James G. Wrinn

James G. “Jim” Wrinn, 61, passed away peacefully at his Brookfield, Wis., home after a courageous, year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born to John and Kate Wrinn in Franklin, N.C., Jim grew up an only child and with parents who were both retired by the time he was a teen. His father was an agricultural agent for Macon County while his mother was Clerk of the District Court until she had Jim when she stepped down in that role. Much of Jim’s good nature and compassion came from his parents, whom he adored.

Jim’s love of railroads can be traced back to his parents who took him all over the South to attend various railfan events, tourist trains and museums, including the nearby Graham County Railroad near Robbinsville, N.C. His father’s family also was involved in railroading with his dad’s brother working a Railroad Post Office car and his third and second great grandfather’s having lived in Old Fort, N.C. as contractors helping to build the railroad lines nearby.

To help build his vocabulary, his second-grade teacher advised Jim to read more. Jim purchased his first copy of Trains magazine from a rack at the tourist railroad he had recently visited. It was the August 1967 issue and had a Shay steam locomotive on the cover, which looked like the Shay he had just ridden. The cover story was written by who would become his main mentor, Dan Ranger. Having read it cover to cover, Jim’s parents purchased him a subscription for Christmas. And, thus, his lifelong relationship with Trains magazine began.

A few years later, his mother bought him his first 35mm camera solely so that he could have decent enough pictures to submit to Trains magazine to get published. Jim’s first picture in Trains was finally published in 1982, appropriately of the Graham County Railroad’s Shay #1925.

During his freshman year in college, an advisor asked Jim what would he like to do in life. Jim said to be Editor of Trains magazine. The advisor then directed him to attend the journalism program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1983, he graduated as a Tar Heel with majors in journalism and political science. Until the day he passed, his friendships with his fellow Tar Heel alumni helped him to focus on being the best journalist he could be. He had great friends with which to cheer on his adored Tar Heel basketball team!

After graduation in 1983, he worked for several North Carolina small-town newspapers including in Gastonia and Fayetteville. He made his big move to the Charlotte Observer in September 1986. Jim covered several departments until landing his dream job at Trains magazine, the world’s largest-circulation railroad periodical, in October 2004. His start date…10/27…same as the company’s old address in downtown Milwaukee and a running theme within the railfan community.

Jim was active in multiple rail-preservation projects throughout his life. In 1986, he helped to found the Southern Railway Historical Association. Perhaps most notably though he was a volunteer and leader at the North Carolina Transportation Museum (NCTM) for nearly four decades. He worked every job there as a volunteer, later serving on the board. His biggest achievement he would say was his work to secure and restore Graham County Shay #1925 at the museum.

Throughout the past several years, Jim authored, or co-authored five books, including a history Spencer Shops steam locomotive repair facility where the NCTM is located today, and a history of the Southern Railway and Norfolk Southern Steam Program, entitled “Steam’s Camelot.” He was putting the final touches on a book chronicling the rise and fall of the Graham County Railroad at the time of his passing. That book is scheduled for release later in 2022.

As told to Cate and others, Jim’s greatest regrets were not being able to retire from Trains and subsequently not serving as President of the NCTM.

Jim was a humble man who was just as comfortable having dinner with a railroad CEO as he was a brakeman. He never had a bad word to say about or to anyone. Instead, he lifted people up with his encouragement and support. He took great pride in helping people no matter if they were at the homeless shelter he helped serve food at or a railroad organization desperately needing funds to finish a locomotive restoration.

There was no doubt though, Jim’s greatest talent was, to use his words, plotting and scheming. Behind the scenes was where Jim’s touch was most often felt. Cooking up ideas for different locations, equipment, people, facilities…anything to make you shake your head and wonder ‘How did THAT happen?’ is what he enjoyed most! And it is what he would want each of you to do yourselves…plot and scheme.

Through the past nine years, Jim and Cate were frequently spotted together along the rails. They were true partners often being seen together trackside with their respective cameras. Having been married on Cate’s father’s private railroad car the ‘Cornhusker Club’ on display at the Durham Museum in Omaha in 2014, Jim married into Cate’s railroad family that spanned generations. Jim had even met Cate’s father Bill Kratville on Bill’s private train car 10000…decades before he even met Cate. Bill had written for Trains magazine starting in the 1950s. He subsequently wrote several railroad books that sit on the shelves at Kalmbach Media. Their meeting at the Center for Railroad Photography and Art conference seemed like destiny.

