After 40 years of service, the woman who made history in 1985 as the first female engineer for a US train business retires.
AMERICA | After 40 years of work, a woman who became the first female engineer in a US railroad company in 1985 retires.
After 40 years of service, Jackie Pettyjohn, the first female engineer at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), has formally retired, capping an incredible career.
In 1985, Jackie made history by becoming the first female train operator for SEPTA, a regional public transportation authority that serves five counties in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. SEPTA offers bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and trolleybus services.
Jackie’s last journey was running a train from Philadelphia International Airport to Suburban Station on January 10.
Friends, coworkers, and loved ones gathered to commemorate her groundbreaking career gave her warm embraces, cheers, and ovation as she got off the train for the final time.
She subsequently told NBC10 that she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support and was moved by the touching farewell.
“I was taken aback. That was not what I anticipated. It suddenly struck me when I got home. I sobbed all day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Their affection for me was so overwhelming, and I feel the same way about them,” she remarked.
After seeing a job posting in the Philadelphia Inquirer in August 1984, Jackie started working at SEPTA. A few weeks after applying, she was hired.
According to a Facebook post from SEPTA, she initially had no intention of staying but soon fell in love with the work. She managed to strike a balance between career and family life in spite of the hard hours.
Jackie demonstrated herself to be an excellent worker throughout her career. She never had any operating rule breaches and kept a perfect attendance record, according to Yahoo News. On the seniority roster, she was ranked #1 as well.
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In a statement to CBS News Philadelphia, SEPTA praised Jackie’s accomplishments, adding, “Jackie Pettyjohn was a trailblazer for female train engineers. SEPTA is appreciative for her 40 years of service, and we wish her all the best in her retirement.”
But there were difficulties in breaking down barriers. Jackie acknowledged in a previous interview that there were difficulties and a lot of pressure to be the first female engineer in 1985.
“I felt like all eyes were on me, and it took a while for me to become comfortable. Some of the old-timers were reluctant to work with me. They couldn’t believe they were seeing a female engineer,” she recalled.
Jackie overcame these challenges and succeeded, encouraging a new generation of women to enter the male-dominated industry. As a result of her groundbreaking work, 35 of SEPTA’s 202 train engineers are now women.
Jackie is excited to travel and spend more time with her family as she enters retirement.
