Railroad Memories: Chip Syme's Railroad Career and Penn Central in Minerva, Ohio

[@ZedBeeE]

"When I'm 60, I got out. I could've stayed longer and got more on my pension but I left at 60 to be with my family." I'm with you on that, Chip. Just 10 more years to go here and I AM OUT! Enjoyed the video. Congrats on your retirement!

[@mrmoviemanic1]

Be well Zed.

[@Ethan1891-n2m]

Chip is a wonderful guy. I've known him for around 4 years now. I've seen and run the immaculate layout that he has built and have been on multiple Railfan trips with him to take pictures of the NS Pittsburg Line. Some of the stories that he has told me over the years are just great.

[@ww32]

Amazing how non of the old timers are happy with the way the railroads are treating their people these days, I hope you have a long and happy retirement Chip.

[@vitobarfalone6060]

Always thought I was a lucky guy to call Chip Syme my friend. Wonderful human being. One of the kindest, friendliest folks I've ever known. And his wife makes the best grape pie you'll ever taste! Steve S

[@OhioRails]

He is the best! I was unaware of her grape pie. Grape pie is my favorite. I'll have to dig into this.

[@rapman5791]

@@OhioRailshair pie is my favorite. 😊

[@daowens]

No one tells a story like Chip.

[@OhioRails]

A great story teller!

[@slufoot733]

I had the great priviledge of knowing Chip for many years while working on the railroad. Without a doubt, he is one of the finest gentlemen I have ever known. Always friendly and polite with everyone. And he was a great railroader. His knowledge of the territory, equipment and operations are endless. And he was always willing to share his knowledge and experiences with anyone who wanted to learn. I was present when Chip pulled into Conway on his last run, on his last day. He was greeted by several friends and family as he brought his train to a final stop. Very emotional for all of us.

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@tominglis3465]

One of the best enginman I worked with at Conway. I never worried about my job when I worked with Chip, he was a safe driver and ALWAYS thinking. I spent a bit of time with Wally also, another great enginman. If you see this Chip, my thanks. Oh also, did you know Lance passed(5 yd shfter for ever)

[@BubbieBoy]

Top shelf railroader and friend. Chip was THE nicest person on the railroad. I miss seeing him in the yard office, but we talk every so often.

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for watching!

[@yourcrazyteacher585]

That was awesome. Thank you.

[@michaelsmith9034]

My Dad work for the Pennsylvania railroad, Penn Central railroad, and Conrail from 1945 to 1982. Was Local Union President. Worked exclusively in the Chicago area.

[@rapman5791]

I knew Old Smitty!! Heck of a guy!

[@michaelsmith9034]

@@rapman5791 Yes,

[@michaelsmith9034]

@@rapman5791 What’s your name ?

[@johnandrus3901]

Great stories. I remember Chip from my time in the Toledo to Conway pool. I worked with his son, John, many times over the years before he became a promoted engineer. They are both exceptional people and fine railroaders. Wally was a man all his own. He always wanted to get on his train and go. These guys are the last of a breed. Many of us came on as the old heads were getting ready to retire. I retired last April. I miss some of the guys, but listening to Chip's stories is good enough for me. Great times.

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for the comment, John. Hope you are enjoying retirement!

[@johnandrus3901]

@@OhioRails I most certainly am. The best decision that I have made in a long time.

[@mrmoviemanic1]

Hope your enjoying your retirement John.

[@NKP-1985]

Remember seeing Chip on Conrail helpers , cool guy . My uncle Merlin Troyer talked about him often

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for watching!

[@talldude5841]

Great stories. I grew up in Rittman where two busy railroad tracks went through about a half mile from my house. I always loved to watch them go by and still do. I will be 70 years old in a few months so I seen alot of trains. Never get tired of it.

[@OhioRails]

Thanks

[@JohnR.1968]

Awesome stories Chip, love the pics too. Good luck enjoy your retirement!!🚂🚂

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@Kfinnerty127]

This is pure unadulterated GOLD. Thank you so much for this, please keep them coming! Godbless and enjoy your retirement Chip.

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@kelvintorrence5994]

i like listening too these old guys and gals about their histroy

[@OhioRails]

Thanks

[@jackcottrill5039]

Chip, I was so surprised to find you here on KZbin. Glad you’re doing well.

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for watching

[@michaelfitzgerald1328]

❤You were always one of the best. As a long time local chairman I commend your service to the carrier and your union brothers as above and beyond!

[@joehoffman5308]

It was great to hearing about Chip's experience as a life long railroader. My take away from him was PC/CR was like a brotherhood amongst co workers, NS was corporate nonsense all the way around! Thanks for posting.

