Train Conductors

April

April is originally from Cleveland, Ohio.  She and her husband chose to move here because of the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. April is the mother of twins, one of whom is deaf and attends FSDB.  Her husband is also deaf, which makes St. Augustine a very convenient location because of its large deaf community. April admits that the sunny weather, interesting history and beautiful Atlantic Ocean will always keep the family here!

Bill

Your first impression of our company will likely be through Bill.  He’s the guy who zips to the historic section hotels in our Hotel Shuttle to bring you and your friends to our Red Train Headquarters to begin your tour.  Bill was born and raised in the Chicago area.  He moved to St Augustine in 1997 and immediately knew this was home. If you are staying at any of the Downtown Hotels and ask for a ride to the trains, Bill will be right over.

David

David is our Welcome Center Van Driver. His duties include picking us guest at local hotels in the downtown area as well as out lying hotels along route 16 & 95. David currently attends Flagler College as a student and is also employed there as Security Supervisor. Other employments included UNC Navel Products in Connecticut, Tri-O -Incorporated in Utah and Drill Safe Inc. located in Texas, this guy gets around.

Dolph

Dolph is a self-described Hug Therapist & Metaphysician.  He moved to St Augustine from the White Mountains of New Hampshire, but has lived in many locations around the country, even spending 10 years sailing yachts around the Caribbean.   Dolph loves meeting people with diverse backgrounds and promises to get a real job when he grow up!

Ed

Mr. Miller’s real name is Ed.   Like many others, Ed visited St Augustine on vacation and couldn’t convince himself to leave.  That was twelve years ago. He fell in love with the old city’s charm & history and now “Mr. Miller” loves to share his passion with guests onboard the Sightseeing Trains. Ed has also been part of Ripleys First Friday Art Walk. This talanted artist (AKA Metal Man) shows his work at the Ripley’s Muesum every 1st Friday of the month along with many other artist.

Jean

The train thing all started as a kid around Christmas time when my brother and I would set up Lionel trains under the tree…and nothing has changed! Give me some sound effects please: Chug-chugah-chugah-whoo-whoo! I am one of the few Florida Natives you will meet. After traveling all over Europe and the expansive USA, I have decided Saint Augustine is my favorite little town. So, hop on my train for some flair and local flavor, I’ll set the auto-pilot for whistle stops and talk for hours!

Jerry

Jerry was born Indianapolis on August 7, 1937, and spent most of his life in the Hoosier State.   He met his wife Marilu in high school and after 52 years of marriage, two sons and five grandchildren, the couple is now enjoying the Florida sun.  Part of Jerry’s enjoyment is being part of the Sightseeing Trains team. It allows him to meet lots of people and tell stories of our beautiful little city.

Jodi

Jodi comes from upstate New York. She came to St Augstine for a vacation and never left. The charm of the city has kept her here for almost fifteen years. Jodi is a former Brisge Master for the historic Bridge of Lions. She firts started with the trains in 2002. She loves to tell guest this is the perfect job for her because she can talk for over an hour without her kids interupting and her husband to tell her how to drive! Jodi received the “Employee of the Year” award in 2009.

Joe

Joe was born in Greenville, SC but grew up on Jacksonville Beach and came to Saint Augustine in 1957 on a field trip and saw the trains and over the years has fallen in love with the “Nation’s Oldest City”.  As one of our newest drivers he has put his unique style into his tour.  An Army veteran, he is active in the community with coaching youth baseball for the past 24 years.

John “Sharky”

John  has spent his entire life in Florida; growing up in Key West and moving quite a bit over the years.  He recently made his home here in St Augustine and was introduced to Ripley’s Sightseeing Trains by a friend at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind.  The youngest of Sharky’s three boys attends the school.  Sharky loves sharing his knowledge of this wonderful city with his guests in a very unique and enthusiastic way.

Kevin “Bluzman”

In a former life Kevin ran a theatrical production company in Lansing Michigan.  His background in stagecraft and improvisational theater makes him very suited to this line of work.  Kevin enjoys giving lively tours with plenty of playful banter.  Upon arriving in St. Augustine, Kevin was a major contributor to the popular Ripley’s Ghost Tours.  He always seems to be on a stage –  Kevin is an accomplished blues guitar player known around town as “Bluzman.”

Ray

Ray claims to have been born in Albany New York around 1900.  We do know he still shares us with the Empire State, residing in Saratoga Springs every summer and here in St. Augustine every winter. After a mundane career with the state of New York, Ray retired.  “One of the few things I do well,” he says.  At that point he began giving historical tours in Saratoga and also backstretch tours at the Saratoga Race Track.   He came to St Augustine in 2001 and found a calling at the Ripley’s Sightseeing Trains.  You’ll find Ray giving tours a couple of days a week during our winter months.

Rick

Rick was born in Canton, Ohio, a long time ago.  After 18 years in Ohio he joined the Navy and spent the next 21 years riding Submarines.  He spent many months underwater, but also visited 37 states and 13 foreign countries, compliments of the Navy.  His daughter was born deaf, and since the best deaf school in the country is in St. Augustine, he moved his family to warm sunny Florida in 1988.  Rick has worked full time at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind since 1988, and has been with the Red Trains since 1999.

Roy

Roy was born in Washington State. Roy has had many careers over the years, dabbling in commercial fishing, construction and running his own restaurant, the “Old Church Eatery”.  Although the restaurant was in New York, Roy has also lived in Oregon, California, Arizona, Alaska, and now St Augustine, Florida. He enjoys boating, fishing and photography.

Sam “Surfin’ Sammy”

Sam may have been born in Gainesville on May 9, 1952 while his dad attended the University of Florida, but he’s really a native. He has lived in St Augustine since the age of 2 months. Both his dad and granddad owned the St George Pharmacy on St George Street. Sam drove our Sightseeing Trains as a young man back in the 70s for 8 years and rejoined Ripley’s Sightseeing Trains in 2005 and is now one of our premier school charter drivers. He enjoys giving visitor’s to the Nation’s Oldest City the “insider” information.