Ed, from PTRA--I have a question

[OldArmy94]

I am relatively new to this forum but I've enjoyed your posts. You are a railfan AND a railroader and you've got some good insight. From what I understand, you come from a non-railroad background? Just out of curiosity, can you tell me(us) a little more about what brought you to the PTRA? Thanks..

[edblysard]

Hi Jason,
Old Army94? hummm..
If you mean how did I hire out at a railroad , I have a friend who worked for SP, took the brakemans buy-out, and he went to work for the PTRA, running a lawnmower repair shop as a side job. I have known Steve for 20 years. While I worked for the state attorneys office, I would moon light in his repair shop, I like building things, and it was a good fun way to make $600.00 a week cash. Got tired of the crap at the attorney generals office, Steve got me into a interview for a switchman class at the PTRA, and I sold myself to them. Allways loved trains, even when I was a little kid. Dad was Navy, (old army 94?) and the last few years of his career I bummed around with him, overseas a lot. Got to ride the bullet train in japan, the french tgv, and a russian commuter train. Dad was a train junkie too. When the chance to work at a railroad came along, I jumped. Its the best of both worlds. Not only do I get to railroad, its a regular job, with set hours the same ever day, two days off a week, and I get to go home every night. The money is not as good as a class 1, but the benefit of being home with my wife and kids offsets that.
And its kinda neat, when we are out with our friends, to see a train leaving Houston, and reconize it as one from our yard. I get to point at it, and tell my friends, "see that train? I built that yesterday". I know, goofy but still fun. And dont tell anybody, but I model railroad too. So on the job research is easy. Some day I might even finish a layout.
Look at it from this point of view, I get to go to work, play with locomotives, big a little, and hang on all types of freight cars, I get to kick thousands of tons of railcars down the lead, and they pay me to do it!
What a country!
Need more info e mail me at
[e-mail]
Include the dash between renaissance and man.
Say Frosty,
Ed
Ed