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May 15, 2026
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caboose
The One That (Almost) Got Away
Meet Stan Kozaczka, the Amtrak enthusiast who just may be New York By Rail’s biggest fan.
An older man in a suit and tie smiles while holding a “New York By Rail” magazine—perhaps reminiscing about The One That Got Away. He stands indoors beside a wooden table with magazines and file folders, while framed paintings hang on the white wall behind him.

In the historic, scenic village of Cazenovia, located in the geographic center of New York State, Stan Kozaczka, 80, has become really good at two things: shoveling snow and keeping a library.

Kozaczka used to walk to work at Cazenovia College, where he was the library director until they closed in 2023. Cars have never been his thing. He and his wife love train travel, though, visiting friends in New York City via Amtrak and using their points for long distance rail travel as well—Santa Fe, Chicago, Sacramento, New Orleans and more.

“You understand the size of the country and the changes in the landscape, and it’s a wonderful experience,” Kozaczka says. He’s also been a rail transportation advocate for Empire State Passengers Association since 1997, which he describes as a statewide organization that tries to support public transportation.

When he tables for the organization at shows, they have stacks of New York By Rail on the table. “They’re just snapped up by people that stop by the table…It’s a beautiful magazine and they can’t believe it’s free.”

Two smiling men stand indoors. One holds a New York By Rail magazine. They are in front of a window decorated with string lights and Irish-themed decor, sharing a moment reminiscent of The One That Got Away.

But for the now retired librarian, collecting the magazine’s entire archive became a personal aspiration, sourcing old issues from places like eBay. When a new issue arrives, he slides it into a plastic sheet protector and places it on his bookshelf at home. “It’s in my nature,” he says.

But until this year, the New York By Rail shelf was annoyingly only almost complete. There was only one issue left that he needed to complete his collection. That’s when he reached out to founder and publisher Tom Martinelli to request the issue from 2006.

“I was desperate—I couldn’t locate it for the life of me,” Kozaczka says. “And it showed up in a rather spectacular way.” Martinelli handdelivered the issue, presenting it to Kozaczka at one of his railroad advocacy meetings. “Over the past two decades, I’ve been happy to oblige frequent requests to supply New York By Rail back issues from our vast fan club. I’m quite flattered and humbled this magazine means so much to rail enthusiasts,” said Martinelli.

After seeing the magazine grow and adapt over the years, Kozaczka has one hope for its future. “There’s no other rail publication like Tom’s anywhere,” he says. “I’d personally like to see other states pick it up.”