Eastern Railroad Discussion > Celebrities who are railfans

There was a thread on the model discussion page about this so I got curious of celebs that might be railfans. Anyone know of any? I heard years ago that the band REM or at least some members of the band were railfans. Even filmed the video Driver 8 around Clifton Forge Va.


Gary

I remember the actor Michael Gross, who played the Dad on Family Ties was/is one. Kevin Stevens, who is a retired NHL player from the Penguins was purportedly a fan.

Michael Gross wrote an article in Classic Trains about being a fireman on the C&NW - great story.
Neil Young and, of course, Walt Disney spring to mind.

Mearl Haggard county western singer in the 1970's.
Well known late Johnny Cash.
Ed K.

The late Tom Snyder (news anchor).

mully Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There was a thread on the model discussion page
> about this so I got curious of celebs that might
> be railfans. Anyone know of any? I heard years
> ago that the band REM or at least some members of
> the band were railfans. Even filmed the video
> Driver 8 around Clifton Forge Va.
>

Band leader David Rose ("The Stripper" was one of many hits) was a big fan ... had a large live-steam operation in his yard.

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

Reportedly, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is a railfan. Rod Stewart is a well known modeler, and his layout has even been featured in MR.

-Eric

Neil Young too.

I know this is going back a few year's but I heard Jim Croce was a fan. Can anyone confirm? Also singer Mel Torme was a modeler. Also read that that Frank Sinatra liked trains and had a caboose in his house.

Saw a video post recently of "Jim Carey's G-scale Garden Railroad."
Huge.
Wonder if it's the actor Jim Carey...

While not fans, some shows have featured railroad themes, , Micheal Scott of "the office" had some great david plowden photos on his wall of D&LW stations, and of course SHELDON on
'big bang theory" , has mentioned his love of trains, and even was convinced to switch from O to HO at a hobby store lecture, His friends think his hobby is "sad", worth watching. for awhile "Talk Soup", Joel Mchale was featuring the RFD show, on toy trains. and has shown clips of Foamers along US30,
and Mel Thorme did do Adds in MR for Olympia or Fliechman (sp) trains,

SandPatch1 Wrote:
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> While not fans, some shows have featured railroad
> themes, , Micheal Scott of "the office" had some
> great david plowden photos on his wall of D&LW
> stations, and of course SHELDON on
> 'big bang theory" , has mentioned his love of
> trains, and even was convinced to switch from O to
> HO at a hobby store lecture, His friends think his
> hobby is "sad", worth watching. for awhile "Talk
> Soup", Joel Mchale was featuring the RFD show, on
> toy trains. and has shown clips of Foamers along
> US30,
> and Mel Thorme did do Adds in MR for Olympia or
> Fliechman (sp) trains,

I've long believed that someone on the production staff at "Big Bang" is a railfan. There was an episode a couple seasons ago where the guys took the Coast Starlight up to a lecture in the Bay area, and they got too many of the details right...info about the train, minutia that Sheldon rattles off, and things like putting the ocean on the correct side of the car in the right places for it to be coincident.

SandPatch1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> While not fans, some shows have featured railroad
> themes, , Micheal Scott of "the office" had some
> great david plowden photos on his wall of D&LW
> stations,

A painting our our EL diner 741 appears on the wall in Jim's office on "The Office"

exopr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know this is going back a few year's but I heard
> Jim Croce was a fan. Can anyone confirm? Also
> singer Mel Torme was a modeler. Also read that
> that Frank Sinatra liked trains and had a caboose
> in his house.


Hence Von Ryans Express.
Ed K.

So just when is a celebrity railfan going to make a sizable donation towards
a steam restoration project? Odd, I've always thought. Their pocket change
could likely bring a rusting derelict steam engine back to life. Or at least
bring a project substantially forward.

Michael Gross is the narrator for a video that plays at the B&O RR Museum.

Rod Stewart as mentioned does indeed have a huge model railroad layout. I
believe he's actually good friends with Steve Crise.

