Ralph "The Mudfather" Renzetti, RIP

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.

Max Miller 1936-2024

 

Max helping catalog images at the NHRHTA Photo Library

I'm very sorry to have to report the passing of Max Miller - a wonderful friend of The Valley Local, the Valley Railroad, the New Haven Railroad Historical & Technical Association and Connecticut railroads in general.

I've known Max ever since my first days working on the Valley Railroad way back in 1987. He was the head of the track crew and a stalwart of the Wednesday night volunteer nights back then. I'll never forget when somebody was passing around photos during one of those nights that he invariably was able to tell you just about everything there was to know about the image - even down to estimating when it was taken by the number of insulators on the telegraph poles!

We lost touch after I left the railroad, but our paths crossed again many years later at the big Springfield train show. He'd heard about our efforts to catalog the NHRHTA photo library and offered to help out. I'd recently moved to within 30 minutes of his home and, remembering his extensive knowledge about the New Haven Railroad, I couldn't accept his offer fast enough.

But we really hit it off over our mutual love of the New Haven's Connecticut Valley Line. In fact, he was one of the two primary influences behind my choosing to model the line. He was so kind and generous not only with his time and knowledge of the line, but his impressive collection of photos was - and continues to be - the foundation of all my prototype research.

Lots of folks had encouraged him to somehow get all of that knowledge into a book - and he worked on it for many years, always adding to it. I'll always cherish the time he and I went up to the UCONN railroad archive to spend a day doing research for it. Thankfully, he finally did - literally write the book - about the Valley Line.

In addition to his kindness and generosity, Max was also one of the least assuming men you'd meet - which had a way of hiding his wide-ranging experience with everything from steam shovels to how best to handle glass plate negatives. I'll miss his usual greeting whenever somebody would approach him with a question, an artifact, or a photo - "Whatchagot?" Then he'd consider whatever you came to him with and would invariably come up with just the right answer or information from his encyclopedic mind.

I could certainly go on about what an impact Max has had not only on my hobby, but my life. Suffice it to say he will be well and sorely missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him and having him be a part of their lives.

Obituary & Arrangements

Throwback/Thankful Thursday: Chester (Chet) Rech

Going back through old photos looking for a road construction pic I took almost 35 years ago was a real trip down Memory Lane. I've mentioned Chet Rech here and there on this blog, but suffice it to say here that he was a huge early influence. That's him in the photo above, with his original 4x8 layout. Alas! the layout itself is no longer, having suffered two long moves - from Wilmington, VT to Milford, CT then to Old Saybrook. But Chet's work lives on, having been salvaged & reconstituted as the Somerset & Mill Hollow (aka "The Air Line")

I wrote the following sometime during the winter of 2005, shortly after his widow visited the layout when it was in Milford. At that point, I and a bunch of friends (many of whom still help on the Valley Line today!) had restored the original layout to operating condition for her to see & enjoy.

That was way back before blogs, so I never did anything with this little story. But remembering Chet's road construction story prompted me to go back and find it, so I'll share it here with you. It's another example of how the greatest part of this hobby are its people. I hope you enjoy reading it.

4x8 and 400 pounds: A Legacy in HO Scale

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"Looks like you're pretty interested in trains." The small-town librarian noticed the pile of magazines stacked around me like sandbags around a foxhole.  It was the summer of 1983.  I was fourteen years old, away on family vacation and it had been raining for days.  With nothing else to do, the library's collection of Model Railroader magazines was a godsend.  I'd purchased my first copy that January and was eagerly soaking up the contents of every issue I could get my hands on, learning as much as I could about my new hobby.

"The man who donated them has quite a train layout.  I'm sure he wouldn't mind a visit - he lives just outside of town."  I could hardly wait to ask my dad if he could take me.  We called the number the librarian gave us and were soon welcomed into Chet and Martha's home like old friends.

After a short visit, we made our way to the basement.  Standing there in the middle of the floor, surrounded by workbenches, power tools, and various storage items was a standard 4x8 layout with brass track and 18" radius curves.  The Mill Hollow & Southern was based on the Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington – or the Hoot Toot & Whistle, as Chet liked to call it – and what detail!  Every building was lighted and almost every one had a full interior.  There were two towns on two different levels and more mini-scenes than I could count.  It was obvious that Chet's primary interest was in detailing rather than operation.  His passion was evident in every nook and cranny.

My dad and I visited again the next summer and once I got my driver's license, I was able to make the trips by myself.  Over the years, we developed a friendship that went beyond model railroading.  Having lost both sets of grandparents way too soon, Chet and Martha became willing surrogates.  I even took my girlfriend, then fiancée, to visit.  When we were married in 1995, they came to our wedding.

I had known Chet for over 15 years when his health started to decline and when I read Martha's letter of his passing it was like losing a member of my own family.  A few months afterward, Martha phoned asking us to visit.  She was going through Chet's things and wondered if I'd be interested in taking the train layout.  In my mind, there could be no better keepsake of our friendship, and my dad and I made the long trip up to Vermont to pick it up.

