Gerald Cavazos Celebrating 20 years with the Wine Train

By: Andrea Guzman, Promotions and Partnership Manager

In celebration of 20 years, we have six dedicated employees who have been with us since the very beginning. Over the past weeks, we have been sharing their fondest Wine Train memories as they also celebrate their 20 year anniversaries working with the Wine Train.

Introducing: Gerald Cavazos, Captain of the Vista Dome Car. Gerald began working for the Wine Train in the Reservations Department. In the beginning, when everything was so new, there were a few snags, like guests having a reservation but not being booked on the train through the computer system. It was Gerald’s job to make sure that they got on the train somehow.

In March 1990, Gerald moved onto the train as a server. Today, you will find him in our Vista Dome Car. He is a great Napa Valley ambassador often telling stories about the wineries along our route to interested visitors.

One of Gerald’s favorite memories is when Gundlach Bundchu (a Sonoma winery) hijacked the train years ago. The bandits wore capes and poured Sonoma wines for Wine Train passengers. The would be villains then jumped off the train while it was in motion. Gerald recalls working in one of the dining cars and seeing the bandits run around the train.

Gerald’s main motivation is to meet new people. He especially enjoys meeting folks from all over the world. Chef Kelly Macdonald says, ”Gerald is a person with a lot of integrity and charm. He is able to make sure that a customer walks off the train with a big smile and he exudes a lot of passion.” In Gerald’s mind, the common denominator is that we all want to have a good time.