Last night I offically dedicated the Delaware and Hudson Corporation - Police Department page within the DHVM in Johnny Trains memory. It was becuase of JT I initially built that page and I know from the post he made in the D&H Fallen Flags forum (Topic: To Serve and Protect, The D&H Police) that this was a special page for him. I also recently tried to contact someone within the POLICE COLLECTORS NEWS that Johnny Trains commented about to let them know about his request about the D&H Badges but I have not heard back from them. They might think my email was just SPAM so if someone closer to that organization can let them know about that request please have them contact me. I would be honored to fullfill JT's request as a token of thanks to his memory.
That is so great Darren! "Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality." The way JT shared his knowledge, he truly shall be immortal. Russ
Dear friends, Just to note that tomorrow, May 15th, would have been JT's 47th birthday. He missed it by less than a month. Johnny, my friend, I salute and celebrate you on this day of remembering you once again. On a slightly different note.... several of us (Brian Schmidt, Chris Wehman, Erik Landrum and myself) had lunch on Wednesday at the Camp Washington Chili Parlor here in Cincy. Before we dug into our 3-Ways and Coneys, we took a moment to salute Johnny with our Pepsi's and iced tea. Johnny loved out particular style of chili and even imported some of it to NYC. Cheers to Johnny, Ed
I am stunned and shocked! It is sobering, I am only a couple of months older than he was, and my mother died of a similar complication about 6 months ago. Still. I never met Johnny, but I enjoyed his posts. Though seeing his picture, I think I might have met him while I was railfanning the B&A sometime ago. You could tell he had a love for life. He will be missed. I am sorry I am so late posting this. I have been away on business and other matters for a while.
Just to show what an impact one man can have in a city as big as this one: As you all may or may not know, I am a letter carrier. All week long my customers were complaining that they had not received their city compenstion checks. I thought nothing of it, just figured that the machines sorted them wrong. Then comes today, JT's birthday, and I have the checks for everyone. It then hits me,......the checks come out from the NYC Comptrollers office for which JT had worked! This was one of JT's jobs,....he took all the outgoing checks, mail, etc... to the big Morgan Distribution center to be sorted to their destinations! This is why they must have been late. I felt real depressed the rest of the day until I heard his "voice" in my head..... "Hey Russ,......these schmucks can't do anything right without me! (This of course followed by his signature giggle) I found a bit of solace in this but at times like this the sharp realizations really hit home Russ
*Crying* I wished I could have heard his voice and his laughter too Russ but things didn't work out the way things ought to. *Crying*
My wife said it best Barb. You never truly appreciate someone until they are gone. I did appreciate his friendship and that is what makes it hard. Russ
Here is the lot of us. Meeting you Peirce was one of JT's highlights. We both agreed that you are the best: Russ
Thanks for the complements, Russ. Those pictures are part of my fond memory of Johnny. What is gratifying is that this thread has become a memorial tribute to a man loved by so many, even though, in many cases, the contributors here only met him on line. I consider myself fortunate to be one of the lucky ones who met Johnny in person. My meetings with Johnny Trains began through TrainBoard. It could have happened only here, thanks to the warmth of the TrainBoard family. My thanks to all for that.
And we thank you for bringing him closer to us with these photographs and stories. [ 18. May 2004, 23:39: Message edited by: Stourbridge Lion ]
Here is yet another pic. JT and I went to Danbury a total of 3 times together and we always had a friendly, fun and hospitable time. Russ
I just received the news of Johnny Trains' passing tonight from 7600_EM1. It is still sinking in, yet still hard to believe. I can remember the time that 7600 said about wehn we toured Sand Patch. I can still remember being up on the old Salisbury Viaduct with JT, 7600, HERMANNzGERMAN, Louie, and Pete Riggio. And then when 7600, JT,HERMANN, and myself were hanging out on the Sand Patch tunnel portal liner on the west face, seeing 2 trains go through and checking out the west portal itself. And on Saturday, when we all rode "Mountain Thunder" from Cumberland to Frostburg, MD. And to top it off, we went and railfanned the Cumberland and Evitt's Creek Yards from Md. Route 51. May The Lord comfort his family and all of us during this time of loss.
More sad news this week in that Tony Randall passed on. NY has lost another of it's icons. JT and Tony shared the title "Mr. New York". Russ
It still hasn't sank into my mind that JT has passed on, he was some memory from meeting him an those others I've met from Trainboard, (It was the first time I ever met anyone from the internet, an was a good experience at that in the first class way! Russ, I can feel your sorrow with the NYC loss, yourself an JT was close friends, an all, that has to hit home in a way not many can relate to from the work those 2 men had done, god bless them both an their family