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@billconserva1461]

Great story, appreciate you taking the time to share with everyone, Thank You !

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@bestfriendhank1424]

Left the warm bosom of my former railroad employer after 18 years of service. Enjoyed your story. Unlike so many, I’m glad you retired while you still had your health.

[@OhioRails]

Thank you

[@wisentwisent9150]

A great video. As a member of the E. Canton train club, I have the good fortune to know Chip, who encouraged me to join. My dad fired the U3b's on the Grand Trunk, after working on the Pennsy & the W&LE. As a youth, I lived near the Canton, O. yard, and was in the round house when it was still full of steam. I always loved being around trains & rail roaders, and listening to the old timers.

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@charliem.550]

Thank you for sharing your stories, Chip. I really enjoy them. And thank you Scott for putting this video together. Much appreciated.

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching.

[@mrmoviemanic1]

This is a cool retrospective of Chip's life story with Locomotive's. I wish him and his family nothing but the best, and I love so many of the photo's that accompany all these stories. Just goes to show you that Locomotive's are not just a hobby, but a passion for a lot of people.

[@artillerest43rdva7]

you have seen such change on the rails, the sights you have seen, and all your experiences are amazing! thank you for sharing your work experience, thank you for sharing your story of the time on the rails. and what you lived through ! happy retirement! I have 2 years to go.

[@Stevelikestrains]

This was way better than an excellent video with facts and photos from an authentic past employee like Mr. Syme, of whom I did not know but would love to sit and listen to for hours at a time. Thank You

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@boweandrew3]

Amazing story

[@OhioRails]

Glad you think so!

[@PortsmouthCherokee]

Train engineers are very important people. Thank you for your lifes story

[@rayinpau.s.a.6351]

I enjoyed Chip's memories . Told as it was ! . I hope Chip and his Family are well . Ray in Pa.

[@hongs8867]

Awesome stories. Great career I am a rail fan love the old power. Thanks for sharing

[@OhioRails]

Thanks!

[@larrykurtxt6773]

Good on you sir. Ran for the ICRR, and was quite the career.

[@thomaslusk7621]

I really enjoyed this , Thank you.

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for watching!

[@FlyingT5150]

Great railroad history!

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for watching!

[@greggucwa4543]

Great Interview of Chip's railroad history. Great job. Never met Chip, but I would always see him a-top of the roster. Hope Chip is enjoying his RR retirement!

[@garykuipers2696]

This was a interesting history. I hired with the Erie-Lackawanna Oct. 1970 as a tower man, went through the various take overs, went to NJ Transit in 1987 as a conductor, retired May 1, 2013; 43 years of railroad service. During the Con-Rail days boomed on a couple of short line railroads when work was slow.😎🚂🚃🚃🚃✝

[@OhioRails]

If you haven't seen this video, check this one out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2eoo4xsod2prNE

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing. Great history of a railroadman.👍

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@EL-sp5zi]

Great interview, I could have listened to him for another hour...he was so right the EL guys got screwed, NS made a mess of CR...they never could run a high speed railroad and they still can't, you were a pleasure to listen to Chip.

[@thomasdupee1440]

32:00 Chip mentions the Carothers Branch to Toledo. Which crossed my RR, the B&O, at Tiffin, Ohio. Carothers Branch now in service only between Tiffin and Toledo, is owned by a shortline. The eastern end to Mansfield is long gone.

[@RomeKG471]

Thank you for sharing this story! Enjoyed it very much!

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@johnbarnett7092]

A good look at a long career from the old way of railroading, into the new way today.

[@OhioRails]

Thanks, John

[@chuckrann6282]

Great video!

[@OhioRails]

Thanks!

[@markbelmonte1325]

I doubt you will remember Chip but a couple of close friends of mine and I met you at a run session / slide show in Cleveland probably in 98 or 99. Congrats on your retirement!!! I have about 7 years to go.

[@conrailfan6277]

I grew up next to the Dow line from Anderson Indiana to Elkhart yards in Elkhart Indiana, I had my first ride on a SW8 NYC switcher swapping Boxcars out at Container Corporation then came the fateful merger with Pennsy into the PC, the mainline thru at that time had ties pumping mud as a freight came thru, then Big Blue showed up and rebuilt everything and it became an extremely busy main line from yard to yard!!!

[@JBB4118]

33 years for me and another 4 years to go....i can't wait to GET OUT!!

[@OhioRails]

Good luck. Thanks for watching.

