Dave Cargill died June 24 at age 74 after a battle with cancer.
He concluded his long career with the Belt as an assistant chief engineer. He enjoyed 10 years of retirement.
Before working with the Belt, Cargill worked for Conrail and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).
He loved to read books and listen to music, especially the blues, and teammates recall him playing harmonica. Anyone who knew Cargill, including Senior Track Inspector Lino Villafuerte, was well aware of his passion for NASCAR. He called the former leader “old school with a great sense of humor” and remembered him being “firm but fair.”
“One thing I admired is he didn’t mind taking time to teach,” he said.
Assistant Chief Engineer-Signal and Hump Systems Mark Ferguson agreed.
“Dave᾿s railroad knowledge and experience made him a valuable asset to the BRC family,” he said. “He was a mentor to all. He was a horse racing guru, and his harmonica skills were outstanding as well. He was a good friend and will be missed by us.”
From left, Ismael Huizar, Dave Cargill and Mark Okon on the job.
Employees sign a hard hat before presenting it to Dave Cargill’s family.