|PIC1|He is not new to New Zealand railways. In 1990 he flew into Christchurch to travel by train up the South Island, and then from Wellington to Auckland in the North Island, as he was ministering in the Auckland Commonwealth Games.
"On that trip I had several rides in the diesel locomotive cabins and took copious notes of stories by the various enginemen which I then included in a number of my railway books," M V Tronson said.
As a former locomotive engineman himself and an author of 16 books on train drivers' anecdotes, Mark Tronson was well qualified to become the Footplate Padre, a role in which he finds much comfort and personal satisfaction.
"Locomotive-related companies have sponsored the printing costs, of all sixteen railway books, the most recent being 'Footplate Yarns of Old' published in 1997, and we seemed to find a ready niche market," M V Tronson noted.
Each month, M V Tronson writes as 'Footplate Padre' for the 'On Track' e-Railway magazine. This article now sports its own separate page, so it can be subsequently published in other rail papers, in both hard-copy and digital formats.
On this recent and fifth New Zealand mission trip he was once again invited into the cabin after he had appropriately introduced himself.
"The discussion with the two man locomotive crew, Ken and Graham, illustrated that the issues associated with working on the Footplate are similar across the Tasman as they are in Australia," M V Tronson noted.
The Taiera Gorge line has spectacular scenery over numerous bridges and through several tunnels as it climbs the mountain range to the plateau plains that lead to Queenstown.
"However, on this trip the scenery, although remarkable, was not my major agenda item; instead, the topic centred around my Footplate Padre ministry," M V Tronson mused.