As a fourth generation railroader, I have the honor of having two great northeast railroads in my lineage, LVRR & CNJ. My great-grandfather, Max Feuerstein, was a LVRR paint boss at Packerton; grandfather, Fred Feuerstein, was a CNJ conductor; father, Alfred Feuerstein, was a LVRR yardmaster/trainmaster, and I started at Packerton as a yard clerk, crew dispatcher & storekeeper.

I began my career on the LVRR at Packerton, PA in August, 1968, continued through great Conrail years, and retired with CSX, Jacksonville, FL, in July, 2009.

My 41 years of service have ranged from easy to understand clerical jobs to more creative management positions such as manager of process excellence. Some recent jobs used computer data that we could not collect on the Valley when we used carbon paper and hand-held waybills. So, my LVRR brothers & sisters, railroads have come a long way. But, that being said, I will never forget the friends I made and the camaraderie of employees at Packerton yard & shops, Bethlehem Engine Terminal, Allentown yard & shops, Florence, Richards, etc.

Moves with Conrail took me to Selkirk, NY, and Philadelphia with jobs that allowed me the opportunity to touch all areas of the railroad. Joining CSX in 1999 also allowed me to travel and work in engineering, mechanics and transportation and with other foreign railroads.

It is August 5, 2010, today, and I am sitting with my dad, Alfred, at his home in Jim Thorpe, PA. We are compiling our LVRR memorabilia while discussing the many colleagues who we knew from many years and locations on the LVRR. Too many to list here! Dad is closing in on 87 and I will be 60 very soon. For those of you who know us, we want to say how happy we are that you are with us to read this wonderful Carbon County Magazine. For those whom we have not met, we wish you the best of health and retirement. God Bless you and your families.

Larry Feuerstein