A lasting career: Braulio Sotelo has 50 years of service at BNSF

Sotelo was first hired by the Chicago and Northwestern Railway (CNW) as a laborer in 1975. He wasn’t enjoying his factory work at the time and thought the railroad would be a better fit for him. But he didn’t foresee such a long career in the industry.  

“At that time, I never even thought about spending decades as a railroader. I was just wanting some work,” he said. 

A year later, Sotelo switched to BNSF predecessor Burlington Northern Railroad (BN), which was close to his hometown of Sterling, Illinois. His first position had him working with a sled gang, and Sotelo still remembers his first day. He was handed a spike maul and spent the rest of the day knocking down any bent spikes. His grit and determination served him well in that role.  

“Everything we did back then was manual,” he said. “Cutting rail, drilling holes, lining track and tamping track … it was all done by hand.”  

Over the next several years, he moved to work on steel gangs, mobile tie gangs and P811 gangs, which replaced wood railroad ties with concrete ones. These all gave him experience performing different tasks eventually with various new machines. By 1994, he settled into his long-standing role as a production tamper, overseeing the raising and lining of track behind the tie gang.  

“I got in the seat the first day and I haven't gotten out since,” he said.  

Sotelo has lived through the evolution of the railroad industry over the last five decades. He said the equipment and machines he uses are what have changed the most.  

“When I started, we didn't have trucks and we didn't have machines. We were in a motorcar,” he said. “We'd set the motorcar on the track and go do the work. It started with the open cab machines and now they're closed cabs. Everything is different.” 

Sotelo especially appreciates the advancements in equipment that have made the work safer and less labor-intensive.  

“Back then, it was a lot more physical, and now it’s just a lot easier, especially with all the machinery we have nowadays and the technology they have on these tampers.”  

For example, in his early days, Sotelo would record the track while in the old tamper machines. This process is now done with lasers.  

Sotelo said the people he works with have kept him with the railroad so long.  

“It’s like a family," he said. “Everything to me is a team effort. I like to make that connection because I've been playing sports my entire life. It's not just one person.”  

The most rewarding parts of Sotelo’s job have been completing tasks such as road crossing and bridge building projects, as well as seeing different parts of the network. He enjoys reminiscing nights out in the desert.  

“It was dark. No lights and I just looked up at the stars. It's just beautiful,” he said.  

When he’s not out on the tracks, Sotelo enjoys playing soccer and traveling to see his children.  

He credits BNSF’s resources for helping with much of his career success and encourages other BNSF team members to use them.  

“Use everything that the railroad offers to your advantage,” he said. 

Sotelo’s advice to new railroaders is perseverance, a model that has served him well his whole life on the tracks.  

“Stick with it until you get something you like,” he said. “Don't be afraid.”