Southern California was where Gene's love of trains and railroading began. He visited famous landmarks such as Cajon Pass, Techacapi Pass, Barstow and the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento as a child.
His favorite railroad was the Santa Fe and he has fond memories of catching Amtrak trains at the San Diego Station downtown with his parents at a young age.
In High School, Gene was a member of the Poway High School Emerald Brigade and marched in the 1989 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.
After high school, Gene relocated to Eastern Arkansas with his mother. Eastern Arkansas and the Mid-South introduced Gene to a variety of new experiences and railroads as well as a bit of "Culture Shock". Gene received his BA in Political Science in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
While in Arkansas, Gene became a fan of the Frisco (SLSF) railroad which ran through Jonesboro before merging with the Burlington Northern. Gene also was exposured to the Missouri Pacific, Cotton Belt, Illinois Central and other midwestern railroads.
After college, Gene's work in production management required a transfer to West Plains, Missouri also on the Ex-Frisco Mainline. While in West Plains, he met and married his wife Cindy.
Cindy and Gene were married in 1997 in Iowa on Rosemond Bridge made famous in Robert Waller's Book and Movie "The Bridges of Madison County".
Career moves have resulted in Gene and Cindy living in a number of Southern states including Georgia, Florida, and since 2002 in South Carolina. In 2006, Cindy and Gene relocated to their current home in Aiken, South Carolina.
While working for a variety of companies, Gene has received his Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Information Systems and hopes to teach on the college level in the future.
When he is not working at his day job, Gene enjoys photography, writing, travel, and history.
Gene writes several columns on Railroads and Travel as well as blogging on several sites.
Gene's Current Columns
Gene's Blogs
- Gene's Lens (Photography)
- The Railroad Blog
- Road Trip 101 (Vintage Travel)
- Moonlit Bridges (with his wife Cindy)
Find Gene on Twitter
