Union Pacific Engineer

An Autobiography of UP's First Black Woman Locomotive Engineer

ISBN: 978-1-7340266-4-1

Having originally gone to work for the Union Pacific Railroad in 1973 as a clerk at company headquarters in Omaha, Edwina “Curlie” Justus later became a qualified train engineer at age 34 at North Platte, Neb., and retired from that position in 1998. Now, in her own words, Edwina recounts her many real-life experiences operating over the UP mainline out of North Platte. By overcoming sexism and racism on the job through tenacity and kindness, Edwina became one of the pioneer women to enter into what had previously been only a man’s world. This book is illustrated with photos of UP trains and locations from the same era as when Edwina worked for the railroad.