Tom Moore still working on the railroad all the live-long day

From left are John Phillips, Tom Moore, Steve Feldstein

Beacon Journal newsroom retiree Tom Moore continues to enjoy working on the railroad, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in the national park of the same name.

Tom is a trainman who helps folks on and off the train and punches their tickets. And he tries not to fall on his face any more, as he did once stepping off the train, which made a mess of his mug. 

His companions are John Phillips, a retired mailman he met while walking for exercise at Chapel Hill Mall, and Steve Feldstein, brother of former BJ business writer Stu Feldstein.

The two Railrovers pass out literature and show animal pelts to the passengers.

Says Tom: "It keeps us off the streets and out of the bars."

Tom was born Dec. 14, 1930 in Richmond, Virginia, but was adopted by Spotswood and Virgina Moore in Tazewell, Virginia. "I didn't know I was adopted until I was 21," Tom said.

Tom's 41-year newspaper career was on the Bluefield (WV) Daily Telegraph, Zanesville News (now defunct), Lorain Journal, Columbus Citizen-Columbus Citizen Journal (both defunct) and the BJ. Bluefield, West Virginia, was where the legendary John S. Knight was born. But he left at the age of 3 when his family moved on its way to starting the (now defunct) Knight Newspapers empire.

Tom and wife Dot have four children.

Stu Feldstein left the BJ for Business Week and in 1984 formed SMR Research Corp. in Hackettstown, New Jersey, a business strategy consulting firm.