(The following story by Steve Smedley appeared on the Bloomington Pantagraph website on September 1, 2009.)
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — As heavy rains fell outside the Union Pacific Railroad yard office in west Bloomington, locomotive engineer Russ Starkey was ready to run the last train of his 47-year career.
But in an ironic early retirement gift from the railroad, Starkey’s train wasn’t going anywhere.
“No cars, Russ,” said his conductor, Ed Spillman of Bloomington. A check of the computer showed the train crew that no rail cars needed to be forwarded north last Friday.
With unexpected time on his hands, Starkey reflected on his nearly a half-century of running trains for seven different rail companies.
“I hired out on June 25th, 1962,” he said, using the railroad term for starting work. “A kid I was going to high school with told me I better get down here and hire out.”
The 65-year-old Starkey began his career with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad in the car department repairing railcars. “At the time, 300 people worked out of the car shops alone,” he said.
After several years, Starkey transferred to the operating side of GM&O, first working as a brakeman, then a conductor. He then began his career in locomotive service – or train operation – on June 18, 1979.
“You name it, I’ve worked for them all — Roodhouse, Decatur, Clinton, Joliet, Slater, Missouri,” he said as he recalled towns he was based in during his decades of service.
Since railroad jobs are based on seniority, it was only the last few years that Starkey was able to hold a regular job, the “North Local,” which operates Monday through Friday servicing freight customers between Bloomington and Joliet. The train returns every night to the yards in Bloomington, and is a somewhat sought-after run.
“I am going to miss the guys, and all the bosses I’ve had. He’s been one of the best ones,” Starkey said, pointing to Steve Rutledge, manager of train operations, who supervises operations out of Bloomington.
The Lake Bloomington resident will now spend some time traveling and fishing, things he didn’t always have time to enjoy.
“I’ll even get the grandkids, too,” said Starkey, married and a father of three.
As the rain continues to fall, Starkey is given a card and day-old doughnut from Track Foreman Dave Schultz of Covell.
“How many years, Russ?” asked Schultz.
“Forty-seven years, six months and two days.”