Query: Female train engineers

[Anonymous]

One time while photographing MoPac at Mitchell, IL in the early 1980's, a woman brake(person) saw me with camera and shouted: "I don't want my picture taken!" I'll never forget that, but she is just barely visible in the photo. In my roughly 23 years of railfanning I have never met a woman engineer, but I am certain that they do exist, especially on roads such as UP, and BNSF.

[edahrenhoerster]

Since I replied to this over a month ago I have been watching for female crew members. On a trip south I did some train watching in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, at the Huey Long bridge and nearby yard in New Orleans, on the IC north of New Orleans, in a couple of yards at Memphis and at several spots in between. Just yesterday I spent a day watching action on the WC at their yards at Ackerville and in North Fond Du Lac. In all that time the only female crew members I saw were a couple of motormen (motorpersons?) on some New Orleans street cars. Before I retired as a lawyer I worked with many lady lawyers and other professionals. The "fair sex" seems to be much more fairly represented in the law than it is in railroading. Maybe this is one more sign that Trains' "Professional Iconoclast" is correct about the railroads being too mired in the past to survive in their current form. I certainly hope not.

[Anonymous]

I grew up next to the SP&S (Spokane, Portland and Seattle--currently BNSF) railroad cut thru north Portland (Oregon), hearing all the sounds of the trains switching or roaring by. Trains were just a part of daily life, like cars and school--I never thought a thing about them.
About 11 years ago I met a photographer whose work I admired. Being a photographer myself, that's what we talked about--and the fact that he mostly took pictures of trains. We went on a day-trip to the Oregon Trunk to see whether our styles of working would be compatable. I became a railfan at the sound of the first train working it's way up the canyon toward me--what a rush!
I love being out there, I don't mind waiting for a train, and it's still exciting. I see female engineers and conductors occasionally. There are a few at BNSF's Vancouver (WA) yard, and I've seen a couple on Amtrak. It would be great to see more.
I suspect one reason you don't see many female employees/fans/modelers is that girls tend to spend more time with their moms doing "girl" things, while the boys are playing with trucks and cars and trains. I actually wanted a model train when I was little--I finally gave up and bought myself a little oval track and a GN train last year. I'm not a modeler, I just like to watch it go--makes me think of Montana which is one of my favorite places to railfan.
Donna

[Anonymous]

Speaking of UP, MP had quite a few, in fact, MP's first female engineer, is now a UP Dispatcher in Omaha. It probably wouldn't be a surprise to find female conductors on UP trains as well.

[Anonymous]

I am aumsed to see that none of those who replied to your question were women. (at least until now) - Historically, women have been active in the rail industry when there have not been enough men to run the businesses (ie: during the wars) - It is true that within the last 20 - 25 years women have made tremendous strides into the industry, however it remains difficult to do so. There is an excellent book out about Women Railroaders which may be of interest to you. As to women in the cabs - the Naugatuck Railroad (Waterbury CT) has an ENTIRE train crew that is women and has been written up in local newspapers here. Hope this is useful informatin to you!!

[Anonymous]

The fairer sex has taken the throddle of freights on the BN/BNSF in Chicago area as well I know of at least two. (Don't forget that the BN has Crews on Metra trains in the Chicago area as well so BN can be ceditted there too. UP also has a few Females around the system.

[Anonymous]

My name is Eric, I am a conductor for CSX in Louisville and we have 3 female engineers.

[fecfan]

Headline for May, 2000 of "All Aboard", the newsletter for the Tri-County Commuter Rail Authority (South Florida Tri-Rail):

"Tri-Rail's First Female Engineer"

Pamela London is credited prominently in this newsletter for her achievements "both in the classroom and on the job".

Keep 'Doing better', Pamela!

[Anonymous]

Yes, I am an Operator here in sunny San Diego. Drop me a line at [e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Barry
Are you an operator for San Diego? I and an operator for Bi-State Transit MetroLink in St. Louis Missouri. We have only 43 operators at present but will be going to 79 the first of May. Of the 79 we will have about 40% female. One of your former supervisors is our Director of Rail Operations, Terry Mulcahy.

[Anonymous]

I live along a quite busy NS mainline and yes indeed , I have heard female engineers on my scanner many times .

[Anonymous]

I met a nice female firewoman in the cab of a Shay. Up on a little tourist line in West Summerland, BC.

[Anonymous]

Not only have I seen women engineers, I have seen
many women operating trolleys,and once I rode a
Metro North (New York City area)with an all female crew. I also have a friend that trained a woman on the LIRR. In modern locomotives it doesn't really take much phisical effort to take a train over the road. What it takes is brains, and women really are equal in that area.

[Anonymous]

On our light rail system in San Diego we have 131 Train Operators. Of that group, 28 are female. About 22% I think. Not quite the same as heavy rail, but indicative of the future I think.

[edahrenhoerster]

I have seen a few lady engineers on the BNSF at La Crosse, WI, but haven't seen any on the same RR in dozens of trips to Rochelle, IL. Haven't seen any on UP either in Milwaukee area or at Rochelle. Likewise, none on CP Milwaukee area or on WC at either Waukesha, WI or at Shops Yard in North Fond du lac, WI.
I suppose that could be blamed on discrimination, either corporate or by co-workers, but I have noticed that there are very few female model railroaders either and there all you have to do is walk into a hobby shop and say, "Give me one of those." Heck, you can order through the mail or on line and no one would know whether you were male, female or Martian. I have 3 grandsons and 3 granddaughters and 2 of the boys have been train fans since before they could talk while none of the girls has even the slightest interest. I suspect that there might be something genetic at work. I would be interested to hear from any female RR employees/fans/modelers as to what they think.

[Anonymous]

I just met a very nice and friendly female engineer at Williams, AZ. She runs both steam and diesel trains for the Grand Canyon Railroad.

[thirdrail1]

There have been female engineers in the US for at least the last quarter century, on both Calss I and short line railroads. The BN was one of the first to have women in the cab. Their numbers are not equal to their proportion in the population, but they are not rare either.

[Anonymous]

I am curious to know if the fairer sex has members in the cabs of locomotives?