Ed, four days ago I was talking with a Conductor (Metro North Comm. Railroad) friend of mine originally from Long Island. I am an Engineer for the same railroad. I asked him (since he has relocated to CT). If he had any buddies still on the Island that could possibly try to locate a phone number for me. He said "Sure" and I gave him what info I had. I was trying to reconnect with Ray Mckenna, a friend, an electrician and fellow shipmate off the TOM.

I picked my conductor friend up en route from Grand Central Terminal to New Haven, CT. My last trip on the day. He came up to the front end of the train and gave me a phone number, the one his friend had ferreted out, a private detective. He also told me, his detective friend gave me his phone number if it wasn't the right Ray.

I called the number between stops on my cell phone, you guessed it! It was the correct Ray! We talked briefly, we hadn't seen or spoken to each other in 27 years. The last time was when my brother Jack was married. I gave him Jacks phone number and he surprised Jack with a call when we hung up.

One favor asked of a friend as an afterthought; one shipmate and friend found; three grown men feeling and remembering the friendship started so long ago on the Tom Green County 67-69. We are now planning to get together in the near future in New York City. I gave Ray the web address and he has signed in .

What a great night and story. You can lose someone for all those years and with a simple phone call you are right back where you were so many years ago.

Also Ed, while I have your attention not that long ago, thanks to your site, I received an e-mail from another friend of mine from the Tom that I haven't spoken to or have heard from since 1968, Tom Murphy, IC2. We have been talking via emails, and we both are looking forward to Portland.

Again I want to thank you for all the love and hard work you have put into the Web site, all the credit you want to give everyone else for its success, even though you are the driving force. Keep up the good work and look forward to many more reunions like the ones described above.

Jerry Bogart 67-68

Now for the rest of the story

Ed,what a lift it was to receive that call from jerry the other night. i've only just begun on the computer and wasn't sure how to go about finding a site for the TOM. Visiting the web page and talking to the two Bogart brothers brought back a lot of memories and a renewed friendship

Thank you shipmate - Ray

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