For many years, operators of mainline steam locomotives knew they had a valuable friend in Jim Schwinkendorf, a veteran railroad manager who oversaw several high-profile special movements in his years at BNSF Railway, including supervision of the railroad’s Employee Appreciation Specials.
James Alden “Jim” Schwinkendorf, of Pacific, Mo., died Feb. 21, 2025. He was 81.
Born on Dec. 22, 1943, in LaPorte, Ind., Schwinkendorf earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Purdue University, served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army, and embarked on a railroad career that took him to Elgin, Joliet & Eastern, the Milwaukee Road, and ultimately Burlington Northern and BNSF.
Along the way he served in a number of management posts, including assistant trainmaster at EJ&E, assistant vice-president of operations planning at the Milwaukee Road, and director of contract management at BNSF. He was also active in Operation Lifesaver, as both a railroad employee liaison and as a volunteer.
It was in the realm of excursions and special movements — especially those involving steam — where Schwinkendorf really made his mark. For many years he was deeply involved with former Frisco 4-8-2 No. 1522, which the St. Louis Steam Train Association (SLSTA) leased from the National Museum of Transport and in 1988 restored for service throughout much of the Midwest. He held the title of train director for SLSTA.
Schwinkendorf’s career experience proved to be invaluable in August 1990 when he played a key role in operations during the National Railway Historical Society’s annual convention in St. Louis, which featured excursions behind four mainline steam locomotives: Frisco 1522, Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 No. 1218, Union Pacific 4-8-4 No. 844, and Cotton Belt 4-8-4 No. 819. Mainly focused on trips out of St. Louis Union Station, it was one of the largest gatherings of big engines since the end of steam.
One person who appreciated Schwinkendorf’s support and steady hand is Andre Jackson, now a retired journalist in Atlanta and in the late 1980s a member of the 1522 crew. “I wasn’t privy to strategic details,” Jackson says, “but I do recall all these years later that it was a great plus to the SLSTA to have a senior leader at BNSF in our corner, one who could advocate for steam preservation up and down the railroad’s leadership ladder.”
Another appreciative associate is Steve Sandberg, president and chief operating officer for Railroading Heritage of Midwest American, based at Silvis, Ill., and longtime head of operations for Friends of the 261, which owns and operates former Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 No. 261. Sandberg and Schwinkendorf together put in many miles on the railroad.
“I was very sorry to hear about Jim’s passing. He was always willing to find a way to make things happen,” says Sandberg. “If it needed to get done, he’d say ‘we have a contract for that, and if we don’t have a contract, we’ll make one.’ Jim was the bridge from old-school railroading to the modern business you see today. He supported the use of steam locomotives to promote public aware and safety. The 261 logged over 30,000 miles on BNSF under the guidance of Jim, from Chicago to Montana and Kansas and throughout Minnesota.”
Jim Schwinkendorf is survived by his wife, Diane Goode, his daughter Sarah Kelley (Tyler), a granddaughter, Paige, and several other family members. A memorial mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. March 8 at St. Bridget of Kildare Catholic Church, 111 W. Union Street, Pacific MO 63069, followed by interment at Resurrection Cemetery in Overland Park, Kan. More information is available from Schrader Funeral Home and Crematory in Ballwin, Mo.
