Interviewer Unknown.

Location:  Location Unknown.

Willie Jenkins first started working for the railroad in 1939 as a summer job in Mississippi. He had two years of college. He came to Portland in 1942 and worked as a waiter on the train until retiring in 1979. Jenkins talks about improvements made by the union, but also corruption of some union officers who were stealing union the dues they collected. He also describes sleeping conditions in the dining car and recalls the story of meeting his wife on the train when she was a passenger. Jenkins recounts some incidences when people were hit and killed by trains he was working on, and the experience of being trapped on a train in a flood. Jenkins also talks about service related jobs being taken over by white employees and his views that black youths of the day are unwilling to learn their jobs and don’t show interest in their work. He advises young people to get a good education and to consider working in the culinary business.