&S 700 on Oct. 19, 2002.

In conjunction with Montana Rockies Rail Tours, steam locomotive SP&S 700 powered a special excursion train over Montana Rail Link from Sandpoint, Idaho, to Billings, Mont., and return in October 2002. MRL locomotive engineer and BLE member Robert C. "Bob" Bateman caught the pilot assignment for the entire trip. He is a member of BLE Division 262 (Missoula, Mont.).

Bateman, steam qualified as well as qualified over MRL's main line, has long had an interest in steam power and volunteers to operate the State of Montana's narrow gauge steam locomotive No. 12, which runs periodically during the summer on the Alder Gulch Short Line between Nevada City and Virginia City, Mont. Brother Bateman got his start with the Milwaukee Road and later worked for the Burlington Northern before joining MRL at its start up in 1987.

The SP&S 700 4-8-4 locomotive was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Spokane, Portland & Seattle (SP&S) Railway in 1938. Retired in 1956, the SP&S donated it to the city of Portland, Ore., in 1958, where it was exhibited in a park. The Pacific Railroad Preservation Society (PRPS) was organized in 1977 to restore the 700 to operating condition, and the work was completed in 1990. PRPS maintains and operates the locomotive, which is still owned by the city of Portland.

The trip of October 2000 was the longest ever undertaken by the 700 (1,990 miles) including the ferry moves between Portland, Ore., and Sandpoint, Idaho.

Photo caption: The SP&S 700 emerging from Mullan Tunnel west of Helena, Mont., under the operation of BLE Member Bob Bateman of Division 262 (Missoula, Mont.).

Photos courtesy Milt Clark, Montana Rail Link. For more details on Montana Rockies Rail Tours, please visit: www.montanarailtours.com

Continued on Page 8

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