Along the Line! Our Parade of Retirees!

Unlike today's railroads, which seem to have little regard for the well being of their hard working railroaders, the New Haven Railroad took pride in addressing and acknowledging the accomplishments of their proud employees. Words and phrases such as "congratulations," "we appreciate your efforts" and "thank you" were quite common and clearly evident in the vocabulary of New Haven Railroad leadership. New Haven Railroad employees were treated with the highest degree of respect and remained part of the New Haven Railroad Family even after retirement.

Take a look at any issue of the New Haven's "Along the Line" magazine, and you'll find pages and pages of tributes and accolades for their employees. Tributes to retirees, years of service milestones, employee heroics, employee accomplishments, etc. can be found on each and every page.

Why? Because the New Haven realized the value of employee loyalty. Yes the New Haven, like any transportation company, had its' fair share of ups and downs, but looking out for the good of their people was always a priority of theirs right to the very end.

Nowadays, railroads are for the most part, run by a bunch of self centered, arrogant politically connected bureaucrats, who have little or no regard for the people on the front lines who actually keep the railroad moving and get the job done.

We call them the "let me tell you about me" generation of contemporary railroad -- so called "leadership."

One of the saddest sights one could ever imagine is seeing a guy leave the property on his last day and barely receive a handshake from fearless railroad "leadership."

The New Haven Railroad on the other hand found that saying farewell and thank you for a job well done to their employees was of the utmost importance. A railroader's "last day" or "last run" was a grand event.

In the past, real railroads such as the New Haven recognized their outstanding employees for a job well done as well. Below, you'll see a regular feature in the New Haven's monthly employee magazine entitled "Pat on the back department." The title of this feature obviously speaks for itself.

The one thing we as working railroaders never, ever forget is our commitment to our Brothers and Sisters, including our retirees, people who spent their entire lives working so very hard, with limited resources and very little help, still getting the job done, all the livelong day.

This is a tribute to all of you great railroad people who have "pulled the pin." We thank you for your hard work and dedication and because of you and only you, and your efforts, the railroad has survived.

Fall 1988 - It's retirement day for Conductor Harvey Harvender, one of Southampton Street Yard's ex New Haven "First Street Fellas."

We as your proud co-workers, friends and railroad family take the greatest pride in thanking you for a job very well done!
Best wishes to all of you from all of your many friends throughout the New Haven Division for being great guys (and gals) to work with!