From the February, 1914 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
FAITHFUL VETERAN RETIRED.
On the 18th day of November last (1913), Louis William Berger, Passenger Trainman on the Mahoning Division, was seventy years of age. Account of having reached the age limit, he has been relieved from active duty commencing Jan. 1, 1914.

Mr. Berger was born in German Prussia, on Nov. 18, 1843, and came to Cleveland with his parents in the year 1852, where he has resided ever since. He first entered the service of the Erie R.R. as freight trainman on May 14, 1863; was promoted to conductor some time early the following Summer; was conductor for several years, when he resigned and took service as conductor on the Toledo Division of the Lake Shore Railroad, in 1873, where he remained as conductor for two years, returning to service of the Erie and accepted a position as Passenger Trainman in 1875, which position he has very well filled up to his retirement.

Mr. Berger has the record, that in all the years of his experience as freight trainman, freight conductor and Passenger trainman, of having never been called to the office of the Train Master, or the Superintendent for any infraction of the rules or for, in any way, neglecting the things that were his to do. He has never been injured and has never been sick, and is today hale and hearty and can run a mile as fast as any man on the Mahoning Division of half his age.

As an illustration of how Mr. Berger has always attended to his business, it may be recalled that several years ago, this Magazine told of how Mr. Berger carried one set of tail lights, or train markers, for twenty-one years; also carried one white lantern for eleven years, which was stolen from him while his train was stopped between "DK" Tower and Cleveland Depot, one Sunday evening.

Mr. Berger also has the record of having worked 51 years for every Superintendent that officiated on the Mahoning Division, finishing his service with an honorable record under the present Superintendent, Mr. F.J. Moser, who congratulated him on his long and splendid service. Mr. Berger now retires from the service to enjoy a well merited rest, and with the best wishes of the hundreds of trainmen on the Mahoning Division of the Erie, as well as on the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie, where he has run in joint service, for the past eleven years.

The accompanying picture shows Mr. and Mrs. Berger and their three fine looking sons, who reflect the same credit on their parents, as Trainman Berger did for so long a period on the Erie.

Trainmaster Minehan of the Mahoning Division, endorses L.W. Berger as one of the most faithful and reliable railroad men of his acquaintance.