Model Railroading > End of the Virginian & Ohio

Saw this late last night on the VandOHS · Virginian & Ohio Railroad Railfans (V&O) Yahoo group:

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> Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2008
23:05:27 -0500> Subject: Re: [J6-layout] Re: V&O -- End of an era (off topic)> >
This is REALLY off topic, but I thought you folks would want to know:> > Allen
and Sharon McClelland are selling their Miamisburg O., home and > moving to a
retirement community this spring. That will allow them to > gain better control
on their retirement funds and avoid heavy > housework. Allen would like to sell
the house with the V&O 2.0 > intact, of course. It is fully operational with
some basic scenery in > place. An open house is scheduled for Sunday, March 16.>
> Paul Dolkos, Steve King, and I are headed out there in mid-March to >
photograph and otherwise document every square inch of it for future > magazine
articles. An era is about to end. Hard as I try, I cannot > think of a single
individual who has contributed more to the > advancement of model railroading
from a runs-the-trains activity to > modeling a transportation system with a
walk-around design supported > by hidden staging.> > Now back to your regularly
scheduled programming....> > Tony K.>

Needless to say, we have a model railroading legend who will be missed. As Tony said, Allen has contributed in a huge way to our hobby. The V&O has been a huge inspiration in my attempt at realistic model railroading and the whole "beyond the basement" concept.

Mr. McClelland, thank you so much for all you have given us, and I wish you and your family well.

Kevin

http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought all the available V&O equipment was previously sold off?

Can anyone confirm this?


Cass Telles
"Slow-Approach-Slow" - 'Go by way of the B&O'
Railroads of NW Ohio
http://www.trainweb.org/rrnwoh

SlwApprSlw Wrote:
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Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought all the available V&O equipment was previously sold off?

Can anyone confirm this?
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Not correct at all. Allen has been busy the last few years constructing a totally new V&O in his new home (with a little help from his friends). It sounds like we can look forward to an article in the future.

Know anybody that would like a very nice house, that just happens to have a nearly completed layout in the basement, and wouldn't mind living in the Dayton, OH area? Have I got a deal for them!! ;-)

Dave Matheny

any detailes on the open house. Would like to visit on last time. K. Borg

And the railroad has a cult following with an historical society etc....

any details on the open house.
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Scheduled for Sunday, March 16. Visit the MCR Division 3 website for more details as they become available:

http://www.modelraildayton.com


Dave Matheny

OK OK, we all know about the model railroad, but what about the house??? Is Allen going to FSBO it, or do they have a realtor that understands model railroading or??? Is there a real estate listing available?
Beds, baths, garages, kitchen amenities, master suite, square footage, AC / central heat, etc etc etc???

Retirement for me getting closer and closer and wouldn't be bad with a layout already under construction.
But, then again I don't want yard work and such and we'll probably go the condo route. I have never seen anything on this new V&O, but if it was adaptable to Milwaukee Road modeling, I could always hire a lawn boy...

But with the current housing market, I wouldn't say I'm NOT interested!

I say.. hire a gardener and some house help.. That should do it. Else maybe a reverse mortgage?

Allen McClelland is a legend in the hobby, and has been a huge inspiration for my modeling efforts since I was young. On top of that, he is a true gentleman with a friendly spirit, and what a model railroad to boot!

Cheers,
Harry

tracktime Wrote:
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> I say.. hire a gardener and some house help.. That
> should do it. Else maybe a reverse mortgage?
>
> Allen McClelland is a legend in the hobby, and has
> been a huge inspiration for my modeling efforts
> since I was young. On top of that, he is a true
> gentleman with a friendly spirit, and what a model
> railroad to boot!
>
> Cheers,
> Harry


You and me, both, Harry. I first became aware of the V&O in the late 1970's, about the time I became a serious modeler. I think what got my attention was that it all made sense. Allen's philosophy tied everything together. It was not the most detailed layout, but it certainly was the most complete. It had a reason to exist, "beyond the basement connections", operations, "a history" and on and on. The design of my layout was directly influenced by Allen and his idea that a layout should be a "transportation system in miniature". I think command control, operations oriented walk-around layouts and much more all were ideas that were utilized on the V&O and gained popularity because of it. Good luck, Allen. You have been an inspiration to us all.

Mike Coen

If Model Railroading has a history museum, the V&O would be on my list of must saves!

Thanks to Allen for bringing reality to modeling! Proving a GREAT railroad can be built and NOT have to meet every nitpicker requirements....

The "good enough" is something you HAVE to learn on a layout!

Thanks Allen for years of inspiration!

Randy McKenzie
Virginia Southern
HO triple decker 27x32
Based on the Clinchfield's north end and merged with the Interstate