It was like that in the PNW as well. But times have changed. Availability of sites, cost of sites. (Worries by the sites about liability/insurance fees.) Group leaders changed, etc. Malls which were once receptive, changed management and no longer welcomed modular setups. Show sites went away. A very good venue might have been replaced by another one, but the newer version was smaller, did not have adequate parking and so on.
All, Here's to the hopes that Marshall has his website or a new website up and running soon as he is able . Tom
It always has to do with money... Growing up I loved when I would see a train layout in the mall, it is what got me into building model trains in the first place. Then I was one of the guys showing trains in the mall back in VA. I remember the look but don't touch and I really wanted to operate a train. I didn't know that back in the 80's running a train was way more complex than just turning a knob like I did with my train around the X-mas tree. But as a modeler with the ability to show my trains, and control them via radio, I would let kids run my trains around the layout we had set up. Some were scared, some jumped at it, and only one tried to crash the trains. I even let David Goode take the throttle of my Powhatan Arrow (lead by none other than 611) during a museum event that was N&W only in honor of the O. Winston Link galley display that was going on at the time. Those shows cost nothing more than time for us, and NMRA covered the insurance. (dont even get me started down that rabbit hole). That is what this hobby is about, that is how it should be. We should not have to pay to put up a modular layout, we don't need to get paid unless it is a show with vendors and ticket sales... OK I think I need to stop here... This gets me worked up...
I received an email from Marshall yesterday. He says he hopes to have his site up soon. His site host created the problem when updating software. He will take orders through email if you know what you want, but no catalog until repairs are done.
This received "from another network": The RLW website has now been restored to full functionality thanks to webmaster Bruce Hunt. It has the latest version of PHP and should be easy to keep updated. Thank all of you that made suggestions and offers to help. Marshall
I just visited Republic Locomotive Works site to find some Cross Compound Air Pumps, and sadly, Marshall Thomson had passed away March 28th 2022. His website says "No further orders are being taken." April 7, 2022 Marshall Thomas Thomson's final train came into the station on Monday, March 28th. He died at home in Cathlamet after suffering a cardiac incident. He was 77. Marshall was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1944 and grew up in Stevenson, Washington. He went off to study logging engineering at University of Washington. He married Moira Waters in 1967 and earned his degree in 1968. Marshall went to work for Boise Cascade right out of college and took an assignment in Borneo. It was the first of many far-flung locales the couple would make their home and it sparked a lifelong love of world travel and cultural immersion. Marshall and Moira celebrated their first anniversary in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo) and lived-in Southeast Asia for five years where he walked, camped, and forded rivers in Sumatra, Indonesia for timber companies looking for good stands of timber. He designed camps, built bridges, designed roads and learned to speak Bahasa Indonesian. Over the course of their 54-year marriage, they have lived in seven countries, traveled to 70 more, and built three houses together, including a new home in La Paz, Mexico where he and Moira were enjoying spending time. In 1972, Marshall and Moira settled in Longview, where they raised their children. For the majority of his career Marshall was the Operations Manager for Ostrander Rock Construction Company and in 1996 they moved to Little Cape Horn in Cathlamet to live near the river and have more space for Marshall's passion – his narrow-gauge model train business (www.republiclocomotiveworks.com). In 1987, he was voted best modeler in the USA by the National Model Train Association. He was a dedicated member of the Kelso Rotary Club and devoted himself to six clean water projects in Honduras where he was able to bring drinkable water to thousands. Marshall retired in 2010.
Wow, so sad. RIP to a great man. Talked to him about ten years ago when I ordered one of his turntable pits with the motor and all, turned it into a Z-scale one for a layout. Really knowledgeable guy that was more than happy to set me up with the right stuff. Being a closet logging railroad fan too, he had the coolest stuff! I shoulda' got more from him. Bummer, we lost a good modeler there.
Wow. This is very sad news. He and his products will be missed. Let us hope someone with foresight will acquire his line.
Sad to learn of Marshalls passing.. I've purchased a bunch of his kits but have yet to build any. San Francisco fire house and Fanny Schwan's are on deck for the current layout.. I enjoyed several phone conversations with Marshall over the years. I recall an early news letter where Marshall was frustrated with the reliability of Ed who was building the RTR locos at the time. It was a funny article. RIP Marshall.
Just seen "on another network": Marshall’s son Ryan informs [that] Republic Locomotive Works is on its way to its new home in Minnesota where Monroe Models is the new owner. Everyone get onboard and support Bruce Monroe as he continues support of the Nn3 community.
I was surprised to see that Monroe picked it up. Since Republic had the rights from BTS to do the same models in N scale, and they still make the kits in ho and o scale. Anyway i am glad that someone did pick-up the torch.
