Nothing Keeps this Engineer from Giving 100 Percent
March 2022 — Engineer might be his job title, but it doesn’t come close to adequately describing what Watco team member Jeff Lien does for a customer at the Tioga Dedicated Terminal in North Dakota.
In addition to moving locomotives, Lien also takes on special projects as a certified heavy equipment operator. He uses a front-end loader to assist with road repair, delivery handling, and snow removal.
Eric Turner, a supervisor overseeing operators at the terminal, said, “Jeff is always willing to lend a hand. He doesn’t just wait in a locomotive waiting for a conductor to tell him what to do.”
Not even a health issue can keep Lien down for long. After taking time off earlier this year, Lien bounced back and still managed his responsibilities as engineer and completed five site improvement projects behind the wheel of a loader.
His additional duties as an equipment operator certainly paid off. The customer saved $26,000 this year by relying on Lien for special projects rather than hiring a third-party contractor.
“Telling Jeff to take it easy is not an option,” Lien’s Supervisor Mark Woznicki said. “He wants to do what he can with the time has scheduled and always gives 100 percent.”
When he’s not on a locomotive or loader, Lien can be found training new hires or helping his teammates. According to Woznicki, Lien’s dedication to the job rubs off on the rest of the team.
Woznicki said, “He’s a walking book of knowledge. Jeff leads by example. His work ethic pushes his teammates to be more active and to take on more projects.”
Turner echoes Woznicki’s praise and said, “He’s the epitome of what it means to live our three Foundation Principles: value our customers, value our people, and safely improve every day.”