Even though I never met him in person, his friendship and mentorship did more to improve my modeling than anyone else I've known. Sadly, Ralph Renzetti passed away suddenly last night and with his passing I - and so many others who had the good fortune to know him and learn from him - lost a loyal friend and patient teacher.
Like many others, I first heard of Ralph during the NMRAx days during COVID and I'll never forget the first time I tuned in to one of his online clinics. He started his clinic and, patiently and methodically, started to describe in detail all the processes and techniques he used for weathering freight cars. About 20 minutes in, the moderator interrupted him to say that the feed wasn't working and/or that it wasn't being recorded and asked if he'd mind starting over.
And, without missing a beat, Ralph literally went right back to the beginning of his PowerPoint and - without a hint of annoyance or frustration - just started over and did his clinic a second time as if nothing had happened.
Our paths started to cross regularly as we both began participating in the Wednesday night zoom chats sponsored by the A Modeler's Life podcast (AML). I was always impressed - and a little surprised - by how readily he would share, in detail, different weathering processes and secrets of the trade, despite his running a weathering business. It was obvious that he had the heart and soul of a teacher, and his love for helping others achieve good results was obvious.
But he could also have some pretty strong opinions, and his disdain for the use of craft paints and PanPastels in weathering freight cars and locomotives became legendary as a constant inside joke, which even he laughed at from time to time (but he never changed his mind :^) One of the first times he and I corresponded directly through FB Messenger, we got into a debate about airbrushing craft paints. Suffice it to say, I was for and he was against. Also, suffice it to say, that he eventually convinced me that part of my airbrush phobia was due to getting bad results from using inferior products.
In fact, Ralph Renzetti is alone responsible for getting me over my fear of the airbrush. Not only did he recommend what airbrush to get (and sent me a coupon code when he heard that model airbrush was on sale), but he would also "go with me" via online chat to local hobby shops to help me purchase the "right" paint. Best of all, he would patiently "watch over my shoulder" via FaceTime, FB Messenger, or Zoom, teaching me the correct techniques and talking me through (and down) whenever something went wrong. "Don't worry - we can fix that," spoken in the same patient tone I'd remembered from his NMRAx clinic, reassured me that whatever happened would turn out ok. You can't put any kind of price on the boost of confidence that provides, especially when trying to learn something new.
But the two most profound influences Ralph had on my modeling was in helping me develop some skill in weathering - as well as (the other extreme) creating a "show room finish" on a couple of model automobiles.
Before Ralph, my weathering "technique" (if I bothered to weather at all) was to slap on some chalks and hope they didn't disappear when I applied Dullcote. But he graciously offered to tutor me through weathering a new locomotive - all virtually & online. His watching over me, offering tips and advice along the way, and helping me avoid mistakes (and sharing his expertise in fixing any mistakes I made), allowed me to produce a model that was WAY beyond my natural ability. I often jokingly referred to him as "ObiWan" (another one of his nicknames was "Obi Wan Cannolli") but he'd give it right back, calling me "Young Padawan." I also called him my training wheels and guardrails, since I was able to make MUCH faster progress with him by my side (even if only virtually) than if I'd been reaching around in the dark on my own.
And outside of model railroading, he was my partner in building "Two Old Fords for Christmas" for my dad last year. I hadn't known that he was not only a professional weatherer of model railroad stuff, but was an accomplished contest quality automobile modeler as well. I hadn't built a car kit since I was 9 years old. But - again - with his patient guidance, teaching me everything I needed to know, step-by-step along the way, and even teaching me brand new skills, I was able to finish those two models for my dad in time for Christmas.
Whether hanging out during online chats, or down in my basement via zoom, Ralph was a wonderful friend, amazingly generous with his time and sharing his talent. His legacy will live on in the many others like me that have become much better modelers because of his teaching and example. Even more important than that though, I've become a better, more patient person myself for having had the privilege of knowing him and I'll miss him terribly.
