So much so, the 10-year-old collie’s colleagues have affectionately given him the vital role of company chief fun officer.
His personal assistant/owner and locomotive engineer Chris Francis said Buddy travelled with him in the cab on every trip and he could usually be seen with his head out the window, nose into the wind.
‘‘I put a toolbox behind the seat and he sits on that so he can get his head out the window.’’
Mr Francis said Buddy was formerly a farm dog and he adopted him about three years ago.
‘‘And because I didn’t want to leave him at home, he just ended up coming on the train with me.
‘‘In the car on the way to work, he pretty much sleeps most of the time. But on the train, he’s out the window the whole way.
‘‘He’s been on quadbikes and stuff, so he’s probably used to being on vehicles.
‘‘He’d probably sit out on the running board if I let him.’’
While he was unable to do many things for the company, Mr Francis said Buddy was very useful as ‘‘an alarm’’.
‘‘He’s always on the lookout for goats or pigs on the Taieri Gorge track and he normally tells us before we even see them — like, he’ll bark.
‘‘So we know to slow down or stop until they get off the track.’’
Buddy was also very useful in keeping the passengers entertained, particularly when the train stopped at the viaduct and at Pukerangi.
‘‘He gets quite a crowd at Pukerangi, he just gets off the train and mingles.
‘‘He chases his ball and keeps the passengers amused.
‘‘People on the cruise ships: they love him.
‘‘A lot of them want to take photos of him.’’
‘‘As soon as I get home, I want to rest, but Buddy wants to go play ball.
‘‘So normally I’ve got to do that for an hour or so.
‘‘He’s pretty energetic.’’
While Mr Francis was Buddy’s ‘‘good’’ friend, he was not Buddy’s ‘‘best’’ friend.
That title was reserved for another staff member who gave him a Schmackos dog treat every morning before work.
‘‘When he gets there in the morning, he runs down to this guy’s toolbox and sits there and then looks at the toolbox, and then he looks at him, and then he looks back at the toolbox.
‘‘And then when he comes down, he shakes Buddy’s hand and then he reaches into the toolbox and gives him the Schmackos.
‘‘He goes straight down, then just sits there and waits for him.’’
Mr Francis said he was not jealous at all ... well, maybe just a little.
‘‘He’s a pretty smart dog, yeah.
‘‘He knows when he’s on to a good thing.’’
