This Guy....What Can I Say! Brett Brown - everyone knows him...how could you not. This man could TALK more than anyone I met. Man alive did he love to hear the sound of his own voice. Oh, and argue, yeah that was his favorite thing to talk about...anything at all he could argue with you about. BUT, he always did it with a smile and for all the confrontation he craved it never was mean spirited or angry. Brett believed what he believed and stood up for it no matter what. To that end he was the union representative for the UTU in Fairbanks and anytime I had to deal with a disciplinary matter (one of the unfortunate and unpleasant aspects of my job as Superintendent) it was Brett who was my adversary. Fancying himself as a Perry Mason he put his loquacious nature to full use in the hearing room and made sure his case was heard and transcribed. A worthy adversary to be sure, I always respected his passion for the fight and his willingness to stand up for his guys. Eventually after I left the railroad Brett crossed over to management and now he's retired. But for all that time while at the railroad and after I always considered Brett a friend. We've kayaked the Chena on a hot summers day and drank beers in sub zero temps on the deck at Hoodoo....he's just that kind of guy. We may have been adversaries but that was just work...away from the railroad we were just men with more in common than not. Anyway, back before he became a road foreman he held down a regular assignment in Fairbanks yard. On an unseasonably warm January day (I think it was around -5 Fahrenheit!) his breath is steaming in the cold dry arctic air as he sports that signature grin from the cab of battle worn black and gold GP40-2 3001 working the local turn to the very far end of the line at Eielson Air Force Base. This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. Though, sadly I admit that I never took enough of these types of photographs, but those few that I do have deserve to be edited and shared in an album of their own. So, look for more soon in what will be a little series of Alaskan Railroaders. I had the absolute pleasure to work with the finest and most dedicated group of railroaders in all the land for six wonderful years from 2007 to 2013. It was the greatest honor of my life to lead these men and women as we worked as a team to grow service and become more efficient all while doing it safely in some of the harshest conditions to be found anywhere. And as the smiles in these photos will attest, we strove to have FUN while doing it. As in all jobs, there were bad days and frustrating times and personal conflicts that arise in any organization. But more than anywhere I have ever worked in more than two decades now, there was truly an esprit de corps on the Alaska Railroad and the pride these fine folks felt about their chose career was palpable day in and day out. I hope these images help show you a tiny glimpse into that wonderful world that was once my family and my home. So raise a glass to the finest railroaders I’ve ever known! Fairbanks, Alaska |
