Brass Lover's Feast

There are almost too many trains to even think about them.  I hope that a place can be found for the spectacular Ebetts Field and EL station models.  They are works of art.

 

NH Joe

Who is C. O. Gibson (pardon the lack of knowledge)

WOW! just WOW!

I'd take the 1/32 scale bridge! (I probably couldn't afford even that!)

What a list. 2 SS Niagara's? Looks at all the E's.

 Those 1/32 passenger cars are something too.

Almost looks like a collector's dream to me. I think scenery would have taken it over the top. Trains themselves are boring. Having them go somewhere and do something, is what adds interest for me. I believe without completion, he's abandoning a dream too early.

 It's like having a large music library. It just fills in the voids. It shouldn't be a way of life. I admire him for drawing a line in the sand. I disagree with dumping it all. What would you keep??? Maybe the best way to do it??? just WOW, to the whole thing.

My room in Heaven will look pretty much like the CO Gibson collection, as displayed. Including the layout. Additionally there will be a door to a second room with 72 virgins. Ok, with attitudes like this I won't be going to Heaven!

Just realize that layout in its own building being custom built is a huge money pit in largely unrecoverable expenses electronics to run the layout wiring etc, buildings, scenery are all open checkbook territory. Amassing a huge collection,having most of the engines repowered,custom ptd if necessary is one thing a mega layout quite another. Evan the collectors with this kind of disposable income lose interest.JMO

If one has the bucks to just tell somebody else to "do it" I wonder about the actual enjoyment.  If all you want to do is look at fine model work, I believe it is just as easy to call up a world-class modeler (Chris, or John, or my friend Greg, for instance) and visit.  Especially if you can afford a Learjet and a Chauffeur to get there.

 

I could be wrong - I have friends who enjoy watching someone else have all the fun - airshows come to mind, or Polo games . . . Lots of folks just love to watch while others play Golf.

 

I do not have as many trains as CO did, but I built most of them from sheets of brass, and I sure get a kick out of glancing at them while wandering through the display area.  Somebody else can sell them when I head west.

I guess the thrill is in the collecting although a number of collectors are also modelers or at least train enthusiasts. If you are fortunate enough to buy whatever you want in whatever venue you choose once you have had your fill you can easily move on to the next attraction.JMO

While, if I win the lottery (har-de-har), I might have benchwork expanded by someone with carpentry skills,  and a location with a separate building, that all looked impressive until I saw the layout track plan (lack thereof).   "Around and around we go, and where she stops, nobody knows".  It doesn't look like he got far enough to bore of that, but might have if he did.   I have seen the situation before...where people

tired of acquiring, or thought they had accumulated all they could, with no more peaks to climb; no more goals to fulfill.  Those people sold it all off, and found a new and

different tangent to go off on....

There's a lot of beautiful stuff in that collection~!

 

I'd love to have 4 locomotives from it-they wouldn't miss them that much!

the layout design leaves a lot to be desired. looks like two overlaping nascar tracks.
with long uninteresting tangents sections.

I could see where he would become bored of running around in circles very quickley.

Be careful - some of us cannot stand switching operations, preferring to watch trains go round and round with a glass of wine or something for entertainment.  My railroad is four Nascar loops, and if I had the space, it would be a simple dogbone instead of an oval.

I don't mind switching operations but am with you , Bob, in getting enjoyment watching trains go around in circles. I refer to my layout as a permanent Christmas garden where i watch the trains go around in circles. Works for me.

Anyone have the owner's contact info?  You can e-mail it if you don't want to post it.

 

There's a few models I want.  

No need. Go to the link above - it is just before the list starts.

I think we are all lucky that there are patrons of things like this, just like Da Vinci and Michelangelo had patrons.  It pushes the boundaries and makes things possible.

 

Would Key have even had the minimum reservations necessary to make the E units and PAs if this guy had not bought so many?

 

There are people in the world who know their limitations and yet have the resources to afford to have people who are good what what they do do such things.

 

While I too find that layout design boring that is about the size space I would want to have.  But mine would be a point-to-point without all those multiple tracks.  And all modular.

Thanks bob, I didn't see it.

Yes, awesome collection. and can't take it with one or can he. Like the Egyptians and being buried in the throne room with all ones riches about you. Guess I'll have to design my casket to lay in several models to take to the happy hunting grounds so when in the distant future i get dug up the anthropologist can be surprised at my empire. 

I tried to get a list of what was left but no luck.

Am not seeing a big surge of items in inventory at the usual O Scale brass re-sellers. Were the choice pieces already gobbled up?

A friend of mine went to Gibson's place and purchased some of the more unusual pieces (Kleinschmidt drives / Sofue and Shrader reworks) for his personal collection.

I heard Mr Gibson passed during heart surgery.  Can anyone confirm? 

 

I e-mailed him last Friday but haven't heard anything...Also, left a voice mail...

 

Sure hope this isn't true and he's ok. 

 

Talked many times on the phone and purchased some really nice pieces from him over the years. 

Yeah, C.O. passed away following bypass surgery.

 

Jay

Thanks Jay, I was afraid of that. 

 

Appreciate the information.

 

 

Anybody heard what's going to happen to the remainder of his collection?

I was told by a fairly reliable source but it is still hearsay; American O Scale. So watch his auctions in the coming years.

An unnamed party in the Midwest was also involved and has acquired a susbstantial portion.

Bill Davis purchased part of the collection. A friend of mine in the northwest purchased some of the more exotic locomotives from Gibson several months before he died.

I am very cautious about what I provide on these forums. I have been told where these landed yes in a few spots and most of the guys are very private. But the collection has been disseminated and some I presume will be for sale and a lot will not.

I'm seeing several of the N&W locomotives on eBay matching the description(s) on the list. Can't say for sure it's from this collection, but there's been a lot of brass on eBay recently.

Erik,

Sent you an e-mail.

Aaron

I really don't have top secret clearance on all of this but, just like so many have stated, I have spoken with people close to C.O. along with the family and there is still a large part of the collection that is now part of the estate.  It is my understanding none of this will be resolved quickly.

 

Mr. Gibson was a wealthy man and his estate is large.  It is my understanding he had two daughters and a son.

 

Bottom line, most of us, me included, don't know jack!

 

Jay

Me included Jay! I do know a Jack but he's not related to your Jack..

I really liked Neil he was a great guy. Good to the hobby and community. He will be missed; and as I stated a great client.

I'm truly saddened to hear Mr Gibson has passed.

 

He was a great man.  I enjoyed all of our phone calls and he'll be missed by many.

Somewhat of a sad ending of great collection. For those interested in the Ebbets Field model, here's a link that has some great photos of the project:

 

http://www.rsvlts.com/2012/10/...s-field-7-hq-photos/

 

Mind boggling model...

Indeedy a mind boggling piece of art!

(C) photo copyright Gary Schrader

Harlem Overpass also..

Thank you Neil for commissioning such fabulous miniatures. And to the producers I tip my hat.. Job well done.

Yes, piece of art it tis. Erik, do you know where the model landed? Thanks for posting additional photos.

It is my understanding the Vargas brothers took disassembled it into four smaller (still huge) sections.

 

Could be wrong....still don't know the real Jack S.

 

Jay