The last time I saw Jim was at "Beneath the Sea" at the end of March, 2010. He didn't seem any worse for age or wear then, nor when I talked to him on the phone in April and early May about the Scranton trolley museum article. He did check with others so he could get his facts more correct for his writings.

It was a sad week, this, dealing with Jim's passing. We had worked together for ten years and remained good friends in the dozen years since. It has been tough watching him age and deal with numerous painful, difficult and expensive medical issues. He endured it all without a complaint. The turnout at the funeral on a day's notice in the snow was impressive. Jim wasn't ready to pass on, but I'm glad that all of his suffering is at last over. He touched so many lives and was generous to a fault. I will miss him. I know that somewhere he is watching regular service steam on the Lackawanna so that later he can brag to me about what I missed.

....Mike Del Vecchio

This all reminded me of this photo that I took on a 614 trip in 1980. Jim Boyd and DPM. It's just a grab shot, but kind of interesting never-the-less.

Now THAT is a hell of a picture!!! Wow. You captured them both perfectly.

Howard P.

Hi Mark,

That is a great shot, and I swear I've seen it before. Would you mind submitting it to Railfan & Railroad as part of the obit? I can do it if you'd like if you send the file, unless the screen grab is all of it. I'm at mdelvec952@aol.com

Many thanks in advance. It really captured the character of both men.

....Mike Del Vecchio

Jim Boyd's last book, on Steamtown, is now in print. It was for sale at the East Penn Traction club meeting on 3/4/11. Unfortunately, I couldn't get an autographed copy.

Never met him but from all his articles, no stranger.

Did DPM always railfan in jacket & tie? A classy way to represent the fourth estate.

Steve

Most of the older railfans dressed for dinner and fan trips, and even wore hats. Check old photo line photos.

Never met Jim but I have always loved his writing & pictures. We involved in railway preservation really need to make an effort to bring the younger generation into our cause to help fill the shoes of people like Jim.
Having people like Jim Boyd to document for future generations our efforts to preserve railroad history is what it's all about.
May your tracks be clear & the tender full of good coal. RIP Jim.

Dave Huffman

Just bringing this discussion back to mark that it was ten years ago that Jim Boyd passed away.

PC

Funny how engineer hats were really common among fans then, but hardly ever now.

Good memories here.
Boyd was up this way occasionally. He was here for CNR 6060 and wrote a nice article on his experience. He was rather impressed with the U-1-f maintaining existing scheduled passenger train speeds on the Oakville Sub.! I may be wrong, but think Kearny was the master mechanic that day and his view was that she was built as a passenger locomotive and should bloody well run like one!
Had some good visits with Boyd at Bellows Falls. At one fall weekend, he joined our joint Ontario/Montreal crew for breakfast one morning and there were plenty of tales told.
His night photo sessions were something to be part of.
He was a good guy in every way -- a true railfan and a gentleman.

They've been replaced with safety vests.

It's really the same thing, just different apparel.

Hats, and then vests, became the place for fans to attach either patches or badges from the outfits or trips they rode, back in the day when you actually COULD ride of "fan" a multitude of railroads, freight and tourist.

At times, it was something of a "bragging rights" competition of people who had ridden the most or most obscure lines. Ditto the "I RODE BEHIND ####" badges.

Now:
We're down to the "Super Seven," some regionals, and "soulless" affiliates of companies like G&W, RJ Corman, etc.
Lots of tourist railroads don't even have gift shops--or, if they do, they're often selling some generic "railroad shirt" (black, colorful 4-4-0 on a cliff, improbable lightning bolts, and the RR's name);
Nobody in the RR industry wears pinstripe caps any more except ironically. (But if you know where to look you CAN buy official-issue wear/apparel from the RR........)

I once, some time ago, showed up for a night photo shoot at the EBT with all vintage attire and equipment ca. 1940--wooden tripod, folding 616 camera, fedora, tweed coat, shined shoes.....