Their grandfather worked for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, which no longer operates. Their parents met in the early 1950s as employees for a railroad in Montana.
“We have always had trains in our blood,” Mr. Hamre said, recalling a childhood where model train layouts were always under construction in their home.
James Hamre never married or had children, his brother said, and helped care for their mother, Carolyn, who is 89.
He worked as a civil engineer for the Washington State Department of Transportation before retiring several years ago, and spent much of his time since then indulging his passion for travel and for trains.
“He’s been all over Europe and Africa, Australia,” Mr. Hamre said. “He chases trains. He’s got a radio that connects to theirs. He’ll take trains to Montana. He’s got quite a collection of photographs of them.”
James Hamre formed a fast friendship with Mr. Willhoite, 35; both of them were volunteers for All Aboard Washington. Mr. Willhoite worked as an information technology specialist for Pierce Transit in Lakewood, Wash. His employer confirmed his death.
Mr. Willhoite had worked for the agency since 2008 and was “deeply appreciated and admired by his colleagues,” the statement said.
He was married, an avid comic book reader and a “Star Wars” fan, according to Mr. Flem of All Aboard Washington.
“He got a kick out of old buses,” Mr. Flem said. “He owned an old transit bus. His nickname was Bus Dude.”
Mr. Flem said he was too stunned to completely absorb the deaths of his friends. “They’re two of the hardest of the hard core, dependable people,” he said.
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