Dave started on June 6, 1967 as an apprentice agent-operator on the Northern Pacific. That job was kind of the public representative of the railroad in a town, and involved some sales, calling on actual and potential railroad customers, selling train tickets, usually handling the business locally of Railway Express Agency, loading mail and baggage, answering questions from people planning on travel, and helping with the dispatching of trains by copying and handing on orders affecting the operation of trains, reporting passage times, and keeping large quantities of records.

He worked all over Minnesota on the Saint Paul Division. Dave finished the apprenticeship and passed the written and orals rules exam in the depot building 40 years ago today. (July 1st 2007)

Dave did not have enough seniority to hold on after the merger, so he went to college and did many other things, college teaching, he was a jack-of-too-many trades for a PBS affiliate, worked for the DNR in another state, and was even driver=warehouseman at a large zoo.

Whenever Dave could, he tried to work with a railroad and was extra board on some short lines,  he volunteer or paid help on tourist railroads, and served a term as Vice President of Bluegrass Railroad Museum in Kentucky.

Dave's most interesting work was with a San Francisco based railroad consulting firm that used him mostly as a trainer of railroad employees-- helping them adapt to a new computer-driven technology.  He also served on the small team that attempted to resolve the mess when the Conrail computers went berserk after the Norfolk Southern purchase and forgot the destinations of a hundred thousand freight cars!

Dave began volunteering on North Shore Scenic in 2001. His involvement was slight for three years, then became quite active. "I like the physical labor of the fireman's job, which is more nearly that of a brakeman, coupling cars, connecting air hoses, helping test brakes, walking, throwing switches, and passing along signals.  As conductor I greet passengers, collect tickets, give short commentaries on railroad and equipment history, do the paper work, say nice things to the concession people. I try to answer questions and really like those of a technical and operational nature. I also try to get ship information so I can tell the passengers about any boats we might see as we follow the lake. I have a good repertoire of railroad stories, and would like to eventually become the Garrison Keillor of railroading. I also am the eyes and ears on the back of the train when we make back up movements."

Favorite Train Song: Apple Cider Reconstitution by Al Stewart

Favorite Train Movie: The Train with Burt Lancaster

Favorite Train Book: The Modoc by Bowden & Dill

Favorite Railroad: Northern Pacific

Favorite train ride: The Clinchfield Line.

Favorite achievements: writing and publishing the history of the Minnesota & International Railway in a book called Mike and Ike and Morningtown (co-author Kurt Haubrich); getting to every town mentioned in I've Been Everywhere Man.

Dave is a voracious reader, Mensa member, love old radio shows, American history and good writing and says he is a "Closet" Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan.
 

Why does he Volunteer at the NSSR?
Why I volunteer....I get to associate with a really good bunch of people who are all willing to devote some time to help bring history alive to other generations who never knew steam engines, passenger trains, or the railroad as a major and positive force in America.
 

Why You'll like Volunteering at the NSSR:
"I think most potential volunteers will like the experience. People at NSSR will help you learn the jobs. You get to work outdoors in great weather, and in pretty crappy weather too. You learn at your own pace, with a group that wants to see you succeed. The pay is lousy but the fringe benefits can be great. Chasing a rainbow that seems to end just down the track from your train, running thru a cloud of fireflies as the pizza train heads home, getting to know a great city from a different perspective and seeing up close and personal deer and at least one bear, plenty of eagles, an occasional oriole, even a moose. You don't get these things at a bowling alley.  (And, they'll let you do it all the livelong day, if you like!)".