My Last Day at Union Pacific
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- I thought I would share some of my last day at the railroad with you. Nothing big, fancy or exciting. The closest I got to the tracks today was my office (actually driving across them, I guess!) and that's the way it should always be for anyone who is retiring. Actually, were I a manager and had someone retiring, he would do nothing at all the last week he was here. I'd just have someone else do it...but that's me.
Things will be different but in a good way. There are things I will miss and things I will not miss. Same goes for people I have worked with. I'm looking forward to it.
So, join me as I leave the house at 6 am and wind things up at home in the afternoon.
I retired at 62 knowing I would not get full SS, but I can tell you I was ever so happy to leave the rat race of engineering behind!! What I did before last day, was get lined up with local hospitals as volunteer so that when I walked out on Friday, the following Monday I stepped into the volunteer escort and general roust about doing whatever volunteer job either one had.
A ex Milwaukee RR told me what ever you do, DON'T sit in the rocking chair, you will be dead withing six months. If you want to rock, do it for an hour the first day only, then get up, get moving, make your self useful to your community. So far 12 years into retirement, I really have been more busy coming and going than I was in the rat maze cubical city of a job. People say "Oh how can you leave your electrical job, so much fun (uh-huh), in your free time you can design and patent XYZ" I tell them that door is solidly closed, except for working on our layout wiring and signal systems (fun!).
I love what you put down on the company's exit form at the end of the video: I resigned/retired because: "I COULD". Awesome!
I loved it too! Thanks for checking it out!
Retirement, I highly recommend it! Retired since 2012 after 40 years, 11 months and 5 days. Started with the SP in South Texas, worked on the Rio Grande in Denver and finished at Palestine, Texas on the UP. I was fortunate, never was furloughed. However, I did have to "uproot" numerous times to stay employed.
Congratulations on retirement. My last day was low-key, as I had hoped. I worked to the end and have a video of the last 100 yards or so of switching the yard I worked in. I stay in touch with the guys, through our BLET Division and other ways. I miss it a bit but having a 'retired guy' sleep schedule is great! And so is Railroad Retirement.
Thank you! I'm not missing it a bit. I still get up at the same time because my wife still works and gets up so I go have coffee with my buddy I worked with for 35 years. THEN I can come home and lie back down!
Thanks for checking out my channel and for the comment!
Congrats on your retirement brother!!!
Wow 40 Years from 79 to2019. I retired in 99 with. 40 years on the J.(Elgin Joliet and Eastern Rys.) Last 23 years as maintainer at Barrington, ILL. It's now owned by CN. Best to you....
God Bless an enjoy your retirement, keep busy doing more of what you love doing an didn't have time before.
Good for you my friend.
I hear you on the "hope I'm not as busy after retirement". The railroad never sleeps, but sometimes we all need a rest from time to time. Glad you had a good, long run on the UP and hope things are great for you and yours afterward. I'm some ways away from this, but all my railroad-retired friends seem to enjoy it a lot.
So far I've been very busy but mostly with stuff I want to do and not what I have to do! Thanks for checking it out and for the good wishes!
Congratulations on your retirement. Ron Walley, FRA Track Inspector.
Thank you, Ron.
Enjoy your retirement sir! 👍 I am 2 yrs in and 28 to go! Lol
I am! Thank you!
Just subscribed!! Great video
I'm a track supervisor for UP in Illinois, I have about 11 years to go, I can tell you the hardest thing for me when I go will be giving up my Hyrail, and not running my rail anymore, glad you made it hope your enjoying it and Lord willing I'll be there myself one day
I retired at 66 in 2013 when my wife turned 65 and was able to get her SS. I have not regretted that decision one bit or time. My problem was I had to put her in a nursing home in 2018 and lost her on July 8, 2021, after our 50th anniversary on May 22, 2021. I had promised her 50 and then we would renegotiate but that did not happen.
I spent about 20 years in railroad trackwork with 2 railroads, contractors, a consulting engineering company, and 2 tourist railroads and 17.5 years making air conditioning condensing units.
