Move Over, Sir! How Women Took the Throttle on America’s Railroads
The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series

👩‍🔧 From Civil War telegraphers to Black female engineers—meet the women who kept America moving. New podcast out now! 🎙️ https://notoldbettershow.info/MoveOverSir

Breaking the Iron Ceiling: The Women Who Worked on the Railroad and the Exhibit Giving Them Their Due

For decades, history painted railroads as a man’s world—iron horses driven by strong hands under steel skies. But step into the Union Pacific Railroad Museum’s latest exhibit, “Move Over, Sir!”, and you’ll see a very different picture—one that’s finally being framed with the recognition it deserves.

In our newest episode of The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series, I had the honor of speaking with Patricia LaBounty, curator of the Union Pacific Collection. Patricia takes us deep into the remarkable stories of women who made vital contributions to the railroad industry, starting as far back as the 1830s and continuing into today’s leadership roles.

From Civil War telegraphers to the engineers who moved millions across America’s vast landscape, women have always been there—working the lines, managing operations, and quietly shaping transportation history.

One such story is that of Avis Lobdell, hired in 1935 to help Union Pacific understand the needs of women travelers. Her research gave birth to the Women’s Travel Department, nurse-stewardesses, and women-only train cars. Another is Bonnie Leake, Union Pacific’s first female locomotive engineer, who stood alone in the cab but never backed down. And Edwina Justus, a barrier-breaking Black woman engineer, challenged racial and gender norms in one of the most traditional workplaces imaginable.

The episode also examines how war repeatedly opened doors for women—only for them to be asked to step back afterward. During World Wars I and II, women filled hundreds of thousands of railroad jobs. Yet when soldiers returned, they were often pushed out of these roles—despite having proven they could do the work, and do it well.

In today’s conversation, Patricia LaBounty shares how these women weren’t just placeholders during a crisis—they were trailblazers who demanded to stay, evolve, and lead. The exhibit doesn’t just honor the past—it also highlights Union Pacific’s current efforts to recruit and retain women in management, operations, and leadership roles.

For our audience—many of whom are women and men over 50—this episode resonates deeply. It’s about respect for hard work, and it’s about reclaiming stories that were never truly lost, just unheard.

Let’s hear them now.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://notoldbettershow.info/MoveOverSir  #Leadership #History #DiversityInWorkplace #WomenInSTEM #NotOldBetter #SmithsonianAssociates #RailroadHistory #WomenInTransportation #WorkforceInclusion

https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/women-working-on-railroad