Mike Del Vecchio Collection

Mike Del Vecchio (1960-2023) was a lifelong historian, writer, railfan, railroader, and collector. He served as an associate editor at Railfan Magazine, and later at the industry publication Railway Age, before starting a railroading career with the Morristown & Erie Railway and later migrated to WATCO Companies LLC. He also served, for more than two decades, as President of the Tri-State Railway Historical Society.

Mike had an eclectic passion for collecting items from railroad history. Over the course of his life, Mike collected thousands of items, including slides, negatives, photo prints, books, paperwork, and artifacts and memorabilia. In particular, Mike's profound interest in the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad resulted in a large collection of items from that railroad.

In addition, Mike had a passion for the art of railroad photography. Prolific at any endeavor he pursued, Mike captured tens of thousands of rail-related photographs across the United States. His position as editor at rail publications, and later as a railroader himself, exposed him to unique and frequent opportunities for photography. Mike took pride in the art of creating an image, including composition, lighting, and angle. He was skilled at traditional film, color slides, and digital formats.

In 2023, shortly before he passed, Mike bequeathed his vast collection to Tri-State. This digital archive is a means to share with the public the many items collected and unique images captured by Mike lens throughout his life, as he would've wanted.

The Mike Del Vecchio Collection consists of the following Units and Series:

• MDVA: Photograph Collection
  • Series 01: 35mm Slides
  • Series 02: Negatives
• MDVB: Mike Del Vecchio Photography
• MDVC: DL&W Steamtown Collection