rtabern

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My love for rail travel developed from annual trips taken between Chicago and Florida (via Washington, DC) in the mid-to-late 1980s. My parents would get a big bedroom for themselves... and my sister and I would each get our own little slumber coach compartment. Some of my earliest train memories were staying up late and watching the lights of passing small towns along the way out my window. Such a classic and romantic experience!

I grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago, but moved to Arkansas in 1997 for my first job in broadcasting and college at Arkansas State University. For a brief period of time, I lived right across from the Amtrak station in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas... where the two Texas Eagles would pass each other in the middle of the night.

I worked in broadcasting and communications for 17 years... working Illinois, Arkansas, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

In February 2015, I left the television business... making the transition to the travel industry. I designed, managed, and personally led group rail and bus tours for a company near Milwaukee for about four years.

In November 2019, I accepted a position as Director of Passenger Development for the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad... after they acquired one of Amtrak's Pacific Parlour Cars. I help to manage the wine and cheese service on this car... as well as the dinner train, bed and breakfast train, and the recently acquired Mark Twain Zephyr.

My wife and I have nearly 20 railroad books written. Check out www.outsidetherails.com.

We are also the founders of the Midwest Rail Rangers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides onboard educational programs on the South Shore Line, private rail cars, 20th Century Railroad Club Amtrak charters, outreach events, and much more. Check out www.railrangers.org. We previously were involved in the Trails & Rails program on the Empire Builder (2007-2010) and founded and managed the Trails & Rails program on the Southwest Chief (2012-2015) from Chicago to Northeast Missouri.

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