BISTLINE, JAMES A. (Age 90)Of Alexandria, VA on Septemebr 20, 2005. Beloved husband of the late Lillian; loving father of Scott A. and Mark H. Bistline. Also survived by one granddaughter, Bennett and his companion of many years, Ellen Kenealy. Friends may call at DEMAINE FUNERAL HOME, 520 S. Washington St., Alexandria, VA on Thursday, September 22, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Friday, September 23, at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church, 2001 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria at 10 p.m. Interment will follow at Mt. Comfort Cemetery, Alexandria. Published in The Washington Post on 9/21/2005------------------------------------------------------If any of you would like to contact the family directly, Mark's email address can be found here:http://www.schoolyard.com/schoolyard/pages/contact.cfmJAC

This is especially sad news. Jim Bistline was a supreme railroader with some of the highest credentials in the industry, even internationaly. Yet, he was a railfan and was never too busy to take time for those of us who were not in the circles of railroad top management. When Graham Claytor began the Southern Steam program in 1966, it was Jim Bistline who put that show on the road. As he did so, it was always with a spirit of teamwork and he became a friend to many of us who participated in those excursions over the years. He never forgot our names or what our interests were. His expertise in managing the Southern Steam Excursions is why those trips were so successful for both the railroad and the various trip sponsors. There will be a ton of stories told about time spent with Mr. Bistline and of things he did but one that stands out with me was a time in the 1970's when 4501 was deadheading over L&N and SCL from New Orleans to Jacksonville in order to reach Jacksonville for some excursions there. Mr. Bistline called Dick Sanborn and asked if they could make the move and Dick Sanborn arranged it. As the train made it's one-way movement, stops were made at towns along the way for people to ride to the next station or as far as they wanted. It was a Sunday morning and Jim was driving ahead of the train, going into churches and announcing that a "steam engine is coming through here in a few minutes and you can ride to the next town". He turned out many riders that day and one church interrupted it's service for their members to go outside to see the train pass.Personally, Mr. Bistline help me accomplish railroad projects several times over the years and I was glad to count him as a friend. I last saw him a couple of years ago when he was in Tampa to kick off the Post Office's tour of his RPO car, which they had leased and refurbished. He was really amused at the cost of that restoration and the itinerary they had picked for it.We've all lost a friend with his passing.-Jim Herron