Meet Engineer Bob

Publisher of the Sinterklaas Station Publishing House

When I was 4 or 5 years old, my mother purchased several Little Golden Books for me, one of which was titled The Little Engine that Could. In the tale, a long train must be pulled over a high mountain. Larger and stronger engines are asked to perform the task but for various reasons they refuse. The request is sent to a small engine who agrees to try. The little engine succeeds in pulling the train over the mountain while repeating over and over again its motto: "I think I can, I think I can!" That Little Golden Book about how a little blue engine overcomes a seemingly impossible task became one of my most treasured possessions. I admired the courage exercised by that little blue engine, and that started my interest in model railroading. My very first train consisted of an American Flyer steam locomotive and four freight cars that my dad purchased for Christmas when I was twelve years old. I have been model railroading ever since.



I think in some small subconscious way, that story about that little blue engine, and the joy of receiving that American Flyer locomotive and its rolling stock, was the beginning of my penchant for writing about trains. I’m retired now, but my entire working career involved writing and editing in some form or another. As a technical writer, nonfiction writer, children’s storybook writer, managing editor, book author, and publications manager over a span of thirty years, I decided to continue my writing as a children’s book author—specifically in the nonfiction genre—like the books I have written about steam locomotives, railroad box cars, and railroad cabooses listed in the Bookstore of this website, so kids might learn some interesting facts about the subject matter being presented as opposed to just fictional stories about personified objects like talking trains.

Sincerely,
Engineer Bob