Photo of yours truly driving an up Sandringham, August. 2005

Biography

 I was born in Coburg, Victoria, Australia in 1963. I grew up in Pascoe Vale and attended Pascoe Vale Primary School, Newlands High School, Strathmore High School and Coburg Technical School. At age 16 1/2 I left school and started working for Vale Engineering as an apprentice boilermaker. I didn't last long there as the call of the railroad was too strong, so on my 17th birthday I applied and was hired by the Victorian Railways as a "Trainee Engineman" In my 5 years as a fireman I worked out of Sth. Dynon, Geelong, Hamilton, Ararat, Benalla and Wodonga. In March of 1985 I passed my theory and practical drivers exams.

Upon passing my drivers exam I transferred to the sparks, (Jolimont Electric Running Depot) and worked there until 1993. During my time on the "sparks" I became involved in union affairs. My special area of interest was in signalling and safeworking and I served several years as Jolimont's representitive on the "Signal Sighting Commitee" which was responsible for all new signal installations. In 1992 I met my future wife (now ex wife) in Denver, Colorado, USA. I resigned from VR in 1993 and moved to Denver. In 1995 I was hired by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad and worked out of Grand Junction and Denver as a Switchman/Hostler/Conductor and Engineer. I only lasted there a little over a year at which time I resigned. I then worked for a small shortline in Denver called the Denver and Rock Island as a Engineer on a switcher for a year at which time I was "layed off". I also worked as a Conductor/Switchman for Wisconsin Central, based out of Stevens Point, Wisconsin for two months in late 1997.

Hobbies
Since the age of about 14 I have been interested in photography. At first this interest was confined to railway photography but after a while photography became an interest in and of itself. I have been exhibited in several galleries in Denver. For most of the last 20 years I have had a B&W and colour darkroom. After resigning from D&RGW I set up a custom B&W printing business in Denver. About this time I became interested in computers and quickly became interested in digital photo manipulation and the world wide web as a medium for exhibiting one's photo's. In the 80's I edited the well known Australian rail magazine, "Australian Railway Enthusiast" for 2 years, in the process learning much about reproduction/typesetting and other press issues.

I am also a very keen golfer, I have broken 80 twice and carry a handicap of 13. I am pretty short off the tee but have an excellent short game. A round of golf is a bit like life, you have setbacks, joys and everything in between, the key is not what happens to you but how you respond.

Recently:
In June of 2000 I was hired by the Union Pacific Railroad as a trainee signal maintainer. I worked in signal construction installing all manner of signal apparatus, mainly in Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado. In September 2002, I graduated as a fully qualified Union Pacific Signalman/Signal Maintainer
I worked 8 days in a row, (10 hour days) then got 6 days off. Whilst on the road I took my computer, many of the pages on this website were created in motel rooms in Nebraska and Wyoming as well as at home in Arvada, Colorado.

Currently

In July 2003 I resigned from the Union Pacific Railroad and decided to move back to my home, Melbourne, Australia. In August 2003 I started work for M>Train in a train drivers "refresher" course and was requalified in all M>Train and Connex tracks in Jan. 2004. I currently work for Connex based at Flinders St. and live near Merri railway station.

On August 15, 2007 my partner gave birth to our new baby daughter, Katrina.

Click here for older photos of me "at work"