Really appreciate the detail - and the time put into - the layout of Arnold Kimmon's. Even the weeds reflect attention to detail in placement. Good stuff all. Thanks for the post
Sad to hear that they are gone but glad to know that you captured a piece of their history on video. Well done Mr. Fagan and yes, I enjoyed the memories. Thanx for posting.
9:14 Pat Goodwin's is my favorite. Filled with atmosphere, charm and personality. I love these old fashioned style rustic layouts the best over an sterile rivet-counting job any day.
Thanks for doing this. I believe that this is the only way to view the most intensely modeled layouts. The best ones will show in the eye level ride. I do wish people would do a person's view and the driver view to save and show as a great look at the hobby and the work so many put their heart and soul into. Isn't there a large surface traction layout in Philly? Well going to your vids now, thanks again.
Another reason these treasures are gone, is DCC. The older modellers like myself, build their layouts in DC operation. Once the builder dies, the new generation likely would rip out the old construction to put in DCC because it's cheaper to do, than try to figure out the wiring on the existing system. Also modern modellers will model modern railroads. They have no interest in detailed pole lines, older signal styles or eras that represented those time periods. They often model newer BNSF post merger era railroads with the "sanitized, boring, basic railroading look" of the modern era. In short, no one is into the sentimental historic preservation these days, enough to spend the money to keep or maintain it. It's "Grandpa's old (expletive), so who cares?" That's one reason the old stuff is ripped out and destroyed.
An idea: people need to work to preserve their layouts. Make them more compact and engineered so they can be transported I.e. easier to save. None of these look like they could be moved easy. That way they can be given to those that care.
A reality of Model Railroading is, layouts are all temporary,and not worth much as a whole unit to anyone else.Your vision is not someone else’s. Your efforts have no monetary value. Left over stuff is worth pennies on the dollar.
I would hope that none of these videos were taken on the last day of operation because that would be sad. I would prefer them to be taken while the layouts were busy and thriving.
some good layouts there. pity they dont "live" anymore.i have a copy of "model railroading with John Allen" . According to the book, his layout sadly was destroyed by fire after his passing. Has any tried to rebuild or replicate part of it or entirely
Yes, there is a fellow that is building a fairly close replica layout. Its a huge undertaking. Randy Decker's "Great Divide". I can't put links in youtube comments, but its easy to find with search engines.
#MakeRockIslandGreatAgain I was born in 1985, but have loved The Rock since I was 5, no idea why, it just happened and was love at first sight even though it disappeared 5 years before I was born.
i liked the rock also. from ohio, but was able to see some of it. saw E8s at south chicago in aug 1978. the yard at burr oak, with alco C415s crawling around. some geeps and u boats there too. went to the house and there was an E7 GP7 and a F7(in up paint) all next to each other! where else in 1978 could you see that? saw a train leave the island with 4 u boats heading west. the yard crew was entertained with a BRAND NEW DRGW SD40T-2 on the turn table. poor souls hadnt seen a new engine on the rock in many years. also at the terminal was a mutant, beep. an RS3 with a GP long hood.
Kyle Heying Sounds like me and 'my' Milwaukee Road, I've become a Milwaukee Road obsessed fanatic! 😉😄 The Rock Island is one of those long gone great companies, bloody shame I say! 😞😢
@@AC_WILDCARD I understand. Growing up in the late 60's and 70's, every time I'd travel with family from California to Arkansas and Kentucky and Alabama to visit family, I'd see Santa Fe for the first 1200 miles or so, and follow a good portion of the Rock Island Choctaw line from Tucumcari NM to Weatherford OK and beyond. Saw a lot of the old MP travelling between Little Rock and Kentucky. After all these megamergers of the 90's came and killed the great railroads, the only way I can see, or experience them for that matter, is through the model trains. Problem with me, I'm a DC holdout, even though finding DC components is getting like hens teeth these days, as far as having signal systems, etc is concerned, I figure even if I build modular, all my stuff will be destroyed or sold off for pennies on the dollar, because the young generation has no idea about older railroading. They don't care about history, either. The new modellers want this sanitized look of "no pole lines" and all modern buildings, modern rolling stock. They are the "What's a caboose?" generation. It'll be a sad day when I'm gone too. Since having no family, I'll probably have all my stuff destroyed or sold off for nothing, too.
Its a raw deal to put all the work in a layout and then get old and pass because they send a bunch of people. come in and sell it for next to nothing in a estate sale. So sad for us
Mark Arrivi hopefully the person who got it for next to nothing will show it the same love and attention. I bet there are thousands of railfans that would give their right arm for anything like this and do it justice if they knew about it.
I don't understand. What happened to them? Were they sold to some museum or something like that or were they put in mothballs? I can't believe that they were dismantled and thrown in the trash! Thats just too much time and MONEY to throw away!! By the way Bill, thank you for sharing this video.
Thanks Bill, and the new generation is going computer and electronics. Video Games. My Grandson Is 9 will help me with my RR for about 12 Minutes Attention span. Im Sad to see it all go my friend. Samhane11
Bill, why dont people cut them into sections for shows? Itd be better than them ending up destroyed. You could at the least keep the most impressive sections for train shows or something. Do the heirs not spend 5 minutes to reach out to train enthusiasts or friends in clubs not know about this or what? Some of these have to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in value... they should be put in museums or something...
So who's the smart ass with the finger at 6:09? Didn't need my kid to see that. Oh, well. At least now he knows there are jerks out there who think they are funny. Fantastic video though. Thank you very much for sharing.
I wish my layout looked as good as these, but that fact is (rather was), it didn't. My layout too is long gone. It was n-scale but as I got older, it was impossible to work on it. The eye sight just isn't what it used to be. This hobby is LITERALLY dying off. I read somewhere the average age of a model RR'r is 64! The young are glued to their iPads and phones. It's a shame.
wixom01 that's not very true, I'm 16 about to build my second layout. I've got multiple friends my age who have, had, or are building layouts. And the club I'm part of has many younger members, I believe the average age in the club is around 25-30.
25 and been building for a year now! :) The hobby will never die. The internet will continue sales long after hobby shops are gone. And as long as we keep building, our children will see them, and be just as fascinated with it as we were as kids. And the legacy will continue. Video games are fun... but its not the same as having something tangible you can hold in your hand, see and hear.
