Chris Lanthrip Email & Phone Number

Was taught the skill of welding in high school by a great teacher Mr Newsome McDaniel "MAC"who told me about a Railcar Repair shop that was opening up in the county that i should apply for a job and I actually applied for a job which at the time Shippers Car Line (ACFX) but didn't get hired because i was still in High School, so i had to resort to swallowing my pride and excepting a job a mom & pop grocery store (Wilkes Curb Market) as a meat cutter and about 10 months later was told to put in another application @ Shippers so i did. Got the call and sat through about a 30 minute nerve racking interview with Mr Steve West & Barry Cotton, needless to say they took a chance on a 19 year old kid. Started my first day chisel checking bolts on the top of a Hopper car and grinding slope sheets with a big 7" grinder due to vibrator brackets being removed thinking to myself this guy can not remove these things and i think i got 3 done my 1st day. Went home with sore arms, grinding dust and sweat soak clothes, but showed back up the next day and the day after and worked my way up throughout the company earning a reputation of a hard, dependable, trustworthy and knowledgeable Railcar Repairman. With a lot of training and help from fellow repairmen i managed to accomplish a good bit of experience which included Roller Bearing Inspections, PWHT, Brake Test, Tank Test, 35psi Test, Certified Welder, Fabricator, CWI, VT, UTT, UTT Level II, Inbound Inspector, Inspection Supervisor. All with in 3 name changes and a 26 yr span.