I ran across some old photos the other day of Ron White's Grandview layout shot in May 1985. Ron and I met at a KC train show and have been friends ever since. Ron introduced me to operating on this layout and I was amazed at his Keller On-Board system and it had sound. He had a gazillon cars and lots of completed structures. He had everything I always wanted. Operations brought it all to life and we had several 2 man op session on this layout. In the first photo Ron (boy he looks young there) is running the KC yard while I work some local industries behind the camera. The other photos were shot around the layout and feature a lot of those Athearn models that we all grew up with. Great memories and a great host in Ron White. I think he is a member of the All Aboard site.
Rick and/or Ron: Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't most of these locomotives and cabooses custom painted by him? Back then with a very few exceptions that was the only way to get Frisco power. Anyway look close and one can see how good a modeler he actually is.
Bob, As you know Ron is a great modeler, good operator, gracious host and Frisco historian. Like so many of the terrific people I have had the opportunity to meet, he is one truly fine person. Frisco folks just seem to have a very special quality about them that is especially appealing. Having the chance to get together with such great people and share common interests makes life truly special. We have had many terrific times together and his railroads have always been great. We always have great times together and have learned much from one another. I miss not seeing Ron as often since he moved to Springfield. But that just makes the times we visit with him, Ron Williams and other far flung folks more special. I am vary humbled that the Rons, Rick, you and so many others are among my friends. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
Wow these photos bring back a lot of memories. Rick was the most enthusiastic person I had invited to operate on my layout. Others had come and watched and moved a train or two, but Rick was immediately at home, moving cuts of cars realistically right off the bat. I had operated at other layouts and used what I had learned on my layout and then Rick helped move operations to their intended higher levels. Here's a photo of Rick working on my second KC layout in Raymore. In the next photo Rick is in the back under the layout. This shows we had lots of help building the layout. And then Mark came along and we soon were referred to as "those 3 Frisco guys". Invite one of us to operate, you invited all 3 of us. And now the last picture. You know when you cut flextrack to fit into place, you have some left over. My theory was, is, you should never waste that, you might need it later. Well, Mark and Rick questioned that theory. This last photo shows, I'm just following the prototype. Ron
I do something similar to that. Since I haven't put the cut off ties back in, I have a 50' gondola overflowing with ties. And the rail is in another gondola with a couple coil loads.
