United Aircraft Turbo Train.

October 1974

I rode this train between Boston and NY City on several occasions.

Sleek, somewhat comfortable, and you couldn't beat the seats right behind the engineer in the "observation seating area."

Talk about "legends." Here are some of Boston's finest after graduating from Amtrak "charm school" in 1983, shortly after Amtrak took over the operating crews.

What a handsome bunch!

Photographer Unknown

This has to be one of my favorite photos of all time. It was taken at Dominic Spinale's bachelor party at a joint called "William's" over near the old First Street Yard in South Boston.

Here we find Locomotive Engineer  R.C. " Richie" Fowkes doing his best Donald McHugh imitation for the camera. Donald was a yard hostler and part time starship captain. His locomotives would arrive on runways and on occasion he would find himself being attacked by Japanese "Zero" fighter planes.

It was guys like this who made the railroad such a very special place to work.