From railroad to backroads, BNSF employee finishes a journey and starts a new one

By JEREMIAH VALENTINE
Staff Writer

Joe Fisher has had two great careers: one as a telecommunications professional with BNSF for 35 years and another serving in the military for 21. Despite all he’s done, his tank isn’t empty. When he retires from the railroad, Fisher plans to cycle across the country. 

Fisher started serving in the U.S. Army in 1984. He was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, working as an airborne signal technician. Motivated to be a technician, he served to gain experience.  

After joining BNSF, he continued his service by enlisting in the Minnesota Army National Guard, serving one weekend a month and two weeks each year. He commended BNSF for the support he received while serving in the National Guard. 

“The railroad has been a great employer,” he said. “I never had a hard time trying to get time off for my obligation of service.” 

He retired as a master sergeant from the Minnesota National Guard. Among his greatest contributions was a 19-month deployment to Iraq, in which he earned a Bronze Star.

Fisher started with BNSF predecessor Burlington Northern Railroad in 1989, working nights replacing and fixing locomotive radios. He’s always loved working with his hands and especially fixing things.  

“Every day was a challenge, and that’s what I loved,” Fisher said. “The people I worked with were very experienced and giants in their field who were good at repairing and troubleshooting.” 

Next, he transitioned to repairing microwave radios. Fisher recalled BNSF as being the largest private phone company in the U.S. at that time.  

“Every 30 miles, there was a microwave radio site with a voice radio that allowed dispatchers in Fort Worth (Texas) to communicate with trains,” he said. “All the microwave radios were built in the 1970s, so they frequently required maintenance and repairs, which was labor intensive. But that job was awesome.”

Fisher became a field technician in 2012 with his territory extending from Red Wing, Minnesota, to Hinckley, Minnesota. Most recently, he worked as a telecommunications foreman at Minneapolis. 

As he embarks on retirement, Fisher reflects on how fortunate he’s been to be a part of BNSF. 

“I can’t imagine waking up and not enjoying what you do; it would really be work,” he said. “Every day isn’t perfect, but I love the railroad.”

But Fisher isn’t coasting into retirement. Starting June 8, he’ll pedal his bicycle from Anacortes, Washington, to Bar Harbor, Maine, riding  66 days at an average of 70 miles per day. That’s nearly 3,900 miles of bicycling across the northern part of the country.   

“I’ve always loved cycling, but up until this point, I never seemed to have enough time for it,” Fisher said. “This ride across America seems like a good challenge, and I want to see if I can do it. Also, hopefully, I’ll get the chance to meet new people and see new places.” 

Though his wife will follow in an RV, Fisher has no concerns about the long stretches of isolation.  

“I don’t mind the solitude so much,” he said. “It gives me time to think. Sometimes you work out the problems of that day, and you get the chance to replay your day.”  

When he returns from his cycling adventure, he just might relax but probably not for long. He said he’s eager to take up gardening and landscaping at his home and, of course, he wants to volunteer as a handyman. 

“There’s always something that’s broken,” Fisher said.