List of the Southern Pacific Railroad's Sacramento Shops Oral History Project MS 829
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Cecil Bingaman. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1950 to 1992. Hired as an Apprentice Machinist. Apprenticeship was interrupted by service in the Korean War. Upon return, completed his apprenticeship, and then divided his time between the Machine Shop and the Erecting Shop. Worked nights for most of his employment in the Shops. 28 pages.
Interview with Carl Blakkolb, (1916-2011). Employed in the Sacramento Shops, 1937 to 1976. Worked five years as a molder's helper and thirty-four years as a crane operator. Worked in the machine shop, unit shop, traction motor shop, wheel foundry, boiler shop, brass foundry, and electrical shop. 17 pages.
William O. Brown. Employed in the Sacramento Shops, 1937 to 1967. Started work as a Draftsman and rose to the position of Assistant Superintendent, Motive Power and later became Superintendent of the Mechanical Department. 39 pages.
Don S. Carrell. Employed by the Southern Pacific from 1936 to 1979. Started work in Maintenance of Way working as a carpenter on bridges and trestles. Worked in the Shops as a Boilermaker's helper. Later became a Switchman and Yardmaster. Ended his career as General Forman, Sacramento Yards. 22 pages.
Marvin A. Denowitz. Employed in the Sacramento Shops, 1965 to 1969. Came to the Shops as a Management Trainee. Worked under the supervision of the Superintendent, Mechanical Department. Assigned to various shops to troubleshot production and scheduling problems. 21 pages.
Jack Lenihan. Employed in the Sacramento shops from 1937 to 1977. Hired as a messenger in the Stores Department. Worked in various positions in the Stores Department. Also worked on the SP supply train as a storekeeper. Eventually became General Foreman, Stores Department. 34 pages.
Ronald Rypinski. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1963 to 1968. Worked as a Carman in Car Shop 9 (Freight Car Shop) and Car Shop 3 (Passenger Car Shop) performing a variety of repairs to freight and passenger cars. 63 pages.
Edgar J. Seil. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1960 to 1962. Assigned to the Shops as a result of a promotion. He was the first Supervisor of Quality Control in the entire SP System. Worked primarily in Car Shop 3 (Passenger Cars). Later, duties were expanded to include other shops. Performed several cost studies that resulted in savings to the SP. 23 pages.
Robert Steffens. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1949 to 1959. Hired as an apprentice, he became a Carman and worked in both Car Shop 9 (Freight Cars) and Car Shop 3 (Passenger Cars) performing a variety of different jobs. 30 pages.
Rudy Telles. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1949 to 1990. Started work with the SP with Maintenance of Way. Hired as a Helper in the Shops. Worked in the Foundry and Erecting shop. Became an apprentice in the Metal Shop and became a Pipefitter. 30 pages.
John Benedetti. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1935 to 1970. Started as an Apprentice in the Machine Shops. Transferred to the Car Department where he became Foreman of the Air Brake Shop. 26 pages.
Dorothy E. Burgess. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1943 to 1945 during WW ll. Worked as a rivet heater, drill press operator, and sweeper in Car Shop 9 (Freight Cars).
Leroy Gabriel. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1936 to 1937. Hired as an Apprentice Carman and was assigned to Car Shop 9 (Freight Cars) and Car Shop 3 (Passenger Cars). Became a Mechanic and an Electrician. Spent most of his time in the Air Brake Shop. 44 pages.
Malcolm R. Gaddis. Assigned to the Sacramento Shops in 1956. Remained there until 1978. He worked as an Electrical Engineer. Most notable achievement was engineering design and conversion of SP steam powered rotary snowplows to diesel electric power. Also involved in several conversions and upgrades of SP diesel locomotives. 21 pages.
Victor Ruiz. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1943 to 1987. Worked as a Carman in Car Shop 9 (Freight Cars) and Car Shop 3 (Passenger Cars). Also worked in several other shops. Long time Union Representative and President of several unions. He was Chairman of the Shop Crafts Federation. 21 pages.
Seth Barry. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1936 to 1978. Worked as a Carman and Welder in Car Shop 9 (Freight Cars) for forty-one years. Worked brief periods in other shops, but always returned to Car Shop 9. 30 pages.
Stanton C. Draper. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1940 to 1980. Hired as a Laborer, he took Machinist's Apprentice training. Took advantage of SP educational opportunities and became a Junior Draftsman. He was promoted to Chief Draftsman and later he became an Industrial Engineer. 44 pages.
Albino Freitas, Jr. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1940 to 1980. Hired as a Helper, he worked as a Machinist's Helper throughout his employment in the Shops. Started in the Track (Frog) Shop. Moved to the Erecting Shop and when diesels replaced steam engines, he became Lead Workman on the Firing Line. 41 pages.
Howard Shrader. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1918 to 1930. Started out as an Apprentice in the Machine Shop. Became a Journeyman Machinist. Did extensive machine shop work on engines for the SP ferry fleet. Laid off in 1930 due to the Depression, he did not return to the SP. 31 pages.
Laura Walton. Employed in the Sacramento Shops from 1951 to 1978. Worked as a Clerk in the main Tool Room, the Administration Building, and the Stores Department. 21 pages.