While Ross Rowland might not be considered a (Hollywood) celebrity, he's the
one name I spot often under the charitable donations list of many historical
societies - and not the $25.00 dollar variety. Kudos to Ross.

/Mitch

Did some research and found this list of modelers

CELEBRITY MODELERS


NAME OCCUPATION
Peter Alexander, Austrian singer and actor
The Rev. W. Awdry, British clergyman and author of The Railway Series.
Creator of Thomas the Tank Engine. Models are preserved at the museum at Tywyn
Jimmy Barnes, Scottish-Australian singer
Kurt Biedenkopf, German politician
Claude Bolling, French jazz pianist
Tom Brokaw, American television journalist
Johnny Cash, American singer and songwriter Win
winsonston Churchill, British politician
Eric Clapton , Musician
Gary Coleman, American actor
Phil Collins, British musician and singer
Regis Cordic , American radio personality and actor
Bob Costas, American sports journalist
Alan Cox, Linux developer
Richard Crenna, American actor
Roger Daltrey, British musician
Joe DiMaggio, American baseball player
Walt Disney, American film producer, animator and entrepreneur.
James Doohan, Canadian actor
John Entwistle, British musician
Leopold Gratz, Austrian politician
Harper Goff, American artist, musician and actor
Hermann Göring, German politician and military leader
Rick Green, Canadian comedian and writer
Michael Gross, American actor
Gene Hackman, American actor
Merle Haggard, American singer and songwriter
Tom Hanks, American actor
David Hasselhoff, American actor
Josef Hesoun, Austrian politician
Tommy Hunter, Canadian singer
Elton John, British singer, composer and pianist
Ollie Johnston, American animator
Michael Jordan, American basketball player
Buster Keaton, American actor and film director
Ward Kimball, American animator f
Gil Melle, American artist and musician
Vaughn Monroe, American singer and musician
Mandy Patinkin, American actor
Riccardo Patrese, Italian racing driver
Jim Pattison, Canadian entrepreneur Note: Purchased Frank Sinatra'scollection in 1995.
Sam Posey, American racecar driver and sports journalist
Fred Rogers, American television host
Jim Scancarelli, American cartoonist
Gerhard Schröder, German politician
Frank Sinatra, American singer
Peter Snow, British television presenter
Bruce Springsteen, American singer
Tom Snyder, American television personality
Rod Stewart British singer
Donald Sutherland, Canadian actor
Patrick Swayze, American Film actor
Bob Symes, British television presenter and producer.
Mel Tormé, American singer
Gerhard Tötschinger, Austrian actor, director and writer
Pete Waterman, British songwriter and record producer.
Daniël Wayenberg, Dutch pianist and composer
Anders Wejryd, Archbishop of Church of Sweden
Neil Young, American singer and songwriter
Frank P. Zeidler, American politician
Bob David, MTF.com poster

Mike Schmidt hall of fame 3rd baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1980's has large G scale layout.

I was wondering about the late Michael Jackson. I think he had a sizable live steam operation at Neverland. Was he a fan or was that just a "toy" for his private park?

I'm just asking because I don't know.

John

sou2601 Wrote:
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> Reportedly, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is a
> railfan. Rod Stewart is a well known modeler, and
> his layout has even been featured in MR.
>
> -Eric


I have that MR. Rod Stewart's layout is very impressive with all the detail he put into it. Mully - good job on that detailed list.

Having worked for a very wealthy man one time, I can tell you that they are often afraid of liability. Lawyers always make a list of deep pockets when something goes wrong even if the individual is remotely related to the cause. It's hard to remain anonymous when you are a celebrity.

Mgoldman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So just when is a celebrity railfan going to make
> a sizable donation towards
> a steam restoration project? Odd, I've always
> thought. Their pocket change
> could likely bring a rusting derelict steam engine
> back to life. Or at least
> bring a project substantially forward.
>
>