Rich thanks for all you have done for the train hobby...both real and toy. It was a pleasure to meet you at Train Fest '04, and hope to meet up with you again.
And Congrats to Alan.
Rich, I was one worried “Gandy-dancer” (slang term used for early railroad workers) when I heard you were looking for a buyer for OGR. Now, with Alan taking the reins – I am one “happy camper” and have one less worry. I remember the OGR of the previous owner and have enjoyed seeing you and your staff take OGR to its present level of excellence.
I remember when the TTML site was “king of the train guy’s hill” and have watched the OGR Forums become the number one site for those following the hobby. Chessie Marie (cat who owns me) and I look forward to nine o’clock each evening when she curls up on my desk to enjoy a plate of chicken and I a Manhattan as I peruse the Forums.
A “HEARTY THANK YOU” to you for all you have accomplished at OGR and to Linda for supporting you in your efforts. It has been a fun and informative time! May you both enjoy a well-deserved retirement.
A warm CONGRATULATIONS to Alan. You are stepping into some “big shoes”, but I (we) know you can fill 'em. We are all rooting for your success!
Rich, congratulations. I hope that there are many Hemi's in your future. 
I am 71 and have been retired for 14 years. These have been the best years of my life. There is a new adventure every day. The difference is that I do what I want to do every day.
Alan, you have been one great friend to me and have helped me so much in this hobby. I still hope that we can get together more often in the days to come. I am very excited for you and the forum and magazine. May God richly bless you in the days to come.
Congratulations are in order ,for sure. Best wishes for a happy retirement.
I guess that I should amend my post to say that I just sold my business last week after 35 years.....So,I can really relate to your desire for retirement. My wife is very happy too.
Alan,good luck to you!!!!
Norm
Slot car groups on Facebook have made slot car forums almost no activity, I prefer forums.
You have done a marvelous job, Rich. You and Linda deserve to have a wonderful retirement. Drive carefully, enjoy yourselves and we all hope to hear from you from time to time.
Rich, your guidance has maintained and enhanced OGR. The forum is outstanding. Thank you for your work and leadership. And remember, you're never to old to have a happy childhood. Ease on down the road.
Roger Wasson posted:Rich, congratulations. I hope that there are many Hemi's in your future.
LOL! Thanks, Roger.The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee carries the license plate "HEMI NO 5." Sure wish I had kept "HEMI NO 1." It was a 1967 Dodge Charger with the 426 and a 4-speed. It was 1 of only 180 built. Worth well into 6-figures today. Oh well...
Tom McGriel posted:...And remember, you're never to old to have a happy childhood...
I LIKE that, Tom! I am going to remember that saying for sure.
Rich,
Good luck in roaming the highways, try to get to Allentown so I can say good bye in person. I said good bye to Myron when OGR left Nazareth in 2002. You took the magazine to a new level and supplied us with Buildings, How to DVD's, Wire and a few other items.
Good luck Alan, you have some big shoes to fill.
Rich, may your family's journeys be as memorable as the ones your provided me as kid along the new river. God bless you sir.
Congratulations Rich!!!
If you are ever out to San Diego, we have a few good camp grounds to stay in, stop by the Model Railroad museum to see the San Diego 3-Railers and the rest of the fine layouts.
no Hemi Rich..but that ride in my 383 4 speed road runner still stands
Thanks for everything and have a good ride !!
Rich,
Best wishes to you and Linda for a very long, happy, healthy and productive retirement. The model railroading community and, of course, O gaugers are very fortunate to have OGR and the tremendous resource that is the OGR Forum. You have made a contribution to the hobby of which you can be very proud. We all are indebted to you.
I was reluctant to become a retiree after a long career as an engineer. Believe me, the transition to less stress and lots of time to do what you enjoy is easy. Please keep us informed about your progress on that model railroad!
And, congratulations and best wishes also to Alan Arnold.
MELGAR
Rich;
I wish you and your wife the very best in the next phase of your life. As someone who was fortunate enough to take early retirement a couple of years ago, I am sure that you will thoroughly enjoy your new freedom. As someone who spent the last 17 years of my career doing way too many 200 mile round trip commutes into the NYC Metro area, I would suggest stocking the motor home with plenty of blood pressure meds and high quality booze 
I have been retired for a while - approached correctly it can be an absolute joy.
I have appreciated participating in the OGR world, first as an author, and then as a participant on this forum. If you are ever in range of KMYF, I can give you a quick tour of some ancient O Scale and a swing around the pattern in a J-3 Cub.
Best of luck, and tailwinds.
Rich:
I have been an OGR subscriber since I think either 1989 or 1990. I very much appreciate and have enjoyed the refinements to the magazine implemented by you and your colleagues. Best of luck to you and the Missus as you pull the pin and begin your retirement!
And to Alan; congratulations on becoming publisher! I'll look forward to the changes you bring to OGR in the coming years.
Curt
hi Rich, Best wishes for the future. I enjoyed meeting you at York a few years back and really appreciate how you have managed the Forum.
