Robert Grove

The Olympia Clinic continued its January Guest Speaker tradition on the 8th, a Friday evening with 33 modelers, spouses and friends in attendance.

Our presenter Dave Sprau shared a variety of historical photographs. These he used to describe historical events of “how the railroads were run.” Dave humorously recounted many tales about himself and other Great Northern, Northern Pacific and Spokane, Portland & Seattle personnel performing their duties.

Dave unloaded coal from hoppers as a teenager, was a telegrapher and train dispatcher on NP and GN in the Tacoma and Seattle area beginning in 1960, a Burlington Northern train dispatcher at Havre, Vancouver, and Seattle from 1970 to 1995 and retired as a short line superintendent in Tacoma in 1998. Dave is a well know author of railroad related stories, historical accounts, a collector of railroad artifacts and an expert on operations. Dave’s presentation features his deep knowledge of railroading in the Pacific Northwest and his respect for the men and women who made it work.