Model Railroading > Bruce Boles and Detail Associates

I'm passing this posting along from the Yahoo MFCL


Earlier today I received word that Bruce Boles, the last active partner of
Detail Associates, passed away last night. Only a few people knew for the
past month that it was only a matter of time. Bruce was given 30-days to
live after learning the cancer he had had operated on and was treated for a
few years ago had returned.

I'm not exactly sure yet what will happen to Detail Associates (DA) as a
company. As some of you know, DA is one of the well known long-time detail
parts manufacturers of diesel and freight car parts. Anyone who has
detailed an HO scale diesel has probably used DA parts. DA was founded in
the mid-1970s by four partners, two of whom sold out some years ago, leaving
Bruce and one other person as the remaining 'Associates'. The other
remaining partner was more a silent one, not really active in day-to-day
operations or planning, more a 'money' person, or so I was told.

For the past 20+ years Bruce did much of the heavy lifting at DA, making
sure products were produced and orders filled, occasionally introducing new
products too. As I'm sure many of you are aware, DA hasn't produced
anything really new for a number of years. In fact as a business, DA was
only a part-time effort for Bruce, not generating enough to make a real
living at. Bruce also prepared people's taxes from December through April,
and had a few other "jobs" during the year. Bruce was also a part owner in
Western Star, a hobby distributor based in Lompoc, CA that is also now
winding down its operations.

Bruce was divorced and has two grown children, a son and a daughter, who
will likely inherit his part of the company. I doubt either of them are
interested in taking over operations as neither are modelers as Bruce once
was. I say "once was" because over the past 25 or so years Bruce had little
to no time for modeling anything of his own, instead running DA among doing
other things.

Hopefully someone will consider purchasing the Detail Associates product
line. There are a number of items they offer that no one else presently
does.

Rob Sarberenyi

Thank You for the EMD cut levers, brass firecracker antennas, formed wire I-bolts, blank SP style light housings, the list could go on forever!

Hope someone out there can keep the details going, they are invaluable to our hobby!

Mr. MRL

MrMRL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank You for the EMD cut levers, brass
> firecracker antennas, formed wire I-bolts, blank
> SP style light housings, the list could go on
> forever!
>
> Hope someone out there can keep the details going,
> they are invaluable to our hobby!
>
> Mr. MRL

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Rick

Every model I have ever painted has at least one DA part on it, thanks Bruce, rest in peace.


Ed

RIP Bruce, your contributions to the hobby are priceless.

I too have used Details Associates parts on every engine I have ever built. This explains a lot as to why there hasn't been anything new from them in a long time. I just figured it was the ready to run stuff killing off the market for detail parts. I wish his family the best and thank you Bruce for providing the parts to make our models better. R.I.P. Bruce. Glenn Hoover

RIP Bruce ,and condolences to the family, ed

Bruce and the 'Associates' quite simply changed the course of model railroading. Hats off and RIP, with gratitude.

~ BZ

I have more of his parts than a hobby shop. You always need a good inventory but they are also a good impulse purchase when you are visiting a hobby shop.

Rick

Unfortunately, Rob has part of it WRONG. Before his death, Bruce sold his share to the remaining "associate", Chuck Williams of Monterey, CA. Chuck will shortly move DA north to continue it's operation. It is NOT for sale!

Peter Arnold - former "associate"