|
|
 Posted - November 16 2021 : 02:02:47 AM
|
My long time friend and associate, Jame's "Moose" Yarbrough, passed away
earlier this week, after decades of fighting diabetes. Moose was an employee
of the Asarco Copper Smelter in El Paso when one day a copper ingot, weighing
many tons, fell over. Just before it landed on Moose, he snatched a nearby
jack stand and threw it next to him, preventing it from completely crushing
him flat as a Toon Town character.
None the less, Moose sustained severe injury to his spine and legs, and
was medically retired. He threw himself full time into professional model
railroading, and supported himself and his family by building and weathering
exact replicas, in HO, of thousands of locomotives and rail cars. His clientele
ranged from a casino owner in Las Vegas, numerous collectors in Germany,
and included the rocker, Rod Stewart.
Not only gifted with painting and weathering, I witnessed Moose completely
disassemble and repair a collection of vintage brass geared logging locomotives
from junk status. Additionally, Moose was instrumental in working with me to
save the El Paso Model Railroad and History Association from closure. It had
been founded in 1949 and the membership was down to half a dozen and
the roof was near collapse. Moose and I built the membership up to forty and
obtained a corporate sponsor which helped rebuild the club house.
Gracious to the very end, Moose's last words were that he loved everyone and
asked to be forgiven for any offense he may have ever caused. He then quietly
slipped from beyond our sight and hearing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhwWqBUGN4o
Moose is the guy in the grey shirt and brown baseball hat. The trains seen running were his. We
got a call from the local TV station that it was a slow news day and could they shoot some
footage? Moose and I scrambled to set up several hundred freight cars and locomotives
on three hours notice, that day. Moose was Association President, and I Vice President, at
the time (you might notice the string of Tyco Dutch Maid cars, in the foreground).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSK6iGImK8s
Edited by - Chops124 on November 16 2021 02:33:01 AM
|
Country:  USA ~
Posts: 11197 ~
Member Since: December 09 2013 ~
Last Visit: May 03 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - November 17 2021 : 10:47:22 PM
|
My condolences to Moose and his family. I remember you saying that he enjoyed the hobby tremendously.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 5897 ~
Member Since: February 12 2014 ~
Last Visit: May 03 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - November 18 2021 : 11:36:31 AM
|
| Sorry, Chops. I remember you mentioning him in previous posts, he sounds like quite the good character. Have you any pictures of his work?
|
Country:  Canada ~
Posts: 3323 ~
Member Since: September 22 2006 ~
Last Visit: May 03 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - November 18 2021 : 3:03:20 PM
|
Sorry for your loss... At least he didn't die back then with that copper ingot. Seems like a good man, and I hope he's in a better place now.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 3533 ~
Member Since: February 17 2014 ~
Last Visit: January 11 2023
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - November 18 2021 : 9:06:59 PM
|
My condolences to Mr. Yarbrough and his family. It sounds like he was an amazing asset to this incredible hobby, and his passion for model trains and modeling in general were his gifts to the world.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rp_model_railroads/
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 4669 ~
Member Since: August 11 2017 ~
Last Visit: July 20 2023
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - November 18 2021 : 10:21:28 PM
|
| Thank you all.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 11197 ~
Member Since: December 09 2013 ~
Last Visit: May 03 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - November 19 2021 : 1:01:58 PM
|
My condolences, Chops.
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 1486 ~
Member Since: December 13 2008 ~
Last Visit: April 02 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - November 19 2021 : 11:38:23 PM
|
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 11197 ~
Member Since: December 09 2013 ~
Last Visit: May 03 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Forum Admins & Mods
Register
