"Two of a kind"

Steve and his brother John

Conductor Flagman Nob on patrol.
Photo by Joe Motte

When I heard the awful news when I woke up in Boston last
Thursday, I was totally bummed out.
When I first started with Amtrak Steve was a ray of sunshine, always kind and
funny, and made me laugh with his silly noises.
He was always a true gentleman all through the years, and I will
miss him a lot.
He was a special guy to me.
God bless my
buddy.
Janie [Duclos] Luby, L.S.A Boston-D.C

Hey Steve,

I just wanted you to know.............

You were the one who helped the little old lady up the platform and on to the train when others said "I ain't no red cap."

You were the one who drove 30 miles out of your way to get a stranded co-worker home on those cold February nights.

You were the one who always offered to buy the coffee and donuts.

You were always there watching our backs when all hell was breaking loose and you were a loyal coworker and the greatest and most loyal of friends.

You were the one with the backbone. The one who stood up and spoke his mind, while others would run and hide.

You were the one who spoke proudly of your Family, your Kids and their accomplishments.
You glowed when you spoke of your Kids.

You're the one who proved to us how important it is to care about Family and Friends and Passengers and that poor ol' Homeless Guy in front of Penn Station.

When I derailed the work train in Branford Yard,  you re-railed it so I wouldn't lose my job....And you kept your mouth shut about it and nobody ever found out.

You were the one who set a fine example for the rest of us with your excellent work ethic and commitment to getting the job done right.

For a while, when you weren't feeling too well, there was talk that you had lost your edge, but you came back, and fought back and you were better than ever.

We will always remember that sparkle in your eye and that special "Nobbie" smile of yours.

You were the "Nob."

You were the "Nobbie."

You were even a crazy fool at times.

But you were the very best!

You were the Good Guy Steve!   We'll never forget you for being you.

EBR

 
I am EXTREMELY saddened about Steve, we worked many times together and were in a couple of wrecks, one of which we probably should not have survived (a work extra). We were good friends on the Railroad and loved working together. It hit me like a ton of bricks, I cried yesterday, like a baby, when Jo told me who it was, I was not myself.
 He was a GREAT Conductor and will be sadly missed. Good bye "Inspector Gadget" you will be sorely missed, especially by me.

"Fast One"

Fred Caruso Sr. Locomotive Engineer, Boston

Just a simple note of thanks for including a great photo of brother Steve Parker on your website. As you may know people have taken the liberty to print up copies and the photos are already posted in Boston, New Haven and I believe New York's Penn station.

 

In New Haven the photo has served as stimulus to a variety of stories about "Nobbie." Kevin Smith was talking to me about Steve's days on the New Haven Conductor's board. I shared my first experience with Steve when he encouraged me to bid the nighttime Fiber Optic flag job with Michels. Michels was plowing an interduct four feet below our tracks so that At&T could pull on a later date a fiber optic line through the interduct. Steve gave me the confidence to flag protect the contractor despite the cold conditions prevalent during the winter of 1991

 

We will all miss Steve. Thank you for helping to memorialize him.

Conductor Tom Carnevale