Oldest surviving former Pullman porter

[user 3575]

This is pretty sweet...an audio slide show/slice o' life about the oldest surviving (100 years old)Pullman/UP porter.

 

LA Times

 

[George]

His name isn't "George"?

 

[lthanlon]

What a heartwarming story. Elegantly presented. Thanks for sharing this!

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Wow. Thanks for posting that! I really enjoyed it.

 

[como]

Wow. Thanks for posting that! I really enjoyed it.

You guys might want to read "Those Pullman Blues" an excellent book on the lives of Pullman Porters and some early Amtrak employees.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

As it turns out, there's an even older surviving Pullman porter. His brother saw the story about Lee Wesley Gibson (above), and apparently made some calls...

105-year-old fondly recalls his days as a Pullman porter

"Ben Isaacs was also a Pullman porter. He began his railroad career in April 1936, according to the Chicago-based Newberry Library, which keeps data on Pullman employees. Isaacs retired in December 1968, records from the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board show.

"Most important, Isaacs was born Sept. 8, 1904 — six years before Gibson. That would make him 105."