Bruce Van Wyk this seems to be a trait of railroaders in general, Bruce was quite adept at entertaining us. Many a Saturday night we would sit around the restaurant table and swap stories into the wee hours of the night. We always laughed and had a great time. I remember many years ago when we had the Newfoundland engine house and we had to swap out an engine in the M1. It had snowed and the roads were quite bad. Bruce and I somehow made it to the shop and swapped out the engine. All these years later I still remember how excited I was to work along side of him. It was always an educational process working with Bruce. You might learn anything from the top ( classified) speed of an aircraft carrier to the metallurgical makeup of a bearing, but it was always interesting to say the least. One thing I admired most about Bruce was that he never gave up on something he believed in. The society and his friends all benefited from his determined and forthright nature. Perhaps this is one reason why Bruce’s death is so hard to fathom, it seemed he would be around forever, way to tough and stubborn and determined to let any illness get the better of him. Alas our friend has left us and I know one thing for sure, the great railroad in heaven will be in perfect working condition by the time I get there, Bruce will see to that! L ong time New York Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society member Bruce Van Wyk passed away on March 6th. Before retiring, Bruce worked as the maintenance engineer for Fratelli Beretta USA, Inc. in South Hackensack and was formerly the mechanic and lead foreman on the Morristown and Erie Railroad. Bruce also was a Navy veteran who served the country during the Vietnam War aboard the USS Enterprise.To say that Bruce was important to the society is a great understatement. Bruce was our Chief Mechanical Officer ( CMO) and for his exceptional service was awarded life time membership in the society. Bruce helped the society obtain a reputation for doing things others couldn't even imagine. He was a superb mechanic best known for being the leading force behind the restoration of our New York Susquehanna & Western RDC M-1. Much more than a mechanic, Bruce was a friend and a mentor to many of us. One of Bruce’s other talents was story telling, while During one of our Saturday night dinners Rich Onorevole presented Bruce with a Christmas present of a pine cone! This was a long running gag with Bruce. 6 Bruce at work on the Morristown & Erie Railroad. Photo: William Kunath
7 Publizr Home