[@RWSBaden]

Great Stories Chip, thank you for sharing them with us. Was that radio communication at the end of the video between you and Joe? I worked with a guy at the Conway Engine house who started out as a Brakeman on the EL. Like you mentioned, he got laid off at the beginning of Conrail and came to Conway as a Electrician. Worked with a couple other guys at East Park, one was a clerk at Wood Tower and the other guy worked in the office building off the Montour run exit by Robinson, they are all retired now. Sadly just 7 years into his retirement, Dom lost his battle to cancer. He was a good guy and I learned a lot about the electrical systems on locomotives from Dom. Good to see you are still doing well and enjoying your retirement. Just a few more years and I plan on joining the retirement crew as well. Regards, Rich S.

[@bladesofglorylawns]

This was awesome listen thanks!!

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@leehuff2330]

Thank you for sharing this. Hearing Canton mentioned put a smile on my face since my uncle worked the storeroom there from the time he hired on with the Pennsy until Conrail finally shut it down. The mention of those Conway to Toledo runs also got me thinking about a friend who used to work as a brakeman/conductor on a lot of those. He wound up taking a buyout to retire early way before NS took over. As for the teacher's remark about getting paid to look out the window, I guess we both won that round since I wound up as a truck driver. 😂

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@HenrikSweden1]

that sure was a great story. Love the photos ! Thanks !

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@PopaJohn-Trains-ky4sm]

great pictures my dad worked nyc penn central he was brakeman my grandpa worked for nyc he was a conducter

[@OhioRails]

Thank you for watching.

[@briannorman952]

This was a fantastic doc to watch.

[@MrBad1818]

Great video, my whole family worked for the railroad, 4 generations with the C/O theres a book written about them,my Grandfather, Dad,both uncle's, PC,Conrail, retired NS, they worked everywhere from Ashtabula, Conway, lordstown, Niles,Hazleton,

[@Helpline5815]

My great uncle Hoyt Mayfield was an engineer for the Pennsy out of the Urbana, IL area I believe. I've seen pictures, I could just imagine the stories he had. He ran during the days of steam.

[@exceptionallyaveragejoe]

That was great. Loved the stories and the details

[@johniacono3725]

Great stories and great pictures. Brings back memories. Goods video !

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@canyonpast]

That is awesome, thank you for sharing

[@OhioRails]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@jimikrentkowski4073]

Nice video! Seems like a good guy.

[@OhioRails]

Chip is the best!

[@MrHondatrxex]

I liked to talk to wally when i would see him at conway. I liked to hear his stories of his early days on the railroad

[@sclm046]

Enjoyed your story! Glad I found it! You had an interesting career. I spent 40 years, 11 months and 5 days on the railroad, in the "non-ops". I noticed that some of the terminology is slightly different from what I experienced, but not totally so. I hired-out on the Southern Pacific at San Antonio in October of 1971. When I hired-on, many of the "old timers" at that time had spent their entire career at one location. That didn't occur in my case. I followed jobs to stay on the railroad. Small offices outside of San Antonio, then San Antonio itself, followed by Houston, Denver (In Denver, our paychecks were issued by Southern Pacific with the statement of "Paid For The Denver & Rio Grande Western" printed on them. Then the Union Pacific came along. Denver was to be phased-out and I had decided to take separation when it was offered. In the meantime an opening came up in Palestine, Texas. Palestine handled all of Union Pacific's freight claim issues. I bid in a Palestine job and I stayed in that office until I retired, nearly 16 years. Longer than I had stayed anywhere else on the railroad.

[@bigiron2572]

lovely vid

[@PatsPurposefulPutzing]

I met Joe Jack in the late 90's -- probably the source for lots of those onway photos Excellent video -- will share with my friends

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for sharing

[@ReynoldsBerry-xe8np]

I just love railroad stories, my granddad Kemp worked for Pennsylvania railroad just before wwII THEN WENTto NJDOT HIGHWAY DIED 1967.😢

[@OhioRails]

Thanks

[@robertwhite9898]

Great story 😊

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for listening!

[@royburns651]

I got out of high school in 75 and tried for southern RR .Had a better chance getting seat on a space shuttle.

[@floydmayo790]

I remember the New York Central and the Pennsylvania and yes even the Penn Central. Everything went to hell on the Penn Central. Norfolk Southern the thing I like the most is the dancing horse on the nose of the engine. Nice artwork. What a very interesting story indeed. 🚅

[@PeteDJPJ]

I really love this story you filmed.

[@OhioRails]

Thank you

[@RalphsPier1961]

Greetings Chip. Thanks for making this video. Did you know my grandpa? John Maynard Osborn? He was an engineer for Penn Central out of Ft.Wayne Indiana. Passed away on December 27th 1979. He ran trains to Chicago and Crestline Ohio.

