(The following story by Linda Jo Scott appeared on the Battle Creek Enquirer website on September 7. Orville Convis is a retired member of BLET Division 33 in Battle Creek.)
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — When Orville Convis sings “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” he brings a lifetime of experience to every note.
The 86-year-old Battle Creek resident is the oldest living Battle Creek Grand Trunk Western retiree who operated steam locomotives. He spent more than 40 years as a locomotive fireman and engineer.
Convis took time off only to serve his country in the U.S. Navy for 23 months during World War II.
The Battle Creek Central High School graduate started working for the railroad in the early 1940s. He retired in 1981.
And for nearly 20 of those years on the tracks, he drove or fired up the old steam locomotives. He did round-trip runs to Chicago, Port Huron, Detroit, Durand and Flint.
“On steam engines, there was far more noise and vibrations in the cab. And when the wheels were going around fast, it was almost like a carnival ride,” he said. “Most of us had passenger service ’til the early 1960s. We were supposed to do only 79 miles an hour, but some of us did 100, especially on long stretches of track.”
Convis said he enjoyed the feeling of power with the heavy freight trains. And with the passenger trains, the big thrill was speed.
“During my work years, I don’t recall seeing any other job I would have preferred over being a locomotive engineer,” he said.
Like any engineer who drove trains for many years, Convis recalls many incidents and near accidents on the rails.
Even though Convis has been retired for 25 years, Convis said he still has the urge to sit in the train’s engine room.
“I would dearly love to be given permission to ride in the cab of an engine between Battle Creek and Chicago and return or Detroit and return without any responsibilities besides reminiscing.”