David Corless:  

Life I worked as a locomotive engineer (railroad) from 1974 until 2001, when I was injured when a defective seat on a locomotive suddenly fell. This ruptured a disk in my neck, which has caused chronic pain and forced me to retire. In 1974 I became a switchman for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, which also is called either the MKT or the Katy. Starting in the summer of 1975 I was sent to school to become a locomotive engineer (train driver). On December 22, 1975 I was put on the locomotive engineer's seniority roster and worked for the MKT until 1989. That is when the Union Pacific Railroad purchased the MKT and this caused me to have to relocate to N. Little Rock. That is where the rail yard is and where I went to work, however we purchased a home in Conway, which is about 25 miles west of N. Little Rock. Three days per week I ride a recumbent bicycle to keep myself in shape. It is very difficult otherwise to work out due to the chronic pain. Until the end of 2006 I will remain the legislative representative for my union local, which I have been for 10 years. I'm now working as the legislative representative for the local chapter of the National Association of Retired and Veteran Railway Workers (NARVRE). It's not very ...Expand for more