Brother Keith Shambaugh and his family had their lives permanently altered when he was hit by a truck while riding his motorcycle in early May.
Keith Shambaugh poses with his son in this family photo.
Shambaugh, president of Local 600 in Cumberland, Md., since 2022, was broadsided on U.S. 50 in Augusta, W.Va. His injuries required amputation of his right leg above the knee, both his arms were seriously injured along with numerous other serious injuries.
Married with one child, Brother Shambaugh has been involved for years as a local officers, first serving as trustee in 2008, alternate legislative representative in 2009 and president in 2022.
He began working for CSX as a conductor in October 2000. He completed his training in the spring in 2008 and established seniority as engineer, the profession he has worked since.
“We would appreciate if you could support this effort to secure some much-needed funds for their family,” Maryland State Legislative Director Larry Kasecamp said.
Local 600 in Cumberland, Md., is mourning the loss of CSX conductor trainee Travis Bradley alongside his family and friends.
Brother Travis Bradley, a conductor trainee out of Local 600 in Cumberland, Md., died after an at-work accident on Aug. 7
Shortly after midnight August 7, Brother Bradley, 40, died from injuries he received Aug. 6 while working in an incident involving a close clearance in a yard track. Brother Bradley referred to his new career in railroading as his dream job. Unfortunately, his career and life were both tragically cut short in Cumberland Yard.
Bradley came to the railroad in hopes of providing for his wife and three children. Like most of us, he was willing to sacrifice holidays, sleep and any aspect of a normal lifestyle to bring his family the security of railroad worker wages, healthcare and retirement.
As a trainee, Brother Bradley’s family is not protected by the same level of benefits that non-probationary employees are. The ugly truth is that his wife and children will not be taken care of by the railroad in the way that Travis had set out.
We all began as trainees, and even if it was 30 years ago, many of us remember having a close call while learning how to railroad safely. Brother Bradley didn’t survive that moment in his young career.
SMART-TD extends its condolences to the Bradley family and all our members in Local 600 and thanks Local 600’s Local Chairperson Danny Strang for establishing the GoFundMe campaign to benefit Brother Bradley’s family. Your leadership and willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty for the men and women of your crew base is appreciated.
CSX conductors and Local 600 members Jake LaFave and Stephen Deal lost their lives June 27 when they stepped off a CSX locomotive to check an alert and were hit by an Amtrak train.
Jake J. LaFave
LaFave LaFave, 25, enjoyed spending time with loved ones, working on electronics, playing video and card games, and going on road trips. A newly wed, LaFave married his wife, Caitlin in March 2017. A Pinckney High School, (Pinckney, Mich.) 2011 graduate, LaFave continued his education at Washtenaw Community College, in Ann Arbor, Mich., where he studied Computer Systems and Networking. He is survived by his wife, Caitlin (Blough) LaFave; parents James and Kathy LaFave; sister, Shae LaFave; grandparents, Bud and Beverly Mancuso, and James and Marcia LaFave; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. A public memorial service will be held at the Blough Residence on July 8 at 7 p.m. at 9833 Turkey Creek Rd., Easton, MD 21601. Family and friends are also invited to LaFave’s home at 12922 N. Cresap St., Cumberland, MD 21502, July 11 from 2 – 8 p.m. to share stories and offer condolences. Click here to leave condolences online.
Stephen Wayne Deal
Deal Deal, 20, was a 2014 graduate of Meyersdale Area High School, Meyersdale, Pa. He attended the Meyersdale Grace Brethren Church and was a member of the FFA, where he received the Keystone and American Degrees. Before coming to work for CSX, Deal was employed as a farm hand and as a temporary PennDOT worker. Deal enjoyed riding his motorcycle and ATV, farming, hunting and spending time with his family. He is survived by his parents, Donald S. and Loretta (Hetz) Deal; sister, Aleigha (Walt) Oakes; nephew, Wyatt Austin Oakes; grandmothers, Wilda Deal and Judy Hetz; great-grandmother, Thelma Durst; aunts and uncles, Rhonda (Charles) Teets, Monica (George) Porter, Teresa (Gary) Haer, Harrison (Kim) Hetz, and Jesse (Melissa) Hetz; and numerous cousins and friends. Deal was preceded in death by his pappys, Donald W. Deal and Harrison F. “Cork” Hetz Jr. Click here to leave condolences for the family.
