A native of Ogden, Utah, Al was born June 17, 1942 to Albert and Violetta Gledhill. Following graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Navy,serving for four years on the U.S.S. Midway. Following his enlistment he followed his father and grandfather’s footsteps to Ely to work for the Nevada Northern Railway.

Starting as a machinist he went to work maintaining steam locomotives #40 and #93. He eventually was promoted to Master Mechanic and cultivated a hard working crew to keep the wheels rolling.

Through quickly gaining a reputation as being a “curmudgeon” he readily passed his knowledge down to the younger generation and never turned away someone that wanted to learn.
His later years say his health rapidly decline, but his love for the railroad saw him at the shop every day directing the work being done,and often saving the day from disaster. In one memorable instance,locomotive #40 left the shop headed through the yard, stopped and went back to the shop. One of the case iron firebox doors had broken.

Unfortunately none of the young crew members knew how to do the repairs. Al jumped in directing them to bring the door and the welding equipment to the work bench. He proceeded to take off his oxygen and start preparing to work. The young crew stammered “Al,your doctor said you can’t weld!” “I’m flipping dying,” he replied “what difference will this make.” He proceeded to make the repairs to the door and it went back onto the locomotive saving the day.

Through all his gruffness, one thing in particular would show his softer side. His shop cats. Woe be upon anyone that he thought was not treating the animals properly. When a small orange and white kitten was found in a pit, he made sure that it was well taken care for and would grow up to become world famous “Dirt, the King of the Shop.”

Al passed away on February 9, 2016. He requested that part of his ashes be buried at Keystone with his cat Blackie. NNRy crews took Al and the cat along on a special run of the Flyer Cars and buried him above the gulch.