Jerome (Jerry) Shrader was born on August 22, 1936 in Port Townsend, Washington. He graduated from Orting (Washington) High School in 1954. Shortly after graduating he went to work for the Milwaukee Railroad as a brakeman and conductor. He took a leave of absence from the railroad to serve in the U.S. Coastguard between 1959 and 1963. �As a radioman, he was assigned to a weather ship in the Pacific, a radio ship in Westport Washington, a radio station in Honolulu, and a buoy tender stationed in Seattle. �Anxious to get back to the railroad, he declined an offer to re-enlist. He had a great interest in collecting railroad-related items and taking pictures of people and the trains they worked on.
Leonard Singer is an attorney in Boston, Massachusetts.
Gerald (Jerry) Skillman worked as a Dispatcher for the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railroad (SP&S) in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington, and as Manager of Transportation for the Burlington Northern Railroad Vancouver and Seattle, Washington.
Elmer Smoak was born in Anthony, Florida in 1922. He completed his elementary and high school education in Florida. After two years at the University of Florida he drove across the United States to work the summer on a Forest Service crew in the Blue Mountains of Oregon. On December 8, 1942 he enlisted in the US Navy. He served on the USS Luzon (ARG-2) repairing ships and landing craft. The diesel mechanic skills he acquired in the Navy served him well for the rest of his working years. In the spring of 1947 Elmer accepted a position with the Northern Pacific Railroad at the time of transition from steam to diesel engines. He worked for the railroad in Livingston, Montana, St. Paul and Brainerd, Minnesota, Tacoma, Washington and then back to Livingston, Montana. He finished his railroad career as the Round House Foreman in Missoula, Montana in November of 1980.