April
April is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. She and her husband choose 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.
Bob
Originally from Detroit MI, Bob is a retired Federal Investigator who has lived in and worked in Detroit, Cleveland, OH, Washington DC, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Cincinnati OH and now St Augustine, Florida. He loves history and archeology and enjoys showing visitors around historic St Augustine. He has been driving the Red Sightseeing Trains since 2007.
Charlie
Charlie can usually be found driving the Island Shuttle. This takes guest from the beach hotels and resorts located on Anastacia Island and brings them into the downtown area. Charlie does not have a problem making friends with his assortment of jokes and very pleasent personality. By the time you’ve reached the ticket station, your felling right at home.
Danny ”Ding Ding Danny”
Born and raised in Fall River Massachusetts (home of Lizzie Borden), Dan tanned on the beaches of the cape all summer and skied the slopes of New England all winter. He lived in the Cape Cod area all his life and finally moved to St Augustine, Florida in 2004. Here his talents for entertaining led him to the Sightseeing Trains where he has been a tour guide sharing his passion for the city’s history with guests who visit St Augustine – or anybody else who will listen. You can also catch Daniel as a story-teller for the popular Ripley’s Ghost Train Adventure.
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.
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.
Jim
Jim was born and raised in Northeast Pennsylvania, arriving here in St Augustine New Years Day 2008 to be with family and friends. Jim and his wife, who works at the original Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Museum here in town, both enjoy taking in the sights of our city, motorcycle riding and fishing. One thing they don’t miss is SNOW! When Jim isn’t driving, he is part of our top notch team of machanics that keep the trains running and on the road.
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.
John “Bama”
John was born in a small, northern Alabama town called Roll Tide. John eventually rolled into this part of Florida around 2006 and makes his home here in St Augustine. John says working here as a tour guide for the Red Sightseeing Trains is “the greatest fun and enjoyment I have ever experienced. Thanks Red Trains for having me aboard!”
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.”
Laurie
Laurie was born in Bethesda, Maryland and grew up in a Navy family. She lived in different cities nearly every year until the family settled in Daytona Beach in 1972. After college, she landed her dream job – working with kids. After 10 years in Daytona’s school system, Laurie got a job at the Florida School for the Deaf & Blind and has been living in the city of St Augustine since 2003. She’s currently working on her Master’s Degree while working at Ripley’s Sight Seeing Trains. Laurie loves learning the history and telling people about our wonderful city.
Mark
Mark is a fourth generation native of St Augustine, born November 19, 1952. He is married to Nadine and they have two children, Rochelle (30) and Lindsay (19). Mark was a retail merchant for over 30 years and is now semi-retired and has tons of fun giving historical tours around town for Ripley’s Sightseeing Trains.
Michael
Michael was born in Long Beach, California on April 22, 1954, but soon became a Southern boy. Michael was raised in Natchez, Mississippi, another city well known for its beautiful antebellum homes and spring-time pilgrimage tours. The Rocky Mountains became Michael’s home for over a decade when he lived in Boulder Co. He relocated back South to the Nation’s Oldest City in 1996 and has been with the Sightseeing Trains for 10 years. Michael enjoys golf, fishing, gardening and playing around with his dog Dante’.
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.
Robin
Robin was born and raised in Connecticut. She left a job in the medical field to travel the country in an RV with her husband Ed. They made St Augustine a “rest stop” twice before settling here in 2001. She has been with the trains since then and continues to enjoy being a tourist when she isn’t driving them around.
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.
Tee
Teresa more commonly known as “Tee” was born in West Virginia and Raised in Pennsylvania. She moved to St Augustine about fifteen years ago and started working in the financial field. She continued in this field for 25 years. She then left and moved to Chicago, IL for a while then off to Jackson, MS. She returned to St Augustine after her company laid her off from work. She does not plan to leave St Augustine again. She is married to Larry another train conductor for Ripley’s. Tee says “I love doing the tours and meeting so many interesting people. I have always wanted to do this and I enjoy my office being outside in the Florida sun”.
Vince
Vince was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts but moved to St Augustine in 2001 as a retired truck driver. Vince likes to ride his bike around town and also enjoys playing in On-Line Poker tournaments. Vince has been with the trains for a few years now. We get many letters for guest who have been on Vince’s tour and have nothing but kind and positive remarks. You can find Vince driving the tours through out the week.
