Memories of his days working for the railroad came flooding back for President Gordon B. Hinckley as he received visitors in the Church Administration Building Oct. 27. The visitors, affiliated with Southern Pacific Lines, brought a highly polished brass bell from a locomotive, engine #5315, specially mounted for display.
Jerry R. Davis, the railroad line's chief executive officer, presented the bell as an expression of the company's gratitude for the service President Hinckley rendered during World War II for the line's predecessors, Denver & Rio Grande and Western Pacific.Accompanying Mr. Davis were Douglas Polson, a member of the board of directors of Southern Pacific Rail Corp., and his wife, Mary Polson; Lawrence H. Kaufman, South Pacific Lines' managing director of corporate communications; and an associate, Miles H. Williams. The Polsons are members of the Plum Creek Valley Ward, Willow Creek Colorado Stake.
Mr. Davis told the Church News, "We thought it would be well to honor President Hinckley as one of our former employees. We found it an honor that he had been an employee of our railroad and had fond memories of it. We wanted to make note of that memory."
During World War II, Gordon B. Hinckley worked for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, from 1943-1945. "When the war was on, I applied to the Navy for officer's training in response to a newspaper article," President Hinckley said. "I passed all of the tests except the physical exam. I had a history of allergies and failed on that point.
"I determined that I would get into the war effort and had an introduction to officers of the railroad who were in Salt Lake City on the day I applied. It happened that on that same day they had terminated the station master for cause. I was offered the job as assistant superintendent of the Salt Lake City Union Depot & Railroad Company, which was owned jointly by the D&RG and Western Pacific.
"I went to work and a few months later they brought supervisors from the entire system to Denver for a seminar. At the time traffic was extremely heavy because of the war effort. The D&RG was a bridge line carrying both troops and materiel for transfer to Western Pacific and Southern Pacific to be taken to the West Coast. Not long after attending this seminar in Denver, I received a call from the railroad personnel director inviting me to come to Denver. The manager of mail, baggage and express traffic had reached retirement age and I was named assistant manager."
When the war ended, he faced a difficult decision. The railroad made him an attractive offer, including management of "head-end traffic" on passenger trains with assurance of further career opportunities. He had been invited by President Stephen L Richards of the First Presidency to return to Church employment to manage the missionary program. President Hinckley, as a young man, had worked in the Church Administration Building before he went to work for the railroad.
"Those for whom I had previously worked in Salt Lake City importuned me strongly to come back," he said. "I talked with the railroad officers. I decided I would return to Salt Lake City but I was given a 90-day leave of absence by the railroad to give me time to consider the matter. After about 30 days I told them I thought I would remain in Salt Lake City.
"I think I can say I worked hard when I worked for the railroad. I was fascinated with the transportation business. I was treated well by my supervisors and peers. It was a wonderful experience for me for which I have been grateful ever since. The D&RG has a warm spot in my heart."
