This may sound weird but during my travels through Google I've come across two modelers' efforts that struck me... well.. if not just for them being very unusual. For the life of me I cannot find them again and I must have used every search term imaginable. Perhaps the Forum members may recognize who I am trying to describe. A point to their long-lost website(s) would be more than sufficient. The first one: I believe he was an actor (TV?) in California who might have had some health problems (?) so he started modeling. What struck me about his layout was that he actually had a clown peeing on the exterior wall of a saloon. Sorry for being crude but that's what he had. Maybe the funniest thing I saw on a layout next to the occasional dog lifting his leg on a hydrant. Yeah, I know, "toilet humor"- but it IS still funny. The second one (different guy): Modeled the Erie Lackawanna in Newark, NJ, I believe the time period of the late 60's. Broad St station area perhaps? If you knew Newark during this time, "seedy" would describe it perfectly. The modeler had a picture of his layout in his basement, and it was fantastically detailed to capture the "seediness" of the time period - complete with hookers and winos, grafitti, etc. May have even been in a magazine article? I went to college at Rutgers in Newark in the 70's and this guy's layout was spot-on. I wish I had a dollar for every empty bottle of Night Train Express I saw on my walk between the campus and the Broad Street station. And the Lincoln Motel that advertized "hourly" stays, just east of the station. Classic! I don't recall if they were N or HO, so I'm posting this here. Ring any bells with anyone? Just a web address to the sites would be great. Thanks.
The TV star might be Gary Coleman. When I was in LAX most of the time, I saw him frequently when around train shows or hobby shops as he was an active modeler at that time. Nice guy.
Gary Coleman- He is or was into Lionel trains. Living I believe in Colorado? I seem to recall a web site featuring his trains. Google? Boxcab E50
No kidding! I didn't know he was into trains. The website I saw didn't identify the modeler. Just something like "I was an actor ..." but no name. I recall it had about 7 pages just of photos and the clown in costume scene was a few pages deep. I also have a bad(?) habit of going to the 14th "O" in Goooooooooogle when I do my searches. You find some great obscure stuff back there but it makes it very difficult to find again if you don't have the search terms just right. Let me give that a shot. Thanks for the tip. Now where did I put my Google?...
When I saw Garry about 5 years ago at Allied in Culver City he was buying a bunch of N-scale items. I never new he was into the bigger scales.
Google came up with a couple hits about Gary and his trains. Seems he donated his N layout to a local club and according to the club's website, it is presently in storage. Not sure how dated this info is though. He is/was also part owner of a hobby shop in Colorado. Nothing on the Newark, NJ modeler yet, but I'm still looking.
If you haven't had a chance, go read the article in Model Railroader about Rod Stewart. His stuff will blow your mind away. Another famous person totally influenced by the hobby. You say "Rod Stewart models HO" and the response is always "Seriously?! The Singer?!" The article was an Issue from last year I believe.
Actually he was an N scaler, or maybe he did both. He worked at Caboose hobbies when he lived in Denver. I have some old MR mags where they had group photos of Caboose employees in the ads and he shows up in some of them.
All- Check out this site. It lists noted names who are railroad hobbyists, of one aspect or another: http://www.boldts.net/TrainsCelebs.shtml It does show Gary Coleman as in Lionel. I recall seeing something about this on tv, back in the 1990's. When he was having major health troubles. BTW- It lists Herman Goering as being "rumored..." Actually it is fact. In history books, I have seen photos of his layout. Enormous in size, at his Karinhall residence. Boxcab E50
Celbrity model railroaders: The one with the urinating clown might have been Michael Gross, he is an excellent structure modeler, even had an article on scratchbuilding a Santa fe freight house in MR. Joe Regalbuto was a modeler too, but he had a garden railroad using mostly LGB. The excellent EL layout may be Scott Lupia's.
No lead to the modelers but I do remember Night Train. Actually, it spurred my interest in steam power with that picture of the steam engine on the label. IIRC, the wine was cut with a lot of sugar to make the sour taste disappear.
Probably not the modeller of the "seedy, wrong side of the tracks" area that you are looking for, but this fits the description Railroad Line Forums - Bleeker Street - the other side of the tracks If it ain't right, enjoy it anyway!
Sorry gang - I've been on vacation with the family and haven't been able to check in. Shortliner - That just may be the one I was thinking of. Good catch! I'll have to read more about it but it does look familiar. 4 pages of thread so I have some reading to do. Thanks for the link!
Found one of them! Here's one I was looking for! http://dinowalrus.com/gallery/model-rr/ Borrowing from a tip by Shortliner, I found a new phrase to Google: "Urban railroad modeling". Found it right away. I'd recognize that basement photo shot anywhere. My description may have been a bit off but there it is. Thanks again, Shortliner, and thanks for the site you referred me to. Very nice in itself. Now if I can only find that clown that's had too many beers...
