TCA e*Train Moves Forward
Wayne Sheriff, TCA National President Winter 2016
As TCA e*Train pulls out of another station, it is appropriate to look to back to where we’ve been on the journey and forward to where we’re headed.
The picture above shows its first edition in March 2002. It was a first step, a tentative one in the young world of the Internet. The technology of web management has changed dramatically, as has our use of electronic media, yet our current Webmaster advises that the underlying site structure was amazingly well constructed. Today, the pages you read on your monitor are supported by some 20,000 files that are intricately connected.
What is even more amazing and gratifying is to read the names the authors of the early e*Train editions, and to realize the wonderful continuity of support from TCA’s authors. Just look as the names of authors in the first edition above:
- Clem Clement, a staunch contributor, having served later as TCA President and author of his Clem’s Primer, a resource for those attending the York meets.
- Gordon Wilson, one of the major drivers behind the publication’s creation, a former President also, and regular author.
- Paul Wassermann, Frank Samaritano and so many others who have taken leadership roles in TCA. Indeed, the TCA Internet and Technology, now led by Stu Rankin, has been an advocate and supporter for this progress.
- Bob Mintz, who edited the publication for over a decade and set a high standard of excellence, was its most prolific writer, and who maintained an impressive continuity and updating of articles, making it the valuable resource it it today. Along the way, he spent thousands of hours encouraging new authors and editing their photos and drafts. The foundation of solid, accurate content he put in place will serve us well. We look forward to his continued contribution of articles.
- And note in this March 2002 edition the article on Lou Redman, “Mr. TCA,” which brings another example of the continuity of the TCA family. Lou’s middle daughter Carol Redman McGinnis, served as TCA National President from 2012-2013, and now assumes the editorship of e*Train. As successive editions evolve, I’m sure we’ll see both the best of the old and some new approaches as well.
Finally, you may have noticed that we changed the name of the publication from TCA e-Train to TCA e*Train. A modest change, introduced with the consensus of those who have been most directly involved over the years, and perhaps a more “streamlined” representation of the forward motion that will characterize our continued journey.
Indeed electronic communication is not only here to stay, it’s a key part of our representation of the toy train hobby to our members and to the public whose interest and participation we seek in these changing times.
