Can somebody confirm or deny whether noted LIRR historian Ron Ziel is still alive? I've heard reports that he died a few years ago but I never saw an obit in Trains or anywhere else. A gent in NY has been buying some of his photos in eBay auctions and was told by his daughter (?) who supposedly ran the online auction that he passed away. I certainly hope that the reports of his death have been greatly exagerated. I also read somewhere that his negatives were deposited at an east coast university archives, perhaps somewhere on Long Island?

K.R. Bell

And I'm sure we were supposed to believe all that stuff O. Winston Link's so-called "wife" was saying about him as well............ I'm just sayin', is all.

I haven't heard from him in years, but if my Internet search engines are any indication, it's possible that he's relocated to the Tuscon, Arizona area........ or else someone is posing as him there..........

Good evening Mr. Bell,

I was shocked to receive a similar e-mail from a fellow student of rail preservation back in July. The e-mail - shotgunned around the country - created quite a stir in our community of friends. Being a past acquaintance of Ron's here on Long Island, I immediately called to offer my sympathies to his wife - and then:

On July 11, 2006 I had a one hour conversation with Ron Ziel himself! I was happy to report that the terms of his demise were greatly exaggerated! He told me this happened once before some fifteen years ago. A woman from Greenport, L.I. NY called to give her condolences and started screaming at the top of her lungs when she heard his voice!

We had a great chat, Tuscon, Arizona weather treats him well. His circulation problems had been amplified by the cold and damp of Long Island. Ron told me Tuscon residents consider it "grossly humid" if the humidity index gets above 20%. He was doing GREAT!

To prove it, Ron was heading off to Java in August to see and photograph a number of operating Plantation Engines. In October he planned to go to New Zealand to see steam locomotives in that country. It will be his 53rd and 54th countries to view and photograph steam in.

Our conversation ranged from LIRR Engine #39 to that summer’s "Dan's Papers" story on the Montauk Subway, Chinese steam (or the lack of it) politics to e-commerce (his nephew and niece-in-law are handling the e-bay sales of his photos - he made over 4000 prints from his collection before selling it to the Queen's Public Library). We had a great time talking!

Ron was not dead in July 2006, very much alive and well in Tuscon, Arizona. You can reach Ron by writing to him, (he recently purchased a computer but his e-mail account had not yet been set up), at:

Sunrise Special Ltd. Publishing
10020 East Domenic Lane
Tucson, AZ 85730

de Don, n2qhvRMLI

I imagine that you mean to say that in July 2006 you had talked with Ron Ziel, am I correct?

I got a copy of "Steam in the Sixites" recently after hearing about it on this forum. What a great book. I wasn't even born yet, and I missed some great stuff. Thanks to Ron and others for documenting it for me.

Ron's checkered career on Long Island ended with a move to Southern Arizona, a few years back. He expanded his considerable resume' of writing to include books on the Spanish American war and at least one novel. The eBay auctions are conducted by his niece, Jessica. Ron's considerable collection of LIRR negatives and documents went to the Queensborough Public Library, where they are permanently housed for the research of others. Ron's thousands of negatives and transparencies from 1960 forward, documenting the end of North American steam, may be in that disposition. Apparently, Ron made hundreds of personal prints of the negatives he had collected, and is selling them to augment his income. AFAIK, Ron Ziel is alive and well, and still dedicated to the documentation of his life's love; steam locomotive operations.

[color=brown]Hi All,

Glad to hear Mr. Zeil is still with us. Checkered past or not.

Can someone please tell me, did his photos go to the Queen Public Library main branch or a satellite branch?

Best to all, Phil [/color=brown]

I know this is a little off-topic, but can anyone tell me the titles of his books on the Spanish-American War?

Good evening all,

Yes, I meant to type 2006! Sorry for the confusing typo!

Ron's latest book on the Spanish-American War follows.

"Birth of the American Century: The Spanish-American War"
(Hardcover, 1996)

de Don, n2qhvRMLI

I guess right before he moved to Arizona, I decided to find him and write him a letter telling him much of an influence "Twilight of Steam Locomotives" was to me as a kid and how I treasure the copy of his book I have today. I found him through an internet search, still in the Northeast at the time. About two weeks later, I got a typed letter back from him (complete with corrections), thanking me for taking the time to write him. He talked about some of the books he'd done since then, and I wound up ordering a signed copy of "Mainline Steam Revival" which in itself is a sad book, as so many of the "newly restored" engines listed have since been cold.
I wish Mr. Ziel a long and happy life, and am quite sure when he eventually passes (hopefully well into the future after he's written more good stuff), he will be mourned among his readers. I saw this CD of his and plan to order one: http://www.secondnaturecd.com/steamenofamb.html