One of My First Trips as an AAR Employee
I joined the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) Research & Test Department in Washington, D.C. just after Christmas, 1977, as an Environmental Specialist. I was thrilled to be there. I grew up in southern New England watching trains on the New Haven and the Boston & Albany, hanging around stations, towers, shops; anywhere there were railroaders working. Back in the late ‘50’s and early 60’s, railroads were wearing out everything: the employees, the track, the equipment, and as fascinating as it was to me, I couldn’t see myself working there. Having chosen to work on environmental problems, I studied water and air pollution in school and worked for a consulting firm for several years. But, after realizing that railroads would need people who could help to deal with their pollution problems, I was fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time.
Read moreWinter was on its way and it was chilly and grey, but the cars were warm and the coffee hot.