Former UTU DLC Frank Burge dies

Former UTU Designated Legal Counsel Frank O. Burge Jr., 87, passed away June 13. A native of Birmingham, Burge graduated from Ramsay High School. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Tulane University. After college, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and later th [...]

Former UTU Vice President George Cahill dies

Former UTU Vice President George J. Cahill, 85, died June 3 after a courageous battle with cancer. A member of SMART Transportation Division Local 1978 at New York and the former Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Lodge 328, Cahill began his railroading career as a crew caller [...]

Former Associate General Chairperson Carstens dies

Former Burlington Northern Railroad Associate General Chairperson Harold “Jack” Carstens, 94, died March 19. Carstens, a member of SMART Transportation Local 1637 at Wishram, Wash., was the conductors’ griever for General Committee of Adjustment GO 386. Born Dec. 27, 1919, in [...]

UP Chairman Jim Young dies

James R. Young, who advanced to become Union Pacific Corp. (UNP) chairman, president and chief executive officer after starting with the railroad company in an entry-level finance position, died today. He was 61 years old. He died after a two-year battle with pancreatic cance [...]

Retired general chairperson Jesse E. Carr dies

Jesse E. Carr, 95, retired general chairperson of former Southern Railway – Lines West General Committee of Adjustment GO 903 died Dec 26. A member of SMART Transportation Division Local 338 at Chattanooga, Tenn., Carr retired in 1982 following 41 years of continuous membersh [...]

Retired general chairperson L.L. Nelson dies

Lewis Lavon Nelson, 74, retired general chairperson of former Union Pacific General Committee of Adjustment GO 957 (Northwest District), died Jan. 10 from complications related to lung cancer. A member of SMART Transportation Division Local 1574 at Portland, Ore., Nelson reti [...]

Father of Vice President Robert Kerley dies

Richard Lavon Kerley, 84, the father of SMART Transportation Division Vice President Robert Kerley, died Dec. 8. Kerley graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1948 and married Joyce Briggs on Sept. 4, 1949, in Arcadia, Kan. In 1950, he began working for Palmer’s Service Sta [...]

Former general chairperson Tim Smith dies

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Dec. 3, for Timothy J. Smith, 66, who died Nov. 28 after a hard fought battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Smith worked 30 years as an engineer for Lake Terminal Railroad in Lorain, Ohio, with 22 of those years serving as general chairperson. H [...]

Local 1732 President Dacanay dies

Henry L. Dacanay Jr., 46, president of SMART Transportation Division Local 1732 at San Jose, Calif., died Nov. 14 following a heart attack. Dacanay worked for Amtrak as a conductor for 19 years. Besides serving as local president, he held various other positions including loc [...]

Former NS General Chairperson Paul Emert dies

Former Norfolk Southern General Chairperson Paul E. Emert, 65, died Nov. 11 following a heart attack. Emert, a member of SMART Transportation Division Local 750 at Knoxville, Tenn., retired in 2011 following 39 years of railroad service. He had served as general chairperson o [...]