A question: Re- means to do something over. correct? Then how can you "re-tire" if you haven't recovered or rested from getting "tired" in the first place? Cheers. I have a weird sense of humor.
All power to you. I'm 8 years away from my retirement age... I smiled sq you explained your reasons and what you would... and would not do.
Congrats. I was furloughed in March 2020 and laid off in July. Now I'm retiring early. I did have the sense to get my personal stuff out of the office. The last year has been an adjustment. I have to self-motivate now. Good luck.
Nice way to go out, Mark. I have a feeling that retirement will ultimately agree with you, and you with it. I know it has been great for me.
I'm looking forward to it. I doubt the adjustment will be a big deal!
Looks like you had the same people at my retirement party as I did. Have a long and fruitfull retirement.
Retirement really is kind of a weird feeling. I'm a disabled vet, a former Marine, and if I didn't have MS, life would be a blast!!! I've really enjoyed your videos---to bad there won't be anymore!!!! Have a good and happy retirement!!!!!!!!!
No more? I'm not stopping, I just don't have any more signaling explained stuff. I am planning on an AEI site one. I just need to get some info from the comm tech.
Sorry to hear you're battling health issues. I hope you can still make the best of it. Take care and thanks for checking out my channel.
I'm soo happy for you Mark and you have an AWESOME Retirement, BIGGGG HUGGGSS to you 🥰 XOXO
Thanks! I appreciate it.
I hope your retirement is going well. I'm tuning in a year later. I've been retired since '93. Took about 10 years to realize every day was" Saturday ". You do finally get used to it.
Yep, just 7 Saturdays in a row, 2011 for me and 65 for retirement in thge UK. I changed countries and language. . . . . . . . . .
I hope Mark and all the retirees are doing great.
3:59
This part is hilarious.
I had a Dodge Ram back in the day.
Embrace the Suck.
New to your channel and catching some of the older videos . Hope your enjoying retirement .
I'm loving it! Going out Wed. to finish a piece on the Sunset Railway Branch. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and again, thanks for checking out my channel!
Congratulations on your retirement!! Enjoy your time, have fun, keep up the great work on the channel!
-Will M.
Thank you! I have many videos ready to post and a ton of ideas!
Congratulations on retirement even though it was a few years ago. Do you dream about your job? I have found that happening, never did while working, but still happens after being retired from industrial maintenance for over 5 years.
My dad was "forced" into early retirement, and often dreamed about his previous job for decades after. LOL
As a retiree, I am comfortable telling those who have just retired, or will soon retire, that it takes about 3 months to realize it's not just an extended vacation, but it is your new life. Enjoy it!
Between two injuries that required surgery and almost dying of covid since retiring, my retirement is really just getting started. Even with all that, it still beats working! I started taking trips and staying busy the first week and, other than recovery times, haven't slowed down! Thanks for the encouragement and for checking it out!
When I retired from the support department at a manufacturer of servers, It was a "surprise" of sorts. At least you got a chance to plan ahead. In my case, my manager approached and said to leave the phones at the end of the call because the "rumored" 15% world wide RIF had caught him, and about half his team. I was the first to get notified other than him. (He had been stopped on the way to his cubical... and his task for the day was telling the folk on his team that were getting canned that they WERE getting canned. I was already over 67, so my future had been planned by the management over my manager. (The 15 % world wide only happened in the US, so they fired about 30% of the staff here. ugh) They also canned field service folk and field management.... so everyone here was at risk of job loss. Some of the folk that lost jobs on my team were in their 20's and 30's...Left me looking for a house (found it) and a calm retirement until the disease hit.
Congratulations 👏 👏 👏
WOW!! I WISH I COULD SAY THE SAME THING, 5 YEARS IN AND FIXING TO GET FURLOUGHED S.TX CONGRATS!!
TOO MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED RECENTLY :(
Yes, they have. I started at 19 and I'd planned on going at 63 but with all the silliness I went at 60. Thanks for checking my channel out and for the comment!
Just think about the junior maintainers who are jumping for joy that they moved up one spot on the roster. It’s a ruthless business.
Never served with the railroad however happier then a clam 3 years now since retirement & I've never looked back @ all! Congratulations my friend you may end up being more busier then you may think! Though it's your in control of it now!
