My name is Doug Bess. I graduated from Marshall University with a BSCE degree and began working for Southern Railway in September, 1973 as a management trainee in Valdosta, Ga. Exactly One year later was transferred to the Bridge Dept in Atlanta. Worked in various sections of the Bridge Dept but beginning in September, 1987, I maintained the bridge, culvert and tunnel database. I also monitored to insure all structure types were inspected yearly.

On November 1, 2003 I took a voluntary separation/retirement from Norfolk Southern. A few months later I began working for engineering firm Ralph Whitehead Associates which in 2006 was acquired by STV, Inc. I fully retired in January, 2016.

I have a website WVRails.net that showcases photos I took mostly in the latter part of the 1960s. A majority of the photos were taken in my home state of West Virginia.