Having some fun while waiting on a lenghty hold order. Hayford Junction. Chicago Illinois USA. March 1985.

A westbound Union Pacific transfer train, with second hand Missouri Pacific units acquired through the 1982 merger, were stopped east of Hayford Junction on a lenghty hold order.

One of the locomotive crewmen spotted Me railfanning on location with My camera, and decided to "Ham it up" for a photograph. This is an example of "The Human Side of Railroading". Many people don't realize it, but railroad crews do spend a considerable amount of time just waiting their turn to enter a yard or terminal. In this case, a northbound GTW freight train was due shortly, and was given priority at the crosstracks. The train was at least nearly 30 minutes away, and the crew was begining to feel the effects of boredom and fatique. The conductor shown here and the engineer took the time to talk to Me about some inside details of their careers with the Union Pacific Railroad, and how it was like working on transfer freight trains daily. They thanked Me for being there at that time, as they were lonely, tired and somewhat bored.
Luckilly, they were near the end of their lenghty shift. They explained to Me how much they loved their jobs on the railroad, but how long the working hours are on a daily basis. Still they are dedicated, hard working, and proud of what they do.

Thanks Gentlemen.
Eddie.