Goodbye, Mel Railroading and I lost a friend last week. Mel Baughman was born in Rifle, Colorado, on November 2, 1948, and began working for the Rio Grande in 1967, subsequently becoming an engineer. Later in his career, he frequently ran the local out of Helper, Utah, to East Carbon, more commonly known as the “dirt train.” This locally-famous train was the last holdout for Rio Grande locomotives on the Union Pacific system. He retired in 2008 after 41 years with the railroad and still called Helper home. He died on November 2, 2017—yes, it was his 69th birthday. Goodbye, Mel.
Photo albums dedicated to the Men, and Women that keep the Railroad running around the clock 365 days a year. From Dispatcher to Track Gangs, these are the people that make the railroad moves!
