(The following story by Connie Jo Discoe appeared on the McCook Daily Gazette website on February 25, 2010. Sister McCook is a member of BLET Division 623 in McCook, Neb. She joined the Brotherhood of January 25, 1996.)

McCOOK, Neb. Sue Doak of McCook has plans for her retirement that have absolutely nothing to do with working 70-75 hour weeks and spending time and holidays away from her family.

When Sue started working for Burlington Northern Railroad 1512 years ago, she had one granddaughter. She now has nine grandchildren, with two more -- twin boys -- due in May.

Days of sleeping 612 hours and getting called back to work ... renting an apartment in Lincoln because jobs in McCook weren't available ... working 275-300 hours a month and working on holidays -- that's all done.

Sue retired Feb. 13, and plans to spend time -- especially holidays -- with her family and especially with her grandkids. She and her husband, Sid, plan to travel a bit. She wants to write, take pictures, trace her family roots. And, of course, she still helps with Doak Construction and Lighthouse Marina & Grill.

"I will undoubtedly find things to do," Sue said, grinning.

When Sue hired on with BN in September 1994, the railroads were involved in a big push to hire women and minorities. Sue started as a brakeman and was the first and only female working as a locomotive engineer in McCook. "And I was one of only a few in Lincoln," Sue said.

With training and testing, she progressed to conductor in January 1995 and after more intense training, she earned her engineer's card in October 1995. Also in 1995, Burlington Northern merged with Santa Fe, and the railroad became known as BNSF.

After Sue got her engineer's card, there were no available engineer jobs out of McCook, so she worked from Lincoln and Creston, Iowa, with runs to Sioux City, Iowa, and Kansas City, often sharing the expenses of an apartment with four other McCook trainmen and engineers.

"We had eight hours off between runs," Sue said. "We slept quick, because in 612 hours that phone could ring." Now, she said, trainmen and engineers have 10 hours of uninterrupted rest between runs.

In 1998, Sue was able to hold a job in McCook, running from McCook to Sterling, Colo. Even though she was working from home, she was still working 275-plus hours a month.

Sue was very involved in BLET -- the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen -- serving nine years as the legislative representative from McCook on the State Legislative Board. "I tried to aggressively help people with union issues, and specialized in the application of the Family Medical Leave Act for railroad employees," she said.

She's ready to slow down. "It's time to retire ... let the young guys do this," Sue said.

During her 1512 years with BN and BNSF, Sue never had an accident, no one on her crew was injured. She clearly remembers her one close call as an engineer -- the gas truck that ran the crossing gates in Otis, Colo. "He backed up just in time," Sue said.

Sue said she was never treated differently because she was a woman. "But, you get treated the same way you treat others," Sue said. "I can't say enough good things about the people I worked with."

Sue said the railroad is a fascinating job, but the hours are very demanding for anyone, especially for a woman raising young children or thinking of having a family. "Man or woman, if you're a caregiver for others, it's a difficult job," Sue said.

Sue said she would encourage and caution anyone about working for the railroad. "The benefits are wonderful," she said, "but the hours ... so many hours."

Sue said she always encourages women to be interested in non-traditional jobs -- "and the railroad is certainly non-traditional," she said. "Temper that interest, though, with the knowledge of how much family time you can lose. To be on call 24 hours a day with children -- a lot of young mothers find the hours impossible."

Sue and Sid were married in September 1995, during Sue's engineer training. "It was a good thing we had no small children at home," Sue said. "And that each of us is pretty self-sufficient."

Railroad life can be hard on relationships, Sue said. "It involves a lot of time to be gone from family."

Sue knew what railroad life was like even before she hired on. "Dad (Bill Coady) was an engineer," Sue said. "And my brother (Jim Coady) still works for BNSF."

"Dad told me, 'It was a great job, but it wasn't my life'," Sue said, continuing, "I'll miss the guys I worked with horribly, but the railroad's not my life. I've got other things to do. I've got all sorts of ideas spinning around in my head ... "

Friday, February 26, 2010