Generations of Simpfendorfer family pay tribute to railway career

Fred Simpfendorfer began as a junior porter at Henty railway station on September 18, 1923, as a 17-year-old, earning the equivalent of 58 cents a day.

To mark the dawn of his career and show their veneration, three generations of descendants gathered at the station, 100 years on to the day.

They included Fred's son and grandsons, Peter, Gerard and Graeme, who spoke in the station waiting room as passengers disembarked from the XPT.

"We've just come to where he joined the railway to mark the occasion and reflect on his career and the values he instilled in us," Peter said.

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Those principles centred on public service, with Peter having forged a career with government departments and Gerard and Graeme serving in the Queensland and Victorian police forces respectively.

"Pa worked through the Depression and it was important to keep the railways moving and support the community and that's been instilled with me with policing," Gerard, a senior sergeant who specialises in disaster victim identification, said.

"When there's a major incident I'm more than happy to jump in.

"I will put my own safety and mental health on the backburner to help others."

Fred worked at various stations, including Culcairn, Wagga, The Rock and Central in Sydney, before becoming an assistant station master at Cootamundra West in 1943.

He remained there until he retired in April 1970, a time when diesel locomotives had taken over from the steam engines he loved.

Peter said his father never owned a car, riding his bike up to 20 kilometres to work.

However, while Peter is a foundation member of the Wagga rail heritage group he did not pursue his father's career with conviction.

"The railway entrance exam is the only exam I ever deliberately failed," Peter said before adding "I didn't have any idea what I wanted to do, all I knew was I didn't want to be a shift worker".

Graeme, a Wodonga city councillor, was about 11 when his grandfather died in 1986, while Gerard recalls wearing his air cadets uniform to the funeral, demonstrating his civic mindedness.

More family stories will be told from October 6 to 8 when a Simpfendorfer family reunion is held at the Lutheran church at Walla.

Around 100 registrations from Simpfendorfers across Australia have been made.

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