November, 1949 - Milwaukee Road Archive

preJentinf}
NICK KONTOS
Winner of
Honorable Mention
In Essay Contest
by W. E. Ring
Division Engineer, Butte, Mont.
N
. ICK KONTOS is a railroad propagandist
of a sort and writing an
essay on "Why I Like to Work for
The Milwaukee Road" was less a
matter of search than of putting on
paper the reflections of 28 years on
a job that has given him personal
satisfaction. He has ample reason to
be proud of winning honorable mention
in the essay contest on that subject
last fall.
Nick has put in the greater part
of his service at Vendome, Mont., a
small station on the east slope of the
Rocky Mountains consisting of a section
house and a bunk house. His
closest neighbor is six miles away,
so he devotes a great deal of time in
the evenings to reading. Railroad
magazines are part of his reading
material-magazines which serve to
increase his knowledge of the progress
and problems of the industry.
When Nick came to the Milwaukee
Road he did not figure on staying
long. Before World War I he had
been a section laborer for the Union
Pacific, but he left that job during
the war to serve in the armed forces.
Upon his discharge he signed up with
the Milwaukee on another section job,
Nick Kontos
Honorable Mention
Why I Like to Work for The Milwaukee Road
In my opinion, railroading is the most interesting occupation. It
combines teamwork with a great variety of jobs. Working for a
railroad, one can feel the pulse of traffic and see the intricate mechanism
that runs it. The twin ribbons of steel that tie the North American
Continent together always intrigue everyone from the smallest boy
to the oldest man. Railroading is the romance of world trade. It is
interesting. It is fascinating. I like railroading.
The teamwork necessary in railroading invariably brings together
in true fellowship the employes of the different departments. The
trainmen and dispatchers depend on the maintenance of way crews to
have the track safe for train monments; the dispatcher depends on the
train crew to bring the train safely to its terminal. The trainmen depend
on the dispatcher for the train orders that are needed to bring
the train to the next terminal. Railroad men depend on each other.
During my 28 years as a section foreman with The Milwaukee Road,
I have met many fine people who are now among my closest friends.
From the friendly wave of the engineer in the cab of his giant electric
motor at the head end of a heavy drag, to the occasional chat with the
signal maintenance man-they are examples of friendliness. Railroad
people are a friendly lot.
By traveling on a train, anyone can learn much about the American
\'Vay of Life. While traveling on a train, people nearly always seem
more friendly. This is especially true of the type of traveler found
on the Olympian Hiawatha. On this luxurious speedliner you can
talk with a sheep man from Harlowton or have a friendly talk with a
sophisticate from New York City. On a train, everyone is friendly
"nd all are willing to talk and become your friend.
A railroader learns about the geographical greatness of our nation.
Long freight trains winding up the spine of the Continental Divideeach
train is a geography lesson in itself. Freight cars on the trains
represent every part of our nation-Milwaukee-Southern-Pennsylvania-Santa
Fe-Kansas City Southern-Union Pacific-cars of coal,
government material, reefers of fruit for the East, cattle for Buttethe
romance of trade. A pretty girl from some unknown place waving
to you from the observation car of the gaily colored Columbian-or
viewing the tonnage of a time freight-this is not only fascinating, but
it is educational.
A railroad job means security. A fine retirement plan along with a
hospitalization plan offers a railroader security. Soon I shall be old
enough to retire, but I know that during my spare time I will be along
the tracks of The Milwaukee Road reminiscing over the good old days.
Railroading is in my blood.
NICK S. KONTOS
Section Foreman
Vendome, Mont.
but his intention to stay only a short
time was dispelled by contacts with
other employes and a liking for the
work. He decided to make it permanent
and was promoted to foreman.
He is still holding that position.
A day's work for Nick consists of
patrolling his section in the heavy
grade mountain territory, doing track
maintenance work with his men, assisting
on nearby sections, and various
jobs, such as helping load cattle.
At times he has been called out at
night to change out a broken rail, and
he has done emergency work in temperatures
as low as 35 degrees below
zero. It's part of the job to Nick, and
he is glad that the role he plays in
the maintenance of the railroad helps
to keep the trains running.
Nick's biggest accomplishment, he
feels, was raising his family. His
wife died when his boy was four
years old and his girl was a baby of
two months. It was hard to provide
them with the care that would have
been given by their mother, but he
was successful to the extent that his
son is now a sophomore in the Seattle
Pacific College and his daughter is a
The Milwaukee Magazine