Since toy trains have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, I wondered if anyone in my family lineage had a railroad background. As it turns out, a French relative informed me that a great-great cousin of mine was at the controls of this locomotive as it overshot the Paris, France Montparnasse Station in 1895. The photo of the resulting accident has been immortalized as one of the most infamous in transportation history. My hope is NOT to recreate this accident on my toy train layout!

Here's a picture of my Uncle Eddie, posing on the steps of a New York, New Haven and Hartford boxcar. This photo was taken sometime in the late 1930's to early 1940's.