Dan's interest in railroading was sparked when his photography was published in Pacific RailNews, RailNews, CTC Board and Railroads Illustrated. When he put the camera away, Dan also wrote four feature articles including two on Southern Pacific Railroad's Cascade Line, one on Alaska Railroad and co-authored a fourth on Union Pacific Railroad's Modoc Detours. His writing aspirations continued to flourish as a freelance writer and contributor with Fieldston Publications. Dan continued to write and edit monthly news columns on Alaska Railroad, Central Oregon & Pacific, Montana Rail Link, and Kansas City Southern Railway for 15 years. In his last role, he was Alaska Railroad News Editor at Railroads Illustrated magazine. When Dan is not hanging out with his family, working as a manager at high tech company, and researching his family history, he enjoys travel and photography. Otherwise Dan, his wife Michelle and two kids are home in a small Western Oregon community.