Board of Directors

The Foundation is administered by a Board of Directors. All of its present Directors have a long association with narrow gauge railroading and modeling, and the Directors all serve without compensation.

Sam Furukawa is a well-known narrow gauge photographer, author, and modeler, and was a member of the NGPF Founding Board of Directors. He has made significant contributions to the formation of the Foundation and to its predecessor, The Narrow Gauge Trust. Retired from a long career at MicroSoft, Sam now devotes a major portion of his time as Professor of Digital Media and Content at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. He is the author of two books on Colorado’s preserved narrow gauge railroads, and extensively photographs the operations of the surviving narrow gauge lines, particularly those in Colorado and New Mexico.

Fred Hill is active in railroad preservation efforts in both narrow gauge and standard gauge, and was a member of the NGPF Founding Board of Directors. He was a founding member of the Slim Gauge Guild. Fred is the owner of two hobby shops in Southern California; The Original Whistle Stop and Allied Hobbies. He also has a deep involvement with two model companies, The Coach Yard and Thinfilm decals. He has served for many years as an officer and board member of several hobby trade associations.

Jimmy Booth is well-respected in the narrow gauge community for his research and documentation of both modeling and prototype narrow gauge equipment, and a was a member of the NGPF Founding Board of Directors. He continues to aid railroads and museums accurately preserve and restore narrow gauge artifacts and exhibits. His knowledge extends to producing highly-detailed and accurate scale models. He has been associated with P-B-L, a premiere importer of fine models, for many years. P-B-L designs, manufactures, and imports models in 3/16″ scale. Jimmy also developed the Hi Tech Details line of parts for scale model railroaders.

Lindsay Raley, Jr is a Florida native with a lifelong fascination with trains. His interest in narrow gauge trains began when he attended the University of Colorado. He has a deep passion for historic preservation and believes it vitally important to preserve as much narrow gauge history for future generations as possible.  He has been an Sn3 modeler since the early 1980’s and plans to start a Sn3 layout based on the D&RGW’s Crested Butte branch and is also building a 2.5” scale live steam engine of C-21 #360.  In Lakeland, he manages his family’s citrus growing operations and serves on the board of directors of Florida’s Natural Growers and Dundee Citrus Growers Association.  He is also a member of the Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, the National Model Railroad Association and Florida Live Steamers.

Steve Frediani is President/CEO of the Heico Companies, a family owned business and parent holding company for a diverse portfolio of manufacturing, construction and industrial services businesses headquartered in Chicago.  Steve is a long-time member of the Slim Gauge Guild in Pasadena and was its former president.  He is active in the Sn3 community where along with his wife Julie, he will be hosting the 35th annual Sn3 Symposium and has participated in National Narrow Gauge Conventions.  Steve has been a railroad modeler for over 35 years and is currently building two Sn3 layouts: a double deck-layout in Southern California with two divisions: Durango/Silverton; Durango/Rico and a small Sn3 logging layout in Chicago.  He enjoys researching the history of both the Colorado narrow gauge railroads and the Sierra Nevada logging lines focusing on scratch building the numerous structures found along both railroads.

Bob Staat has been involved in all aspects of the hobby industry starting at age 15 by working in a local hobby shop in Albuquerque.  This job paid for two college degrees from the University of New Mexico; but also, allowed the opportunity to travel to Chama and help with the fledgling Friends of the Cumbers and Toltec Scenic Railroad.  Following graduation, he taught microbiology at the University of Louisville.  But with the business of hobbies still in his blood, he and his wife purchased a hobby shop in Louisville and developed a model train distribution business.  He obtained three patents for couplers that are currently used by Bachmann and Athearn.  His real interest has always been narrow gauge trains and with John Engstrom, Bob became co-owner of San Juan Car Co.  After the sale of that business, he and John are in business as the American Model Train Exchange (AMTEX.ME) specializing in narrow gauge railroading in three scales: HOn3, Sn3 and On3.

Richard Rands has been involved in model railroading and the model railroad industry since his youth.  His father, Robert Rands, started Rail Craft in the 1960s selling rail and track products and eventually flex-track.  After college they started a new company called Clear Creek Models that sold detailed models of some of the Colorado narrow gauge freight cars in HOn3.  After the purchases of the HO & O scale lines of Tomalco and Durango Press the name of the company was changed to Micro Engineering.  In 1998 Richard left Micro Engineering and in 2013, was able to purchase Berkshire Valley Inc.  The line includes O scale (1/48) structures, freight cars, and a large selections of model railroad detail parts.  In 2017 Anvil Mountain Models’ line of HO Colorado building kits and O scale wagon and animal kits was added.  Richard and wife, Donna try to make an annual vacation to their favorite locations in Colorado.

Allen Pollock serves as Executive Director of the Foundation. He  retired several years ago as head of a major government agency after 39 years of employment with them. He is the long-time owner of Fun and Games, a supplier of figures in all scales, and the Missouri Locomotive Company, offering large-scale narrow-gauge engines.  A past President of the NMRA, Allen serves as Chair of the NMRA Museum committee and Honors Committee.  His credentials thus include both familiarity and experience with narrow gauge and non-profit organizations.