--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I worked for Union Pacific. I started out…" description: "\"I worked for Union Pacific. I started out as a conductor at an intermodal switching facility outside of Salt Lake City. We'd pull in trains from all ov..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/sturgill-simpson-8888_city_i-worked-for-union-pacific-i-started-out_2097729.jpg" --- # I worked for Union Pacific. I started out as a conductor… ![“I worked for Union Pacific. I started out as a conductor at an intermodal switching facility outside of Salt Lake City. We'd pull in trains from all over the country, break them apart, consolidate the freight, and build other trains. It was great until I screwed up and took a management position…” quote by Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/sturgill-simpson-8888_city_i-worked-for-union-pacific-i-started-out_2097729.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/sturgill-simpson-8888_city_i-worked-for-union-pacific-i-started-out_2097729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/sturgill-simpson-8888_city_i-worked-for-union-pacific-i-started-out_2097729.jpg) > “I worked for Union Pacific. I started out as a conductor at an intermodal switching facility outside of Salt Lake City. We'd pull in trains from all over the country, break them apart, consolidate the freight, and build other trains. It was great until I screwed up and took a management position. Then it became no fun very quickly.” [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes how moving from hands‑on work to management can strip away enjoyment and purpose. **In simple terms:** Management can make a once‑fun job feel dull. Key Takeaway Consider if a promotion aligns with your passions. Themes career management job satisfaction growth purpose Mood reflective thoughtful cautious Type personal anecdote career lesson When to use this quote - railroad work - promotion decision - career planning - job fulfillment Key Concepts leadership role transition intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - Do you value authority over enjoyment? - How can you keep passion after a promotion? A Different Perspective Higher responsibility may bring bureaucracy and loss of autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Build Trains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-trains-4177118/) [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Conductor Intermodal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conductor-intermodal-4177116/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Pull Trains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pull-trains-4177119/) [Salt lake city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salt-lake-city/) [Started Conductor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-conductor-4177117/) [Union Pacific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/union-pacific-4177115/) ## Related quotes > [“The best description of this book is found within the title. 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As fellow tourists we heartily agree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/keep-the-tourists-out-some-tourist-from-salt-lake-city-has-written-as/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“Suppose neutral angels were able to talk, Yahweh and Lucifer – God and Satan, to use their popular titles – into settling out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/suppose-neutral-angels-were-able-to-talk-yahweh-and-lucifer-god-and/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [You're from where?" "Lay'en. It's near Salt Lake City." "Spell that for me." "Um, that would be S-A-L-T-" "No, the other one. The city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/you-re-from-where-lay-en-it-s-near-salt-lake-city-spell-that-for-me/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [ My dad was a big fan of comedy. He wanted to be a stand-up. He loved Lenny \[Bruce\]. He also loved Lord Buckley and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/my-dad-was-a-big-fan-of-comedy-he-wanted-to-be-a-stand-up-he-loved/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I usually have about 16 pills a day of various descriptions - I also have minerals from Salt Lake City and amino acids that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-brown/i-usually-have-about-16-pills-a-day-of-various-descriptions-i-also/) [June Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-brown/) ## More by Sturgill Simpson > [London's been really good to me - England as a whole - but the Scots and the Irish especially are very appreciative because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/london-s-been-really-good-to-me-england-as-a-whole-but-the-scots-and/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I had a great job with the railroad, a good salary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-had-a-great-job-with-the-railroad-a-good-salary/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I knew I loved playing bluegrass, so I'd end up down there on Sunday nights at the bluegrass jam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-knew-i-loved-playing-bluegrass-so-i-d-end-up-down-there-on-sunday/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I've been reading about the idea of cyclical lives - it matches up to the idea of string theory and a multiverse. 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