Ranger was executive director of the Tourist Railway Association Inc. in the late 1990s and 2000s, and had retired as general manager of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. Before that he had been the general manager at the Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad in Santa Cruz, Calif., the Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific tourist railroad in Hawaii, and the Graham County Railroad in North Carolina. He was general manager at Cumbres & Toltec twice, once in the 1980s and again in the 2000s.
He started his railroad career on the Southern Pacific in the waning days of steam in 1956. He worked on the Cal-P out of Oakland, working on articulateds and further developed his steam career as a volunteer on California tourist railroads.
Ranger authored the book Pacific Coast Shay in 1964 and two major features for Trains, “Shay, the folly worth a fortune” in the August 1967 edition, and on Cab-Forward steam locomotive design in the August 1968 issue. He wrote a column for Trains in the 2000s.
A native of New York State, his family moved to California in 1948, spurring his interest in steam locomotives of the area.
Sad to read that. I first met Dan when he was running the remains of the Graham County Railroad/Bear Creek Junction in NC. He was the engineer for our run. My copy of Pacific Coast Shay was signed by him there.
I recall reading several articles of his in Trains Magazine, about his time on the SP during the days of steam. Some of my favorite "reads". You left your mark on railroading my friend.
This is a sad story, particularly for me because I am only one year younger.
I would hope that the Cumbres and Toltec erect some type of memorial to him, if they haven't done so already.