Navy vet Tony Johnson forges a new path on the rails
By EUNICE ARCHILA
Staff writer
Navy veteran turned trainmaster Anthony (Tony) Johnson's days as a trainmaster are a whirlwind of logistics and problem-solving. Balancing safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, he juggles a complex operation.
A typical day involves coordinating train schedules, managing equipment, and ensuring seamless operations. The work is demanding, but Johnson thrives on the challenge of keeping the trains running on time.
His railroad journey began in 1997. After going through unemployment, a friend of Johnson's recommended he apply to the railroad, and he secured a spot as a corporate auditor.
Eventually, he moved to a new position on the Strategic Sourcing team. This role was pivotal as the Santa Fe and Burlington Northern railroads merged to become Burlington Northern Santa Fe on Sept. 2, 1995.
Working in Topeka, Kansas, Johnson was responsible for understanding people's roles and making recommendations to enhance their work processes with new technology.
Johnson was given an opportunity to manage plastics shipments in Dayton, TX working on the Demurrage team. During this time, Johnson’s manager mentioned a new position, intermodal lift equipment manager, that would be opening soon. When asked if he was interested, Johnson jumped at the opportunity to further his knowledge on railroad infrastructure.
After some time, his supervisor asked if he would like to continue upskilling at the Alliance Intermodal Facility for six months, which extended to another six months. Now, Johnson has been thriving at Alliance for 15 years.
For Johnson, railroading is more than just a job, it's a passion. He relishes the opportunity to contribute to a vital part of the nation's infrastructure.
"The railroad is constantly evolving," he says. "It's exciting to be part of that change."
"The most rewarding part about my job is being able to enhance my skills in different aspects of the company," he said. "From corporate auditor to trainmaster, I was able to grow and further my education. Now I have an MBA that BNSF helped pay for."
Outside of work, Johnson enjoys photography, golfing, spending time with his grandchildren and playing the drums, keyboard and guitar.
Johnson’s experiences of learning something completely new and stepping outside his comfort zone have shaped his approach to leadership. Building a team and being a leader means empowering others to lead.
“We are all leaders,” he said.
A quote that has influenced Johnson is “Build a team so strong that they don't know who the leader is." His advice to aspiring railroaders reflects this philosophy.
"Find a mentor, ask questions, and be eager to learn," he said. "Knowledge is power in this industry."
