By Railfan & Railroad Staff

Former Railfan & Railroad Associate Editor Mike Del Vecchio passed away on August 31, following a long battle with cancer. He was 63 years old.

A native of Dover, N.J., Mike was a lifelong student of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, was heavily involved in railway preservation throughout his adult life, and was a long-time member of Tri-State Chapter NRHS.  He joined the staff of Railfan & Railroad in 1987 as an associate editor working under founding editor Jim Boyd.

He departed Carstens Publications in 1996 for a brief stint at Railway Age, before starting his railroading career at short line Morristown & Erie. Mike worked his way up to trainmaster supervising M&E’s switching operation at Bayway Refinery operated by Phillips 66 in Linden, N.J., which later transitioned to Watco in 2018. While railroading was his passion, he was also a gifted author and musician, as well as a sound technician and volunteer firefighter. His knowledge and generosity were well-known throughout the industry, as evidenced by his many treasured friendships and his great body of professional work.

Mike is survived by his wife Christine DeLeon.