Austin Western Railroad Hosts Interns

A Watco collaboration with a youth employment pilot program has created a real-world opportunity for two Texas high school graduates to learn about railroading.

Abel Ceballos and Curtis Myles III came on board August 11 at the Austin Western Railroad (AWRR). They are part of The Georgetown Project out of Georgetown, Texas, only about 30 miles from Austin. The project’s new Compass pilot program is partnering with area businesses to provide paid internships.

In May, Georgetown Summer Youth Employment Coordinator Vanessa Calabaza contacted AWRR General Manager Anthony Hoyte Jr., who enlisted People Services Manager Angie Bunker to help vet the opportunity. She sent some job descriptions to Calabaza, who identified the two intern candidates. Bunker worked closely with the AWRR team and Watco Safety and Legal departments to solidify the arrangement.

The young men started their eight-week internships August 11 with onboarding that included Railroading 101 — 15 computer-based training courses that introduced them to the basics of freight railroading. They then moved into field experience with peer trainers.

“We put our trust in the AWRR peer trainers to make them familiar with ‘day in and day out,’ said Assistant General Manager Chase Upchurch, who’s overseeing Ceballos’ experience. As a conductor intern, Ceballos “is starting off observing and will work his way into doing some of the work himself while being supervised by a peer trainer. He’ll be exposed to switching, the communication between a conductor and his dispatcher, and learning about train orders, signals, and railroad rules and regulations.”

Ceballos said he knew little to nothing about railroading before starting his internship.

“What interested me is knowing so little, I wanted to know the details. As of right now, I’ve learned a lot. Just being able to be in the cab and watch how the engineer and conductor work together has taught me a lot.”

Myles is studying at a trade school to be a diesel mechanic. He said that while it was his first time to work on heavy-duty vehicles, he sees similarities between being a diesel mechanic and a locomotive mechanic. “A bolt is a bolt, and an oil change is an oil change,” he said. “The big difference is safety.”

Chief Mechanical Office Adam Pope echoed the emphasis on safety. “Curtis has been working with one of our peer trainers who is helping him to understand the procedures and processes we take to ensure the safety of ourselves and our team members. He is learning about situational awareness, (Federal Railroad Administration) inspections, and blue flag protection, as well as things like proper (personal protective equipment) to wear and proper use of tools.”

Both Bunker and Hoyte said they thought the program could continue in the long term. “We’ve had the chance to bring on two young men, and both are off to a great start,” said Hoyte. “They’re respectful, eager to learn, and showing a lot of promise. I really think this program and our company are a good match, and I look forward to continuing this partnership in the future.”