Congratulations.. How is retirement going ?
I retired after 46 yrs from up in train service july 31 2018. At least u got 2 go out on your own terms. It took 3 strokes to finally get me out my last july 4th 2018. Wanted to make it to 70 yrs old but only got 2 64. Didn't realize I would enjoy it as much as I have but I do. No more phone no more on call 24 7 no more working in the heat & cold, rain & snow & finally no more putting up with up bs.
My last day at Edison we had lines relay and I spent my last day in a helicopter patrolling lines.
Have a great retirement Mark !! Keep the videos coming.
Congratulations Mark 😀 Happy for you and so jealous for me😂. Enjoy your much deserved retirement.
Thank you, Darla! I plan on taking advantage of my newfound freedom! It's always good to hear from you!
Using wife's phone not her opinions I missed this one but Mark I would like to know if you took to sleeping in past 5 yet it took me 12 years to do it and I'm still not used to it and feel out of it all day when I do sleep in but the older I get it gets easier to sleep late
Getting past 5 was easy, but I seem to be stuck at 6, which is fine, as I'm a morning person anyway. Thanks for checking it out!
If you keep in touch with a few guys you'll know true friends
Yeah your going to miss that truck, 😆
You seem to be he type of guy that doesn't get too wound up if something goes wrong. You choose your words carefully, and I admire that! I'm the only one in UP history to pay my way through Locomotive Engineers School in Salt Lake. I never got railroading out of my blood, so I do it down stairs! The railroad has 2000+ feet of track on three levels with hundreds of engines, both steam and diesel, and well over 1000 freight and passenger cars! I designed the control system, the signal system, and the sound system. When it is finally done---years from now it will be one hell uva railroad. You are very, very wise wanting to spend time with family!!!
Thank you! I've done some signal training at SLC. The last time in 2014. It's quite a facility! Your project sounds pretty cool.
I learned years ago that getting wound up doesn't fix the problem! I just kept my side of the street clean and tried not to make a target of myself.
While I'm not a railfan I still think the RR is cool, especially the history.
Thanks for the comment and for checking out my channel! It's appreciated!
@@MarkClayMcGowan Did you do training in SLC 2004? I was there for Engineer training.
@@samfuller6273 i may have. I was there four different times and 04 sounds about right for the first time.
@@MarkClayMcGowan November 04. Signal guys had a large scale LGB type track set up and rail cars with steel wheels showing us how signals work. And what happens when you run a red! It was super cool. Especially watching all the old relays work. The old stuff was impressive and interesting.
@@samfuller6273 yes. The lab in SLC is pretty extensive! The training I did there was mostly classroom. I only got to use the lab a couple times but I enjoyed it.
Congrats hope you catch some big ones on the 8th
Sorry for the delay in replying. I hope you caught my video on the Big Boy roadtrip! It was a blast!
Thanks for the comment and for checking it out!
Congrats on retirement!
Thanks! I'm loving it!
I bet you got called old man like I did with the Employee ID # that started with 00!
Will be in Trona October 6th through 11th. I know a short one however just an FYI if you're in the area!
I'll be in Kelso the 8th when the Big Boy comes through!
Hope you have a great retirement. I retired in 2003. Miss the guys not the job.
Fire dept was the same way.. easier to enter.,. Harder to retire.
I retired in 1992, I get up at 5am everyday
Mark one thing I know you'll be drinking just as much coffee as you did as a signalman
Where is Tony's Restaurant? And Tina's? Sending faxes, eh? I don't communicate with anyone in the early 90's anymore so I don't do fax. :) But I guess the railroad business is pretty old-school. Congrats on the retirement! I'm in San Diego, grew up in Tehachapi, Hope I can buy you a drink and hear some stories some day.
Tony's is out where Mesa Marin Raceway used to be. Tina's is on 20th & Chester. I grew up in Tehachapi too. If you're ever up this way let me know!
I love my retirement! I have the freedom of doing nothing! I’m living the dream
Congrats eh!
like you would ever go back to work to use the printer lol
Sorry I'm R J
Highball