1205th Transportation Railway Operating Battalion expresses gratitude for UTU's continued support CLEVELAND -- A unique three-dimensional plaque recognizing the UTU's continuing support of the U.S. armed forces was recently presented to the union by a representative of the U.S. Army Reserve and the 1205th Transportation Railway Operating Battalion (ROB). "The story that appeared in the UTU News in April 1999, along with the information and links on the UTU's website, really helped raise awareness of our operations and continues to boost our recruitment efforts," said Maj. Martin Piech of the 1205th ROB. 

Expressing his personal gratitude as well as the ROB's, Maj. Piech presented the union with a specially constructed plaque featuring a model of one of the U.S. Army's locomotives and a brass plate with the inscription: "In appreciation for support of the 1205th Transportation Railway Operating Battalion and the U.S. Army Reserve." 

The engine modeled on the plaque, #4601, is one of two locomotives acquired by the Army in 1990 from the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). Built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD) as a GP9 in January 1958, it was sold to the IC Railroad as their No. 9343 and put to use in freight service. It was rebuilt by successor Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) as a GP10 in the ICG's shops in Paducah, Ky., in August 1974, and re-numbered ICG 8339. "There are some great opportunities in the Army Reserve for railroaders to improve their skills, serve their country, qualify for benefits, and have fun while doing it," said Piech, who regularly takes his recruitment efforts to local meetings held by the various unions representing railroaders. 

"The truth is I really haven't had to recruit at UTU local meetings during the last year," Piech noted, "because the response to the UTU News article has been overwhelming. But I'm still trying to raise awareness among the other brotherhoods of the benefits offered by the reserve." In a letter responding to the honor bestowed on the UTU, International President Charles L. Little said, "As a railroader and a proud American who served with the U.S. Marine Corps, I have first-hand knowledge of the important role played by our nation's military personnel, as well as an understanding of the logistical challenges faced by those involved in transportation.... I appreciate the opportunities made available to UTU members by the Army Reserve and hope our publication and website help with your recruiting efforts. "In the event that the UTU can offer any assistance as you go about the business of protecting and defending our great nation," Little continued, "please do not hesitate to call on us. It is with immense pride that I can offer the expertise and assistance of the finest transportation professionals in the civilian sphere." 

 The 1205th ROB, based in Middletown, Conn., is one of two Army Reserve Railway units today. Those two units are now the only such rail units in any branch or component of the nation's armed forces. The primary mission of the 1205th ROB is to haul materiel to a location about 25 miles south of Wilmington, Del., a depot in North Carolina known as Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU). The 757th ROB, based in Milwaukee, Wisc., represents the sole surviving World War II-type ROB, and its forces can be deployed anywhere in the world. UTU members can learn more about the 1205th ROB by visiting the ROB's website at or by calling either Steve Heinrich or Sgt. Ron Hazel at (860) 632-2117

Brothers keep trains, wars on track
Byline: Martin B. Cassidy Connecticut Post, Bridgeport

Oct. 04--STAMFORD -- Looking back over his 13-month tour helping transport supplies from Kuwait to other soldiers in Iraq and throughout the Middle East, Thomas Finn Jr., of Stamford, said he is wistful thinking of his daughter Angela's prom and other milestones in his children's lives he missed while abroad. "Whether it was my son's first Little League home run or my younger daughter's first soccer goal or my son Kevin's first day of nursery school, I've missed a lot," Finn said. "I've spent the past couple of weeks catching up and just trying to spend time with my children."

A master sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve's 1174th Deployment and Distribution Battalion, Finn returned to Stamford in late August after spending more than a year moving equipment for the U.S. Army from Kuwait into Iraq and throughout the Middle East. Finn and his younger brother Troy Finn, 39, share a great deal of common experience, having both served in the U.S. Army Reserve in Iraq and as train conductors for Metro-North Railroad in their civilian lives. Finn joined the reserves in 1990 and previously served in the U.S. Army Reserve's 1205th Transportation Railway Battalion. Troy Finn, a former U.S. Army reservist who works as a conductor on the New Canaan branch line, served an 11-month tour in Iraq in the U.S. Army Reserve's 325th Transportation Company in 2003.

"It's been great to have Tom back home," said Troy Finn, who now lives in Stratford.
Their father Tom Finn Sr., retired from a 39-year job as a Metro- North Railroad engineer in 2006.
"I did a lot of different things before working for Metro-North, but it's a very good job," Troy Finn said of his job. "I wish sometimes I had joined the railroad sooner." Thomas Finn Jr., who also served a 13-month deployment during the Persian Gulf War in 1991 working in the United States, said he is training to transition from his previous post as a conductor to that of a flagman on the New Haven Line's catenary replacement project or another initiative.

Thomas Finn Jr. has worked for the railroad since 1987; Troy since 2000. When Thomas Finn Jr. joined the military in 1990, the recruitment officer helped get him an assignment with the 1205th Transportation Railway Operating Battalion in the continental United States on the basis of his professional experience. I feel like with both deployments I was able to bring something from my job to the military and after the deployment bring a different experience back to my job," Finn Jr. said.

Tom Finn Sr. said he was initially surprised by his two sons' interest in the military, but was supportive and proud though somewhat concerned about their deployments to Iraq in the past decade. "My thought is that I don't want it to be one time more; it's one time too much," Finn Sr. said about Thomas Finn Jr.'s still active reservist status. "I'm aware in his position he could be remobilized. But he's done his time and served his nation proudly and I'd just as well have somebody else take a turn."

Finn Sr. said he got his son a job as a porter for Metro-North to help pay his way, but said in retrospect that many railroad workers tend to end up in it as a career. "I thought he'd go on with his career but I've found over the years that once you work on the railroad it kind of gets in your blood," Finn Sr. said. "I guess that's what happened with my kids." Since 2001, Metro-North Railroad has had 30 employees who have been activated for military service for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Angela Finn, Tom Finn Jr.'s 19-year-old daughter, said that she already feels like she has made up for some of the lost time with her father, who drove her back to the University of Connecticut at Storrs a few days after returning from the Middle East. "When he first left I didn't realize how long he would be gone," Finn said. "Then I realized, 'wow, my Dad is going to be gone a long time' and missed him a lot."

Finn Jr. said that he would not balk at another deployment if it came, because he believes that people in Iraq and Afghanistan are mainly supportive of American troops and the improvements that the military has been able to make there. "It's still in me to go back," Finn Jr. said. "For me it's more about the entire world, because the people there are no different from us and I felt like I was helping them to have the opportunities that we have."

Staff Writer Martin B. Cassidy can be reached at martin.cassidy@scni.com or 203-964-2264.



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