Robert A. Bruce has always liked mechanical things. His early childhood was in Ypsilanti, Michigan, when the New York Central was still running steam. He remembers occasionally detouring on his way home from elementary school so as to pass a ready track where the Central kept a consolidation switch engine. Here he would chat with the engineer, and hoped to be invited (rarely) to climb into the cab. Those were more relaxed times.
This love of railroads stayed with him when his family moved to Edinboro, Pennsylvania. Traces of early railroads and interurbans which served northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York were still evident. Exploring the old roadbeds and finding relics was still relatively easy at the time.
Later, his work took him to Corning, New York as an Industrial Designer for Corning Glass. Nearby were remnants of the earliest railroads in the country, as well as canals. The area was ripe for transportation history fans.
Now retired, he lives in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. He has been a model builder, railfan and historian for more than 65 years. He also enjoys collecting, restoring and driving brass era (pre 1916) automobiles.