Jim learned from his mentors and, in turn, purposely reached out to mentor younger people to get involved in railroads either railfanning, writing, photography, restoring, marketing, organizational leadership, fundraising…you name it. Jim knew it was his responsibility to teach the next generation of railroad enthusiasts, journalists, workers and volunteers. His advice to each of you would be to do the same to keep the industry fresh, vibrant, modern and thriving! Help to train your replacement he would say! Through his hard work and generous spirit, Jim touched the lives of countless thousands of rail professionals and hobbyists.

But as he struggled with cancer, he would often remark he was lucky enough to lead what he called “an interesting” life, both professionally and personally.

Jim’s advice to each of us….get busy livin’!!

He is survived by his railroad-loving wife and partner Cate Kratville-Wrinn; beloved dog Millie; several cousins including Michelle (Steve) Green; Anna Green; AnnaJane Carson (John Warren); Jane (Bill) Hopper; Barry Downs; Frank Myers; Claire Myers (Tricia Higgins); Stephanie O’Dell; Rebecca (Richard) Dobbins; Carl (Dianne) Myers; Anne O’Dell (Danny Ernest); Mary Lucy O’Dell; other family members; and special friend Arthur Zimmerla.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the following three organizations:

OPTION 1—

North Carolina Transportation Museum Foundation
P.O. Box 69
Spencer, N.C. 28159
www.nctrans.org.

On your check, please write in “In Memory of Jim Wrinn” in the memo area. Online, choose “Graham Co Shay #1925” in the “Please Use My Gift” section.

OPTION 2–

UNC TEACCH Autism Program
c/o UNC Medicine
PO Box 1050
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-1050
www.teacch.com

OPTION 3—

Durham Museum
801 S 10th Street
Omaha, NE 68108
www.durhammuseum.org

On your check, please write “In Memory of Jim Wrinn” in the memo area.

The past several months have been filled with multiple honors for Jim across the country. Now it’s time to Jim’s Celebration of Life here in Wisconsin with another weekend-long event. Guests are invited to attend any and all weekend events in celebration of Jim’s life and to Get Busy Livin’! Bring your stories, laughter, tears and memory cards, because no Jim Wrinn event would be complete without a photo charter, or two!

In Jim’s memory, we are kicking off a new fundraiser event called Shay It Forward. It is to raise money to care for Shay and other geared engines across the country. This is the first of several events to be held. For those travelling from out of town, we recommend you stay in Milwaukee on Friday and then closer to Union, IL, such as at Rockford, for Saturday and Sunday nights for those attending the Trains magazine photo charter too.

Friday June 23, 2023

Celebration of Life – Get Busy Livin’! Party

Polish Center of Wisconsin

6941 S 68^th St

Franklin, Wisconsin 53132

5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Program starts at 6:30 PM

Food and drinks will be available

Saturday June 24, 2023

Inaugural Shay It Forward event to benefit the Illinois Railway Museum’s Shay #5

Illinois Railway Museum

7000 Olson Road

Union, Illinois 60180

10:00 AM to approximately midnight

Special Shay #5 throttle times (tickets sold separately-12 limit)

Benefit luncheon on board the Nebraska Zephyr train (tickets sold separately-32 limit)

Benefit dinner on board the Nebraska Zephyr train (tickets sold separately-36 limit)

3:00 PM. A don’t miss Memorial Event on Shay #5

7:00 PM. A very special one-of-a-kind Night Photo Charter (tickets sold separately-60 limit)

For more information and to sign up for the benefit events of your choice, check out the IRM website. Tickets will be sold first come first serve. Normal admission required.

https://tickets.irm.org/webstore/shop/viewItems.aspx?cg=cws&c=ShayitForward&fbclid=IwAR2ABMwwD_AU8DHhFJ43kDlpTBQ5-FzIcHD0fFC702aQ8MMDUV8bTAKMi1Y

Sunday June 25, 2023

Trains Magazine Heisler pop-up steam night photo charter

Silver Creek & Stephenson Railroad

2954 South Walnut Road

Freeport, Illinois 61032

5:00 PM.

The event includes dinner, followed by a nighttime photoshoot using a professional lighting setup. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heisler-steam-charter-with-trains-magazine-tickets-632685237577