Unsung heroes of railroading

By BERRY CRAIG

AFT Local 1360

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division--International Brotherhood of Teamsters members like the two I saw at work are among the unsung heroes of railroading.

They were repairing the busy Canadian National tracks at the Pierce Road crossing near South Fulton, Tenn. 

Maintenance crews help keep freight and passenger trains running safely and smoothly--and in doing so they provide this railfan ample locomotive photo ops on our section of the main CN Chicago-to-New Orleans line.

Hayward Granier of Mayfield is retired general chairman of the BMWE-IBT's Illinois Central Gulf Federation. His wife, Anita, taught with my wife, Melinda, at Mayfield High School for many years.