About Me

"Life is short. Go ride a train."

        - Samuel Decker Coykendall, probably

My name is Michael Lechicky. I'm silly, I'm curious, and I love trains. I've long been interested in the Catskill Mountains of New York, too. I'm fascinated by them - their geology, their ecology, their cultural history and their imprint on American society. This fascination is deeply entwined with an interest in their historic, long-gone railroads - lines of charm and enchantment that tied secluded mountain heights with Hudson River ports.

The Hillendale Railway is, vaguely, based on those railroads. Except with more Baldwins. The Catskill railroads seemed darned allergic to the things. One of their few shortcomings.

In my home state I am a volunteer with the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians, Inc., where I am a student engineer on the Centerville & Southwestern Railroad, the world's only 9-7/16" gauge railroad and the third-oldest "Grand Scale" railroad in the country. When I'm not around railroads or having an existential crisis, I like to bird and sing.

Vauclain compounds are the best. Anything higher than 90 lb. rail is unnecessary.

Follow my non-Victorian train exploits here: https://www.instagram.com/lilbeckertrain/