James M. Brunkenhoefer is national legislative director of the 125,000-member United Transportation Union.

Brokenrail, as he is known, was born July 23, 1947, in Texas and began his railroad career in 1966 as a trainman for the Southern Pacific Transportation Co. on the Dallas-Sabine District. He was promoted to engineer in 1971 and currently holds seniority in train and engine service crafts over those Union Pacific lines in Texas and Louisiana.

Brunkenhoefer was elected vice local chairperson of Local 83 in Houston in 1969. He has served the members of Local 83 as local president, local vice president, member of the local's board of trustees, local chairperson, local legislative representative, delegate and special organizer. In 1980, he was elevated to alternate Texas state legislative director, and in 1982 assumed the full directorship of the Texas State Legislative Board.

At the UTU's Fifth Quadrennial Convention in 1987, Brunkenhoefer was elected national legislative director. He was re-elected to that post at subsequent UTU conventions in 1991, 1995 and 1999.

In 2002, Brunkenhoefer was appointed by Surface Transportation Board Chairman Linda Morgan to the congressionally created Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council. Brokenrail and his wife, Judy, reside in McLean, Virginia.