Mixed feelings

[Gymrat]

Today is my last full day at work. Tomorrow I will go in and leave right after my retirement party which starts at 9AM. This is a freaky feeling. Change, even good change, is always difficult. I have been working for the BNSF since May 4, 1977. That is almost 4 decades. Being a locomotive electrician can be very challenging. I have always loved troubleshooting. For years I have struggled to understand locomotives just a little better each day so I could be just a little more effective each day. Then one day, out of nowhere, it is no longer relevant. I still feel a dedication to leaving the facility set up the best I can. I have no idea why.

This has been a fascinating career. I have worked at 3 different facilities each in a different state. I have worked on "rapid response". I got to ride around in a truck with a machinest, we were a team, we would get a call from the tower and go try to get a locomotive up and running. This often meant getting on trains out on the mainline somewhere in the boonies of Northwestern Nebraska. This wasn't always fun, I can remember wading through snow up to my waist, I can remember working on an air brake system when it was 32 below AMBIENT at 5 AM. When I got off work my little 1989 Ford Escort was the only car on the lot that started on it's own. I drove around the lot jump starting vehicles for quite a while.

I am still imagining my life going forward. I am so thankful I am able to retire in better physical condition than most 30 to 40 year olds are in. For a while I am going to just enjoy the freedom and be lazy. I do have a lot of plans for what I would like to do with my house. It will be nice to be able to brew any day of the week I wish. I am going to brush up on my chess and get back into playing tournaments. I am going to spend time playing my guitar each day. I am going to get a lot of bicycling in when the weather gets nice. I am going to do a lot of day road trips snapping photographs. I want to do some traveling as well.

I am entering a new era of my life. It is always just a little scary stepping into the unknown.

[Beer-lord]

First, I only wish I could see retirement on my horizon so good for you for making this happen. Next, having no experience, I can't offer much but, EMBRACE IT!
Many people have to retire because they just can't work any more. For you, it's on your timetable and that's awesome. The fact that you've taken care of your self both physically and financially is quite an accomplishment.
And, if all your planned activities are not enough, you can always volunteer at a children's hospital, old folks home or whatever.
Best of luck to a new life Roger!

[JohnSant]

Congrats on the new milestone of your life. The only advice I can give is to stay active don't let little things take away form fun.

[MadBrewer]

Great post, congrats on your retirement. All you can ask for is exactly what you have and have planned. I would look forward to doing about the same. I would love to travel, sight see, get in camper and drive, build a retirement house (a log home on a nice piece of property would be nice). As mentioned, just embrase it. Don't make a schedule, sleep in, pick up a new hobby. Try something new.

My FIL is in the same profession. He is also a locomotive electrician. He works for a local shop and is one of the "main go to guys". They have sent him all over the country and even Jamaica. I have heard very similar strories of the jobs he has been on.

[Inkleg]

Sounds like you had a great career with the rail road. Enjoy your new one!

[RickBeer]

Few make 10 years with the same employer, congrats on making nearly 40.

The key to a successful retirement is exactly what you're doing - planning to stay active. Experience new things, and keep moving.

I'd also suggest that while you're in great shape and thinking about what to do with your house, it's time to think about what to do when you're not in great shape.

Example -

My father in-law was forcibly retired just before he turned 60 when his company moved the plant to Mexico. He had spent the previous years renovating their "cottage", and had several additions put on over the years, increasing it to 1,200 square feet. Yes, 1,200 square feet. Not one of the modifications took into account that they were 60 and someday they would be 70, then 80, then 90... It's almost like the house was designed to not accommodate someone with less mobility than they had, much less allow for walkers, wheelchairs, etc. I'm not saying to make your house wheelchair accessible - but if you're doing work at least keep in mind that someday you need easier access - lower cabinets, rollout storage, wider doorways, showers without floor lips, etc.

My in-law's stayed in their home into their 90s, and were very unsafe for at least a decade or more - at one point we had to bring in a senior community adviser to evaluate the home and present a list of safety concerns (after my mother in-law fell and broke her arm), and forced my father in-law to make some changes.

Again - I realize you're far away from this (hopefully), but just keep it in mind.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Congrats on your retirement!! So many don't have a plan and work their lives away only to retire and pass away a short time after retiring. My mother retired from GM @ 62, said she had enough, (meanwhile their were guys in their mid 80's taking every bit of overtime they could and never enjoying any of the money they made) time to let the young family providers make some money, she's 76 and going strong she is doing something she has wanted to do for a long time, semi-teaching, she is helping out at a pre-school.

[brewnewb]

Today is my last full day at work. Tomorrow I will go in and leave right after my retirement party which starts at 9AM.

I think it is very honorable that you are going to work for one day immediately after a holiday weekend. Most guys wouldn't do that.

Enjoy your new adventures and wish me luck on my next 10 years and 24 days until I can retire.

[RedBEERd]

Congrats on your well deserved and earned retirement. I hope it's as rewarding as your work was. And I hope you enjoy it even more.

[BlackDuck]

Congrats on your retirement. After almost 40 years with the same company, it's well deserved.

[John Sand]

For all things there is a time and a season.
You've earned your retirement, enjoy it. If you find that you want more money or another challenge, you can always go back to work. But if you work until you are old, you cannot get those years back. Have fun, have faith, brew on.
I retired 5.5 years ago, and I don't miss work at all, though winter can be boring.

[berryman]

Congratulations Roger, and great post. I'm sure you will keep busy and stay in good shape.

[BigPapaG]

Big Congrats Roger!

Sounds like you're good to go!

Enjoy your retirement!

[Pudge]

Well done...

Well earned....

Well spoken...

[Whamolagan]

Good for you, enjoy retirement for there are some of us will work til the day we drop. Glad to see you plan to stay active. My dad has been retired longer than he worked, and has not stayed very active. He has just sat around watching TV, and I feel that it has hurt his critical thinking and his body. Eat well and stay active, that's my philosophy to living a long life. Oh yeah and drinking good homemade beer with your online freinds when you are traveling out west.