Greetings from Vermont's Green Mountains, where partly sunny skies and 63 degrees create a comfortable environment to compose this long overdue connection with the most fantastic fellow ferro fans in the universe! Thanks to you, we are now in our 20th year as your creation station for unique and affordable rail-themed entertainment.

Marilee, Percy and I enjoy the lengthy friendships from this labor of love "enterprise." We've watched several young boys, who became regulars at our train show tables and presentations, grow into fine young men. Brett now embraces the iron horse as a designer and planner for a regional railroad in the Keystone State. We've known Owen since he was about five. His family, none of whom were railfans, have faithfully escorted him to countless railroad events for more than a dozen years. His graduation photo, taken in the cab of a Vermont Railway locomotive, gives you an idea of where he's headed! Marilee and I will be attending his graduation party this weekend, armed with a special gift he will likely treasure long after we're in that great roundhouse in the sky.  Now if I could only learn what became of that sweet young lad who once told me I was his "favorite actor!"  You can't put a price tag on these wonderful moments.

The fall release of TROLLEY WIRES TO RUBBER TIRES finally got a well-deserved shot in the arm last month. It was almost surreal connecting with a live audience attending my first pandemic era performance. While books sold briskly, there are 104 left with your name on them! If this does well enough, we'll follow with a book on all ten Vermont trolley and interurban lines. I have the goods, but sales of one release funds the next and so on and so on...

The last six months have brought a return to my COVID-cancelled day job, and resumption of regular television assignments. This also gave me a kick in the seat of the pants to complete my top bucket list item. The twenty-fifth anniversary of my long sold-out DENVER & NEW ORLEANS: IN THE SHADOW OF THE ROCKIES has delivered an all-new chronicle on my favorite phantom standard-gauge railroad. I'll always be grateful to Del McCoy, of Sundance Publications, for taking a chance on an unknown writer and equally obscure subject back in the day. His 2,750 book run sold out within five years, never to return. I proudly dedicate this all new, limited edition work to him.  Visit our BOOKS tab, and we'll send 'em your way.

JAMES R. "JIM" JONES
SPRING/SUMMER 2022