New Docent

[Jerry Sullivan]

I noticed there was nothing in this forum, so I will brag a bit. I qualified last year as a docent under the expert tutelage of
Jack Warner and made 5 trips, including a yard host experience in Chama. This year, I expect to arrive in Antonito on
9/24/20 where my wife and I will stay 4 nights at Conejos Anglers and then through 10/18 at Mogote Meadows. We have
rented cabins at both.
I was employed by the Southern Railway, FRA, and Chessie System/CSX for a total of 34 years in the industry, but my
railfan experience started at around age 2 on the knee of my uncle, a high seniority L&N passenger engineer. I was a
electronic engineer in the Southern test department, and manager of the Chessie Signal departments CAD system.
CSX moved me from Huntington, WV to Jacksonville, FL in 1986, and I retired here in 2001. At age 81, I hope I have a
few seasons to work as a docent. I enjoy meeting new folks, and have been interested in D&RG(W) history for many
years. I have all of John Norwood's books, the most important being 2 that focus on the narrow gauge. Hope to
see more of the docents this year - really liked the ones I was with last year.

Jerry H. Sullivan, P.E. (retired)

[Jason Rose]

Congratulations, Jerry! I hope you have a great fall season.

[Jerry Sullivan]

It was. Being the "resident docent" at Antonito, because NM would not admit FL folks without a quarantine, meant that I got a lot of trips, 10 in all. My wife, however, decreed that we would not go out there again (or at least she would not) if we had to stay in a studio cabin (which she likened to a cell), so in 2021 we were in Chama for two weeks and 5 trips. I did have the pleasure of innoculating great grandson #2 and a friend from Jacksonville was on one of the trips, riding the Premium service car. He gave me a good grade. This year, we leave FL on Sept. 28 by SouthWest Airlines and will stay in Chama through Oct. 23, the last day of the season. Originally, we would gone on June 30 for a start on July 1 but the water system in Chama became an issue and the same day we were notified about that, our lodger called to cancel us because she had the Covid. This maybe our last year given the high cost of 2-3 weeks stay. Airfare is the cheapest major expense. Try $150 a day for a car rental for example. When AAA set up my Hertz Gold reservation I told the young lady helping me that I wanted to rent the vehicle, not make a down payment.

Jerrry Sullivan

[Jerry Sullivan]

As it happens, I had 4 great seasons. The last one, dictated by the boss, was somewhat of a bummer. I was in Chama for 10 days but was originally scheduled for only one trip. I negotiated a second one. There are now more than enough docents trained, that live near the railroad, to handle the requirements and my wife insisted that we do something, anything else, in 2024 so I retired. God willing we will go back for one last paying ride near season end in 2025. I do think the docent coordinators should take into account where docents come from. I come from Florida, and I know of others who come from way east of New Mexico and those coming from a distance should get first priority on trips. A few docents drug trailers out there and stayed for months, but in my case we let SouthWest Airlines do the driviing, rented a car in Albuquerque, and stayed at a B&B in Chama. A week will cost a bit. I like the manager & coordinators and so I would just like to encourage them to take these travel factors in mind when assigning trips.

In 2024 we took a Gate 1 tour from Rapid City, SD to Jackson, WY including Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone and it was great, but guys and gals, do it before you are 85. Been back in Florida for 5 weeks now and we are still recovering.

Jerry