RICK MARSDEN, PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | Placitas N.M.

President & Executive Director of the Friends. Rick was born and raised in the Washington D.C. metro area. His father was in active service with the US Army. Both his father and mother were students of history, and in their later years were well-known experts in each of their respective fields of study and collecting.

As a young boy he was always interested in history and particularly steam trains. His great grandfather was a General Manager / part owner of a standard gauge short feeder line railroad (the Emmitsburg Railroad Co., which closed down in 1940). He was always to be found amusing himself in the engine sheds and going through the archival photos and records. This of course led to collecting and running various scale train models year-round in his parents’ basement. Steam trains always were his favorite type of railway equipment to visit, study, and photograph.

In 2013, Rick and his wife retired from their respective positions and relocated to the greater Albuquerque / Santa Fe area, bravely purchasing a fixer-upper, to be near both sides of their families, residing in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. As might be expected, their travel detours took them all over the country to historic locations and steam trains!

In 2014 Rick joined the Friends of the Cumbres &Toltec Scenic RR, reveling in the historic landscapes, buildings, and vintage operating steam locomotive equipment. Rick and his wife have ridden all the various C&TSRR trains both from Antonito and Chama, many times. It is never the same experience twice!

In 2024 Rick and his wife had the experience of working on the Friends photo Charter train and assisting on the Moonlight Wine train. Rick also volunteers as a photo archivist with the Ernie Robart photo collection in the Albuquerque office. In his new position as President and Executive Director of the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR, he enjoys being a vital part of this dynamic volunteer organization with its members from all walks of life from around the United States and beyond. He is impressed with everyone working with so much pride and zeal to protect and preserve the heritage of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, following that same mountainous track of years ago from Chama, NM to Antonito, CO., that is now the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.