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Posted - January 27 2011 : 08:32:15 AM
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John Allan´s locos after the big fire destroyed his layout. - Erich
Edited by - Erich on January 27 2011 12:34:01 PM
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 09:55:04 AM
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Wow! I've never seen any photos of the G&D after the fire. It's really strange that just 2 weeks after John Allens death that his famous G&D layout is destroyed by fire. Thanks for posting these pics.
Carl T.
President of the Cape James Terminal RR.
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 10:12:11 AM
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What a shame I knows there are some G&D cars out there floating around Any idea as to the cause of the fire?
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 10:20:22 AM
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quote:Wow! I've never seen any photos of the G&D after the fire.
Originally posted by choochin3Â -Â January 27 2011Â :Â 09:55:04 AM
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Me , either. Hope the Engineer and Fireman got out of the cab safely.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 10:56:04 AM
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quote:
There was a fault in the floor heating! - Erich
Edited by - Erich on January 27 2011 11:44:32 AM
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 12:23:43 PM
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wow not cool So everything was lost in the G&D?
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 2:20:48 PM
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quote:wow not cool So everything was lost in the G&D?
Originally posted by microbusss - January 27 2011 : 12:23:43 PM
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Yes, it pretty much destroyed everything, from what I remember reading about it. I do remember now about the floor heating too causing the fire. Darn shame, the guy was an innovator in realistic scenery and weathering techniques. He pretty much started the weathering movement with his creations. I finally found some old '50's ? MOdel Railroader magazines with the initial published pics of his then-new realistic G and D RR. I'd never seen those pics before until last year. Pretty amazing stuff. Opened the eyes of quite a few modelers after that to possibilities.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 2:37:25 PM
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The 4th/last loco shown is a vintage Tyco (Mantua) "Belle of the Eighties" 4-4-0:
Although it looks like the smokestack was swapped for a different one... which is not hard to do, and surely something John did deliberately. Curious that the headlight is missing, as that is a metal piece that should have survived, although they are easily broken off. That almost looks like a headlight bulb hanging out, but the original smokebox front is cast metal. I wonder if JA had devised an illuminated headlight box, which melted away?
Incredible pictures, and a sad but interesting display. Are these old photos brought to the captioned 2009 meet, or do the models still exist in this condition?
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 2:48:00 PM
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In celabrating John Allen and the G&D railroad I aquired some of the MDC cars that were aviable. A few of the smaller overton coaches and a 4 car set of the larger ones. frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 2:54:13 PM
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A few years ago, there were two steam locos on Ebay.(Evilbay, Scam Harbor, take your pick). The seller claimed they were John Allen's. The locos were in excellent condition. The seller claimed that J.A. had given them to [the seller] for repair and were never returned because Mr. Allen passed away before repairs were completed. He had no documentation. But, I would think with all the photos taken of the G&D layout that there could be some photo verification. Seems Mr. Allen's locos were uniquely customized/weathered. Don't remember what the ending price of the auction was.
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 4:41:57 PM
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I loved his layout, wish I could have personally seen it. Much of what he did is what I hope to accomplish on a smaller scale and later date.
I bet you some of those locos would still fetch a ton of money. I would buy one just because of it's history. The one with the melted lead turned into art, ala Salvador Dali.
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Posted - January 27 2011 : 6:20:30 PM
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Actually I was thinking of another very famous model railroad. The Franklin & South Manchester. Both are wonders.
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Posted - February 01 2011 : 05:36:36 AM
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Allen's Belle has the stack used on the Eight-Ball 2-6-0 variant, which was basically the same loco with a different chassis and a few detail changes.
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Posted - February 04 2011 : 10:54:13 AM
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Ten days after Allen died unexpectedly of a heart attack, some of Allen's friends gathered for an operating session and discussion on the preservation of the railroad, in accordance with Allen's wishes. When they left, someone set a radiator in the train room to 65 degrees. Allen never used that radiator and had covered it with tarpaper. This caused a fire, which was quickly reported and extinguished fast enough to save the house, but it destroyed the final, still-unfinished incarnation of Allen's railroad. The damage was mainly contained to the layout room, and the house was rehabilitated and sold. A few model railroad items attributed to Allen survive and have been authenticated.
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Posted - February 04 2011 : 4:20:48 PM
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Anyone live near where the house is? Still a shame what happened But we all should keep a look out for the cars that were made
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Posted - February 08 2011 : 02:59:49 AM
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It´s so sad that the wood made cars are destroyed! - Erich
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Posted - October 14 2011 : 9:11:41 PM
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This Is Sad If His Layout Would Have Survived, It Would Be Fitting Of A Museum. Well, The Lead Locomotive Would Have Been The Greatest Puller In His Fleet What An Engine!
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Posted - October 15 2011 : 12:16:57 AM
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Looks like that 4-6-0 is a Varney product. Musta had some serious lead in her boiler!
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - October 15 2011 : 12:27:19 AM
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Heck Yes, Redneck Justin! Maybe I Should Do That. ie, Put Lead In My Engines
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Posted - October 15 2011 : 12:29:46 AM
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I just bought one too! Sad thing is that John never numbered it! Just checked out gd-lines.com and found a photo of it made for Varney's catalog, it was blank!
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - October 15 2011 : 12:32:23 AM
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Good Point. I Never Get Undecorated As I Will Never Paint But Today I Shall Paint The Golden Eagle Caboose! Or Silver Streak. Not Sure.
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Posted - February 23 2012 : 8:42:26 PM
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Looking at pictures in "The Book", it doesn't look like the headlights on the 4-4-0s had anything special done to them, and yes, the locomotives do still exist in that condition, but they are in a private collection-here's a link http://gdlines.com/The_Satchel.html For the 4-6-0 there are/were #s 48 and 49 The 0-6-6-0 was a modified PFM 2-6-6-2 and was #35 The 4-6-0 was # 49 if it was Varney, and # 48 if it was a PFM CP model The 2-8-2 was a modified Mantua and was # 42 based solely on the tank on the boiler front (sorry, I'm a diesel guy) and the tender The 4-4-0 was a Mantua, and if it was a Belle of the '80s , then it was #8, the Sergeant Ennis
SEMPER GUMBY
Edited by - GROWLER on February 23 2012 8:52:43 PM
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Posted - February 24 2012 : 08:05:28 AM
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Andy Sperando has the sole survining G&D engine. Its a heavily modified 4-10-0 using a Varny boiler, Mantua drivers and lead truck. I plan on re-creating the 0-6-0 number 12 which is a MDC product and 4-6-0 #49.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - July 03 2022 : 10:38:26 AM
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Nice reminiscing video.
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