ping bttt
from a site which I belong...
Date: 01/27/05 12:51
Tom Ormiston - SP / Amtrak / MetroLink Conductor - R.I.P.
Author: sploopconductor
I have just heard (well, actually early this morning, but I can finally bring myself to type a few words) that the MetroLink Conductor killed in yesterday's collision was Mr. Tom Ormiston.
Sorry for the delay, I just told my wife about the news, and then I broke down again.
Here goes. Tom was a great person, and also a very good rail. He hired out with the Southern Pacific in the mid '70's in Los Angeles. At that time, and several years to come, he and his wife lived in Glendale, Ca, not too far from Taylor Yard. Countless times I worked with him. He had a little more seny than me, so I usually worked as a Brakeman for him. I always knew it would be a nice trip working with Tom. He usually worked the "Butcher Board" (Conductor's Extra Board) for the varity of the types of calls. Sometimes, he would bid a "West-End" job, L.A. to West Colton. When he did that, he would always give me a call to invite me to join him to work as his Brakeman. Sometimes I would get the bid, sometimes not, because alot of fellow rails also enjoyed working with Tom.
Tom collected knives. Very ornate ones. He would often come to work with his latest find. Tom also collected some RR items, which lead him to meet my father who lived a few blocks from Taylor. Tom would come by my folks house all the time. At that time, my father was retired, and a hobby of his (besides the RR) was making ceramic cups, dishes, and other Southern Pacific glassware. Tom would come by and check out my Dad's latest creations. They would just B.S. about the RR. My father (and Mom) really enjoyed Tom's visit's.
Tom was always concerned about safety on the job, and attended all the local Union meetings. Since, I was the Local's L.R. (Safety Committee Chairman), Tom and I would discuss safety concerns. He was always very involved.
I can remember, very vividly, a minor derailment we had while taking our power to the Roundhouse at Taylor one hot summer day. A mis-aligned cross-over switch was missed as we moved up A-yard #8, towards Fletcher Drive ("Top-End-A Yard). We got thru it, and side-swiped a car of lumber. We had a couple of wheels on the ground, and it was quite embarrasing. No injuries, but the "suits" wanted someone to "pay" for the mis-hap. Tom stepped up, told them it was his fault as Conductor, and got a 5 day suspension. They wanted to give the Engineer a few days off, also. Tom made a deal with them to take all the heat. So he had the Engineer's 5 day's added to his.
A real "class act", as our Female Engineer was a divorced Mom and couldn't afford days off without pay. Tom told me that he didn't mind a few "extra days" added because "it is Summertime, and I'll go fishing!" I think he spent the time working on his knife collection!
He left the S P when Amtrak took bids from the ranks of operating employees to run their trains. (Prior to that, the RR's supplied the crews for their trains) That would make the year 1987.
It was easy to continue to "talk" to Tom even though he was on Amtrak. You knew when he was out there with you, nearby, or within 50 miles, because he had a bit of a "Texas accent". We would have short conversations over the radio. We would talk on the telephone every once-in-awhile.
During every call, he would bring up the "Safety Factor" of the "Cab-Car" operation. He would call it the "Bad News" of passenger operations. He felt it was very un-safe to RR that way. He was concerned of the lack of crash-worthiness and it's ability to stay on the rails ... he had seen alot from the cab of a freight locomotive to know the difference in design and weight makes all the difference in a collision.
When I heard of his death, I remembered our many conversations about "Cab-Cars".
How ironic ... and so, so, sad.
I know this for fact, he's now taking care of his passengers who joined him yesterday, and has greeted my Dad. Now, once again, they can discuss coffee cups and knives.
When his service is announced, I will post. I had heard that the news reports put his age at 62, Tom was only a few years ahead of me, I belive more like 58. For now, I'll have to stop pecking ... I can't see my screen for the tears.
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Re: Tom Ormiston - SP / Amtrak / MetroLink Conductor - R.I.P.
Author: SurflinerHogger
I haven't commented on this board regarding the horrible disaster, because frankly I've been too angry to be rational. A fitting tribute to Tom has already been posted here, but I would like to add what it was like have the privilege of being Tom's engineer. When Tom first came to Amtrak, we hit it off immediately. Mainly because of our shared love of the "old" Glendale (where I grew up), also because of our mutual affection for the "old" Southern Pacific (also where I grew up). Tom came to me one day quite a few years ago and told me "Andy said hi." I didn't know what he was talking about, then he told me it was Andy the barber. "Andy" had been cutting my hair since I was 7 years old. Tom and I went to the same barber in Glendale and we became very close friends. Tom remembered my house on Colorado, he remembered the little jeep, dolled up to look like a fire truck that my mom ran around Glendale in. He remembered the red big Irish setter sitting in the back while she would run us kids around town. Tom and I spent countless hours reminiscing about Henry's drive-in at Glendale and Colorado St., and the very first Bob's Big Boy right down the street from my house. He remembered guys on the SP that worked with my grandfather like Roy Ables, Cash Murphy, Roy McFadden and others. And the jokes and pranks. They were never ending. Like the time Tom and his bunch got thrown off an RTD bus going to Hollywood on their layover. The driver tossed them because he wouldn't stop using his farter. He told me he needed a new one last Monday. I would see Tom on the platform smoking his cigar every morning when I went to get my coffee on the way to my train. Most mornings I would just smile and wave, because I knew if I stopped to talk to him, I'd never get to my train. Tom and I shared the same views about cab cars and the people who promote their use, but I won't get into that. To say that Tom Ormiston was a class act and a good friend doesn't begin to touch the surface of what I want , or what any of us want to say. Losing Tom is nothing short of devastating to all of us. And to lose him in this manner, to a murdering swine triples the hurt. I want everyone to know that I loved this man. But I'm not the only one. We all loved him. Not because of any railroad or "working" relationship, but because he was who he was. Like Andy Andersen, he was a giant. I will miss his physical presence, but like so many of my other friends that have passed away recently, his spirit will live in my heart forever. And when I think of Tom, I won't cry, I'll start laughing at the silly things we did together, because when you were around Tom the laughs never ceased. Nor will the memory of a giant. He was my friend and I will miss him greatly.