New Haven Station - 1989

New Haven Conductor Luther Threishman (left) and Danny Koscuik ham it up for the photographer at our crew change point.

A few months later, Luther would be the Conductor on Amtrak #66, which crashed into the back of MBTA 906 at Back Bay Station in Boston.

Luther was one of many unsung heroes that day. He rounded up passengers from derailed and smashed coaches and led them to safety.

Conductor Fred Leighton - Southampton St. Yard 1988

The railroad has a lot of colorful characters, but on occasion, we do find someone who's claim to fame are their brains and railroad skills.

Conductor Fred Leighton was one of those guys.

He was one of those guys who didn't have an awful lot to say, but when he did say something, it was worth listening to. He also had a knack to switch out trains. He was one of the few people I knew who could switch out an entire yard without a switch list. A true railroadman indeed!

EX NY, NH & H GP-9 - South Station, Boston
1978

A former New Haven Railroad GP9 sits at the "jack" at South Station in 1978. These dual purpose workhorses were some of the most dependable and faithful locomotives ever used in South Side Commuter Service.