Tony Koester's Alleghany Midland book

This is the last place I was expecting to see anything about this book. It's not because I didn't think you would do one. I just wasn't expecting to see it so don't read anything into my comment.

I remember reading about the layout when Tony was building it while he served as editor of Railroad Model Craftsman magazine. His writing style was just as interesting back then as it is today. The book reminded me of many of the thing I first read about when I first got into model railroading back in 1977. Back then the only way I got RMC and Model Railroader was at the newstand while waiting for a train ride from White Plains to Grand Central Station in NYC. That train ride on old and dilapidated Amtrak equipment opened my eyes to what model railroading could be. I was hooked even rhough I had no trains at home and it also awakened something which must have been lying dormant within me for a good many years.

As a kid, my parents never could afford the Lionel or even the American Flyer electric train sets that were available for what they said was too much money. Looking back at the prices these things went for in those days you may at first glance think that $25.00 couldn't have been that much money but that was when you could get in to see a movie for about a nickel. I realize that it was alot of money in those days. But I always remembered my cousin's Lionel train layout that I wasn't allowed within 20 feet of or the tremendous layouts they used to have in Sears' basement durong the holiday season when I lived in Macon, Georgia back in the early 1950s. I also remember my parents telling a very upset 5 year old that he would buy trains like that for his own kid one day.

While prophesy isn't something parents are known for, 1977 was a special year because I had decided that the time had come to bring electric trains into my home which was two bedroom garden apartment which I shared with my wife and two year old son. I also had the perfect excuse and I could well afford the TYCO trainset with a figure 8 up and over track arrangement and that is what I got. My wife hated it and she still hates HO. Besides 2 year olds and electric trains no matter what scale isn't a good mix as I was to find out.

So what has this got to do with Tony Koester and the Marine Midland? Well, I became an avid reader of everything Tony wrote about his layout and also whatever I could find on the V & O by Allen McClellan. It didn't translate into the layouts I built on a 4 x8 sheet of 1/2" plywood but without the encouragement of what I read I wouldn't have gotten the plywood.

Irv

tony koester

I like this short review of Tony Koester's book on his famous model railroad. I think the review would have been better if more in depth, but nonetheless, it is a good review of a pretty decent book.

I know Tony is a real big figure in this hobby, deservedly so, but he has has strong opinions not shared by all. In some ways he is also a face of the "popular" model railroadroading press; the biggest reason I like this review.

Tony Koester desrves credit for his impact on our hobby, but for me, MRH also deserves a real big "atta boy" for taking the time to include, not omit, a figure from the popular press. I feel this goes a very long way in adding to the legitimacy of this fine FREE publication that is cutting edge with its use of technology. Someday, MRH will be considered THE model railroad press, simply because it is making itself more accessible and attractive to a younger demographic in the hobby.

Thanks. I am a not at all new to the hobby, but I am a relative newcomer to this magazine, and each new installment amazes me. I am hooked on MRH. The day will come when digital format will be the most popular way to publish a magazine.

Thanks

Reb:

Thanks for your kind words about MRH. What better way to showcase a hobby where the distinctive is the models move than with digital media? There's so much more that we can do - and as we grow, our intention is to do even more with our digital medium. We're only scratching the surface of what's possible ...

As to Tony's book, we're great fans of what Tony's done for the hobby and we're delighted to be giving this fine book some airtime in MRH.

A good read

I thoroughly enjoyed Tony's book. I came into the hobby around 1980 and his articles and Editor's Notebook column really influenced my approach to model railroading. As such I did not really experience any kind of "change the way we think" process; what he described was what I though model railroading was all about. Now through the years I have learned how much he helped move the hobby forward and changed the way people went about model railroading.

The book puts a nice recap on things you have probably read or seen in the past if you read Tony's work closely. I would recommend the book to those thinking about starting a layout so they can get some sage advice and see how things were done on what was by all counts a successful layout.