From everyone who puts together Trains, we’d like to wish you a wonderful Christmas 2016. It is our pleasure and an honor to bring you the world’s largest popular railroad publication and its most visited website. I hope you’ll allow me to brag on the folks who make it happen, as they richly deserve it.
As I often remind people, there is no “I” in Trains – OK, well, there is grammatically but as far as writing and producing this publication and website, it is a team sport. I work with five of the most talented, inspired people ever put together for one task. I am grateful for Angela, Diane, David, Steve, and Brian. They love what they do, and it shows in every picture, paragraph, and page. This year, Kevin Keefe retired as our boss, but not a day goes by that I don’t hear his voice in my head, coaching me to do everything possible to make that next story more vibrant, that headline and deck snappier, that photo the best choice of all.
I also work with gifted designers, Tom, Scott, Drew, and Rick, who amaze me day after day with what they do to present our work in the most interesting and appealing way. Our advertising sales guy, Mike, knows the business of railroading as well or better than anyone in the field. And that’s not all. We have dedicated administrators, and good folks in advertising and circulation, IT, web, production, and heck, even our accountants who are kind when they remind me to stay in budget. There are too many folks to list here, so I’ll direct you to the masthead the next time you pick up a copy. I am fortunate not only to call these fine people colleagues, but friends, too.
And then there are the contributors – freelance authors, photographers, and videographers who provide poignant prose and inspiring photos. They’re scattered around the country and around the world, and they enrich what we do ten times over. We are fortunate to have them with us.
All of these folks are passionate and dedicated about what they do for Trains, because our subject is fantastic, and we love sharing what we learn and find with you. That is our gift to you at this holiday season and year round. The passage in the book of Luke — the part about “keeping watch over their flocks by night” — comes to mind when I think about our Trains team, the work they do every day (and sometimes late at night).
And that reminds me of one last thing I want to say: I love it when someone gives or gets a Trains subscription as a Christmas gift because it is truly a gift that keeps giving for an entire year. That is how I got my first subscription almost 50 years ago, as a Christmas present from my parents, and I am grateful more and more for their kind willingness to indulge my passion for railroads every step of the way. Other than that O-27 Lionel trainset under the tree in 1965, and the copy of Mike Koch’s rare Shay locomotive book in 1993, I think the Trains subscription in 1967 was the best gift ever.
Enjoy your Christmas holiday with those you love. Reach out to someone. And may the true spirit of Christmas be with you today and every day.
Photo, seated, l-r, Diane Laska-Swanke, Angela Pusztai-Pasternak; standing, l-r, Tom Hoffmann, Jim Wrinn, David Lassen, Brian Schmidt, and Steve Sweeney.
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