NORWICH – The Chenango County Historical Society will host author and lecturer John Taibi at 7 p.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church, 10 West Park Place, for a presentation of “Fagan, Batie, Collins and King – A Family that Spanned a Railroad’s Life.”

Well known for his historical knowledge of railroading, according to Chenango County Historical Society Director Alan Estus, Taibi has written several books and a number of short stories on the New York, Ontario & Western Railway, whose Northern Division headquarters were once located in Norwich.

“John’s book on the Northern Division is the first of the publications offered by the Historical Society that I bought after becoming director here, and he was instrumental in the creation of the Lyon Brook Bridge sidewalk display in front of the museum,” said Estus. “I might never have known where the 1894 date stone from the bridge, that had been stored behind the museum, came from if it weren’t for John’s book.”

According to Taibi, the O&W Railway was responsible for much of the city’s prosperity – in the form of employment – between 1868 and 1957, including both men and women who worked as engineers, firemen, conductors, trainmen, shopmen and roundhouse and office workers.