When we got to the basement, we discovered to our surprise that we couldn't actually lift it!  When we tried to pick it up, it felt like it was bolted to the floor.  Only then did we realize that Chet had used "natural" scenery materials.  Those weren't hydrocal rock castings we'd admired all those years, but actual chunks of granite and stone!  And everything was covered in gallons of concrete-like plaster.  It was a beautiful layout, but weighed close to 400 pounds.

We had quite a time getting the railroad out of the basement in one piece, but it finally made its way home where it became the only "complete" section of railroad I had.  Once I set it up, I discovered that it had deteriorated over the years - and the big move hadn't done it any favors either.  Martha said she didn't remember the last time the trains actually ran, but I was determined to return the layout to its former glory.  One of my proudest moments was when Martha visited us for Thanksgiving later that year and I was able to show off the restoration, complete with a train operating over track that hadn't seen any action in years.

The result was a near perfect restoration – and anyone that sees the layout would recognize Chet’s work immediately.  The Mill Hollow & Southern is sure to be around for a very long time, giving me a chance to share the talent of a man whose attention to detail inspired me in my own modeling efforts and whose friendship gave me a legacy that lives on.

Visiting an Old Friend

The Missus and I were able to make it out to Cape Cod over the weekend and had a great time (despite the harrowing drive through a snow storm to get there). We always enjoy the Cape, and it's especially beautiful at Christmas.

Along the path to the town gazebo, Chatham

Lighthouse Beach, Chatham

Chatham Lighthouse

While we were out there, I'd planned on visiting the Nauset Model Railroad Club. They were having an open house and there's just something perfect about model trains during the holidays. But what drew me there particularly this time was that John Pryke's Union Freight RR had made its move there and the club had incorporated it into their layout.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Union Freight, the prototype ran along the Boston waterfront and master modeler John Pryke made it the subject of one of his layouts - and it became famous through the pages of Model Railroader and, later, a book on building city scenery.

Unfortunately, John passed away 3 years ago this month (please click here). I'd heard that his Union Freight layout would be relocated and preserved, and I'm thrilled it made its way to the Nauset club. There it holds a place of honor just as you walk in and can be seen and enjoyed by many more folks for many years to come. It's a fitting tribute to the memory of a great man and a talented model railroader.

Admiration as Motivation: Jim Dufour's Cheshire Branch

Thou shalt not covet.

Exodus 20:17

During this time of Thanksgiving, we take time to be grateful for all we have and to appreciate all the little and big ways we've been blessed. Long-time readers of this blog have seen me go on (and on) about how wonderful it is to live where I do, how nice a space I have, how loving and supportive my wife is. And all of that is - and continues to be - true. But they say confession is good for the soul. So here goes:

I want Jim DuFour's model railroad.

Jim's layout depicts the Cheshire Branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad c. 1947-1951 and is one of the best examples of how a model railroad can be used to transport us to a different time and place. It has everything I want in a model railroad: great scenery - true to the geography of the places modeled, flawless operation - even of finicky brass steam engines, and the highest fidelity to all aspects of this particular section of the B&M, from the signal types used to the particular type of guardrail used along Route 12 in southern New Hampshire. And he's done it all by modeling 5 consecutive towns in a fraction of the space I have available. His exhaustive research and obvious skill have created a world where it doesn't take much imagination at all to believe you've taken a time machine and landed right in the middle of a Philip Hastings photograph. Except better - you can interact with the world Jim's created. And it's in color.

Jim and I met at the NE ProtoMeet a couple years ago and discovered right away that we were on almost-identical paths modeling wise - the only difference  being that he's modeling a B&M branchline and I'm modeling a New Haven RR branchline. Well, that and he's obviously much more talented and further along than I am. But it's been really cool to discover how similar our mindsets are and what we want to accomplish with our modeling.

Since I'd been a distant admirer of his layout for a while, I took a chance when I heard that he was having an open house and all-but-invited myself over, dropping Bill's name (hoping that would help rather than hurt :). I needn't have worried though, he graciously extended an invitation to visit and see the layout in person.

I took almost 10 rolls of film 240 pictures while I was there - everything from the vintage 1948 calendar, to the fastclock control panel, to - of course - the layout itself. Most of my shots were for my reference (his State Line area looks almost the spittin' image of much of the Valley Line, especially the southern end), but I got a few that are worth sharing here. I'm sure others got much better shots than I did, and I hope they'll mention so and give us a link in the comments. That way we can all appreciate Jim's accomplishment.

There's a fine line between inspiration and discouragement. All too often, my reach exceeds my grasp and I've sometimes wondered if I've taken on too much. But seeing the Cheshire Branch in person reminds me of what can be accomplished and that motivates me to keep going with my own effort.

In the meantime though, please pardon my occasional covetousness.