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for watching

[@johnhauser4589]

Dude. I wasn't far behind you. Fireman for penn centra earlyl 1973. My poison was GG1 New York to Washington. 80 mph most of the run. Sweet memories.

[@OhioRails]

Thanks

[@miniaturefarmer464]

I wanted to work for CSX in 1996 in the worst way. I went to Riverdale yard and talked to a yard master there. He asked me what I did for a job. I told him I worked for a LTL trucking company driving linehaul on a set run 5 nights a week. He said don't work for a railroad, it's worse.

[@dennismaloney7241]

I worked for Conrail/Amtrak as a fireman/engineer from 1977 to 1986 but left due to layoffs. I enjoyed the work and the experiences and quite probably bored the people I worked with after with my stories.

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for watching!

[@Stevelikestrains]

I recently found a Morning Sun book by Chip titled, Penn Central and Conrail Trackside but would like to know if the book has more coverage (photos) focused more so on one railroad than the other, as I’m a huge Penn Central fan. Thank you

[@charlesb3208]

good job, interesting

[@OhioRails]

Thank you

[@SkyRideAdventures]

great site!

[@OhioRails]

Thanks

[@douglasmacgregor3878]

That was great

[@OhioRails]

Thanks!

[@axxeminister]

Excellent video. I always wanted to work on the railroad but the Staggers act and deregulation killed my dreams. I graduated Highschool in 1981, right when it all hit.

[@dennisrichardville4988]

It killed trucking too.

[@OhioRails]

Thank you for watching!

[@nothing-b2n]

I remember Collingwood yard,cleveland,,

[@kevinrapp8618]

Hello Chip! Do you remember the big wreck in Leetonia ? I think summer of 76, 2 west bounds and an east bound

[@OhioRails]

Chip photographed that wreck

[@kevinrapp8618]

@@OhioRails I grew up in columbiana and was 15 during the summer that this happened, I rode my bike over to Franklin Square to see the carnage. I think there were around 100 cars damaged plus several engines

[@johnbarnett7092]

June 1975 Three trains involved in the rock cut. It was the most expensive wreck on PC

[@andrewtreece3708]

We missed out on sitting Mike Woodburn down. Please get the barnetts.

[@samlivingston4130]

How often is Leetonia Tower open?

[@tracedehaven2190]

Something happened to the sound on this video. Perhaps it needs to be re-uploaded? Commercial has sound just fine, nothing on the video...

[@genegfoster8936]

My dad was youngest Engener on the rockisland

[@OhioRails]

Interesting!

[@brandtbecker1810]

I'd still be working for the RR today had I been able to start as a fireman like Chip did. It was pure idiocy on the part of the railroads to think that a man can learn to be a locomotive engineer by pounding the ground for God knows how long and then finally go and sit in a classroom and HEY PRESTO! Instant Engineer!! Hell no - the ONLY way to learn to run a locomotive properly was to sit in that left seat and learn from them's that had been there, done that. Train and engine service should've been kept permanently separate things. More than anything, I longed to be an engineer. However I was unwilling to risk life and limb working on the ground. I began having panic attacks whenever I had to dismount to switch cars and that was no good. It was the RR's loss. I belong to the Penn Central Historical Society and enjoy reading stories, much like Chip's, in their magazine "The Post". It just reinforces the fact, though, that I was born several decades too late for what I wanted to do. Perhaps Chip could contribute some Penn Central stories to the aforementioned publication?

[@OhioRails]

Chip is a long time member of the Penn Central Historical Society

[@daveporter8351]

4 tracks...thru..lake erie...div then.south N.kill plate

[@kerryrock9248]

Cut my teeth in Collinwood with some old guys. Was sent to Rockport. Was a conductor from Cleveland to Conway. Then an engineer to Elkhart, Indiana. Held that pool till the NS started thinning out the pools. Them the Toledo crews sold out the agreements and took a lot of work out of Cleveland. The NS was a terrible take over!

[@OhioRails]

Thanks for watching

[@jenna9390]

Shows how good the job used to be, but not anymore. The railroads being merged and bought out with piss poor management ruined the industry for the employees forever. And when they hire college kids to run the railroad that never worked for one really messed it all up.

[@johnbarnett7092]

true

[@valet5000]

Pigtailer , but a good dude!

[@anthonyplanas3606]

I was born July 24 1972

[@garykuipers2696]

I viewed the Keith Robbins video about a year or two ago, great video. When I hired out on the Erie-Lackawanna one had to either have a relative(s) or a close family friend employed there to obtain employment. 😎🚂🚃🚃🚃✝