(rshsdepot) Monday Chat with Seth Bramson

[I95BERNIEW_@_aol.com]

Thought members of the group might enjoy reading this chat with fellow  group 
member, Seth Bramson on TCPalm.
 
Bernie Wagenblast
 
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Monday Chat with Seth Bramson
Railroads a lifelong passion for historian
By Joe Crankshaw  
Monday, October 22, 2007 
 
Seth Bramson, 63, has a degree from Cornell University in hospitality, as  
well as a master’s degree from Florida International University. He lectures in  
health services administration at Barry University, and teaches Florida 
history  at FIU. But above all, Bramson is the quintessential railroad buff 
specializing  in the Florida East Coast Railway. His interest in trains began around 
age 3,  when his father took him to Miami’s Buena Vista Yard each Sunday to 
see the  trains. Today, he has the largest private collection of FEC and Florida 
 transportation memorabilia, and is the official historian of the railroad. 
He  spoke to the Sebastian River Area Historical Society on Wednesday night. 
Q. What got you interested in the Florida East Coast  Railway? 
A. We came to Miami in 1946. In 1947, my father started  taking me to Buena 
Vista Yard, the FEC yard in Miami, and I would climb on the  trains. Later he 
would drive north along Biscayne Boulevard. Nothing blocked the  view of the 
tracks and the magnificent red and yellow diesel engines would blast  by us, 
hauling the shiny streamline passenger cars, and it just got me all  excited. At 
the age of 13, I started collecting the stuff I love so much. 
Q. You studied hospitality but you made your name in  railroads and history. 
How did that happen? 
A. All my friends, who graduated with me from high school,  became doctors 
and lawyers. But I didn’t want any of that, so I studied  hospitality. But I 
always had a love of trains and the FEC in particular. 
Q. When did you start writing your books on the FEC, and how  long did you 
research it? 
A. I started writing “Speedway to Sunshine,” in 1972, but  all the years 
before provided the research. It was a lifelong passion. 
Q. What was and is the impact of the FEC on Florida’s east  coast and the 
state? 
A. Without this railroad, I-95 and U.S. 1 would operate at  rush-hour traffic 
levels 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Florida East  Coast Railway 
opened this state, built many, if not most of, the cities along  the east coast. 
The freight operation has become so precise that I refer to the  FEC as “
America’s conveyor belt on rails.” The FEC moves two full trains of 70  to 100 
cars of nothing but UPS trailers. 
Q. How did you become the official historian of the  railroad? 
A. I was going into the ticket offices since 1957 and got to  know the people 
so well that even during the strike, I was the only railroad  buff allowed on 
the property. When it came time for the FEC’s centennial, the  company 
decided to name me their historian. 
Q. You have all this stuff stored, catalogued and indexed in  your house? 
A. The collection now numbers more than 1 million items, but  unfortunately 
the only place it is catalogued is in my head. 
Q. What is the biggest problem facing the railway? 
A. This lunatic government idea they have that they can  spend billions on 
highways and subsidize airlines, but wont spend money on new,  light rail and 
other rail services. We need a balanced transportation system.  People should 
get the Congress to pass a law that any goods moved over 300 miles  should have 
to go by rail. That would cut down on fossil fuel use immensely. 
If you want to visit Bramson’s Miami collection, you must make an appointment 
 by calling (305)  757-1016.




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