And enjoy this little taste of southern New Hampshire in the summer of 1948...

You come onto the layout from staging at State Line. I've never been to State Line, but if the accuracy of the rest of his layout is any indication, this scene is a spot-on model of the real location. But - to me - it looks the epitome of so much of the New Haven's Valley Line that I took probably 2 dozen photos here alone.

Symbol freight headed out of State Line westbound (compass northwest toward Bellows Falls, VT).

The next town on the line is Fitzwilliam, NH

Westbound freight rounding the bend, approaching Troy.

Local freight stopped at the Troy station for orders.

Later, near dusk, symbol freight BX-1 westbound through Troy, NH

Westbound with Mt. Monadnock in the background

Ditto

The cuts at Troy Ledges

After Troy Ledges, the next station is Webb. The eastbound local is waiting on the siding.

Just west of Webb 

I hope you've enjoyed this tiny taste of the Cheshire Branch. Be sure to click the links in the text above for additional photos and videos.

John Pryke, 1940-2013

While 2013 has been a great year in many ways, it's ending on a sad note.  On the day after Christmas, I heard that friend and fellow modeler John Pryke had passed away.  He'd been sick for some time, but I'd received a "test" email from him a little over a month ago (he was no stranger to computer issues) and I replied asking him for an update.  Unfortunately, I never heard back.

Any time I think of folks that have been a great influence on me in the hobby, John Pryke comes first to mind.  His was the first layout I saw that depicted the New Haven Railroad, and his frequent writings in Model Railroader magazine gave me, and other NHRR modelers, lots to be proud of and lots to (try and) emulate.  John's chosen era was September, 1948 and while my choice for the longest time was firmly in the diesel era of 1952, John eventually persuaded me that the Steam Era was far superior.  Due in no small part to his influence, I eventually backdated my railroad to October, 1947 (even further in the past, I enjoyed reminding him) and became an avid "steam era" modeler.

I always enjoyed hearing John tell the story of how his passion for the New Haven Railroad was ignited: he would tell me of a time in September 1948 when he was on the platform of the Old Saybrook railroad station and saw a double headed steam passenger train going by. When I moved to Old Saybrook a few years ago, I enjoyed letting him know that I would eventually be modeling the station area and would be including an HO scale version of him on the platform as a youngster.

John's influence in the hobby is long-standing and pervasive and I consider him one of the giants - up there with the best of them.  My condolences go out to his wife Sandy and the rest of his family. I'm so thankful to them for sharing him with us.

Announcement on the Model Railroader website

Obituary

Modeling Influences: Bill Schneider's NYO&W

Well, the holiday season has well and truly hit - with dire consequences for the regularity of this blog.  Since mid-November, other than a follow-up post on CT River Valley motive power, I've only posted the bite-sized candies of the blogging world - the "drive-by" post: Wordless Wednesday.  Modeling and blogging have taken a back seat to shopping and egg-nogging...

So there's not much going on hereabouts modeling-wise - barely a ripple - but there's been some seismic activity in my model railroading world this past week: Bill Schneider decided to retire The Old Woman in the Back Bedroom.

I first saw Bill's New York Ontario & Western in Ted Culotta's Prototype Railroad Modeling magazine - I think it may have even been in the premier issue - which didn't surprise me because it became very obvious very fast that what Bill was doing was "Prototype Modeling."  I'd heard that term before, attached to just about any and every modeling effort that wasn't freelanced.  But this was one of the first times I'd seen it practiced to such an extent.  The only other layout I was aware of at the time that modeled a prototype with such fidelity was Jack Burgess' Yosemite Valley.  I knew right then and there that this level of fidelity would become my standard - or at least my aspiration.

When I finally got to meet Bill & see his layout in person, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised at just how small it was.  I was absolutely astonished how well and how accurately he was able to model two entire towns in the space he had.  And not only did he model the buildings and track layout accurately, he'd modeled the details - things like period billboards & signs, and even flagstone walkways that he knew, from talking to local old-timers, were there in the era he was modeling - and exactly where they had been in real life.  On Bill's layout, everything is in the right place and even some of the figures represent actual residents and railroad employees of the time.  The only way you could experience Roscoe or Livingston Manor, NY in the early 1950s any better is with a time machine.  With this level of fidelity to the prototype and attention to detail - especially given the limited space - I knew I'd found a true inspiration for my own modeling effort. I don't mind admitting that my layout seeks to do for a branchline of the New Haven Railroad what Bill was able to do for the O&W.

Although Bill's current iteration of the O&W will move on, literally and figuratively, I know this won't be his last modeling effort.  Can't be.  Anybody that talented and that passionate about recreating a specific time and place has to give vent to his art & creativity somehow.  Of course, he has an open invitation to work his magic anytime he wants on the Valley Line - provided 1947 isn't too far back for him to travel.  But whether he comes down the Valley or not, I'm very much looking forward to his future efforts and especially to the continued inspiration of his art.