Dave
Apples55 posted:...I would suggest stocking the motor home with plenty of blood pressure meds and high quality booze
The Lovely and Gracious Linda and I are very fortunate. Neither of us take ANY prescription meds! And we don't drink either. It will have to be A&W Root Beer.
Rich,
Thank you for all you've done and all you will continue to do for OGR!
In my 'umble opinion, your most important contribution to the spirit of the magazine and the forum has been your ability to combine 1:1 experience with 1:48 expertise. Much of our O GAUGE equipment and most of our layouts would not meet AAR/FRA standards. However, if we only wanted to "play with toy trains", rather than replicate 1:1 railroading - to one degree or another, we'd all be buying Brio.
Enjoy your retirement and travels but please continue to ensure that OGR stays the course.
May God bless you,
Sam
Rich:
You have been a guiding light for the magazine as well as this forum and both endeavors owe their huge success largely to your dedicated stewardship! You will be missed! Have a splendid and well deserved retirement!
Hey Rich,
Life is precious so enjoy your travels and the number one person who puts up with that other big passion you have. Thanks for being such a force in our hobby. This is not bye but just a mere "see ya around".
We all reach a certain point in life where a more relaxed lifestyle is needed. You were able to guide OGR to the next level and now it's time to travel and enjoy the years ahead. The very best for the next chapter of your life. Enjoy, and be happy on your retirement. There is just so much to see and do in this country. You'll love traveling as we do.
Congratulations Rich. I hope Linda and you get to see many wonderful sights throughout this spectacular country of ours for many, many years ahead.
My thanks for all your work for the hobby, particularly this forum where so many friends have exchanged so much useful information.
It's rather coincidental, in a month I will be closing our family publishing business of our 65 year old weekly community newspaper. Though I'm a few years younger and have no plans to retire.
Enjoy the road!
Thank you both for your splendid work.
God bless, and Happy Trails to you!
Congratulations on retirement! You will be missed for sure, but I am sure Alan will do a great job. I had the pleasure of meeting Alan at York, and he seems like a great guy for sure.
Rich, any idea on where you will be going on your roadtrip? If you are coming near Philly I would love to meet you and say hello. I still need to get your autograph
Now lets all raise a glass of A&W Rootbeer and say the largest of thanks to Rich Melvin, a large contributor to our wonderful hobby. Thank you rich for all that you have done!
Rich, All the best for your past efforts here and for the future. This forum has helped me enjoy my hobby so much more and I have you to thank for that!
Alan, Congratulations to you on your new position at OGR and I wish you all the best as well..
Maxrailroad posted:Congratulations on retirement! You will be missed for sure, but I am sure Alan will do a great job. I had the pleasure of meeting Alan at York, and he seems like a great guy for sure.
Rich, any idea on where you will be going on your roadtrip? If you are coming near Philly I would love to meet you and say hello. I still need to get your autograph
Now lets all raise a glass of A&W Rootbeer and say the largest of thanks to Rich Melvin, a large contributor to our wonderful hobby. Thank you rich for all that you have done!
Great last comment to say thank you, Max! I was glad to meet you at York!
Thank you, Rich!!
Thanks for all you did for OGR Rich, especially the great job you did policing this forum. Will Alan also be taking on that job too?
Geez. Who's going to delete all of my threads? Hey, someone had to jokingly say it, right?
You did create a top-notch, classy forum that we all benefit from. Thank you so much for that.
Enjoy your travels.
Looking forward to your first issue Alan!
- walt
Rich,
Thank you for the OGR legacy you guided to the success it is today. There were times when someone was being nutty on the forum and I remember thinking, how in heavens name does he have the patience to deal with this stuff.
Thank you for providing a space to ask questions and provide help to others, a space that so many wonderful people belong to.
I wish you all the great travel adventures as you embark on your new path. No doubt it will be a wonderful time for you both.
Ed
Rich, thank you for keeping a great publication going and providing us with this forum. Good luck Alan. Hopefully when Jim and Ed decide to retire there will also be capable and willing people to take up their duties.
"LASH-UP...LASH-UP...LASH-UP..."
Gotta get that in one last time (boy, he hates that...) 
Congratulations Rich, and I hate to lose a partner!
Rich, your personal record has been awarded ten merits for publishing a fine O gauge magazine, with good illustrations and many helpful articles and reviews, -- and -- being printed on quality, glossy paper.
Rich who ?
Oh never mine I know, now I can get my 1/4" scale rope out, and build locomotive consists again !
Notice I didn't say the L word ? unlike that low life Mr. Barrett
Clem K
Congratulations Rich. Hope you have a long and healthy retirement.
Alan, congratulations to you on your new position.
Old Locomotive Engineers don't retire, they just board "the Gravy Train".
Good luck Rich!
Larry
Congratulations to you Rich and your wife Linda on your "Rich-ly" deserved retirement!
Though we have never met personally I deeply respect all you have done for OGR and the hobby, AND especially #765.
Now get out there and enjoy your retirement! If you happen to be near Sedona AZ around Jan thru March, let us know. Same if you are anywhere near Calgary Canada any other time of the year. We would love to show you some western hospitality. Don't forget the Rocky Mountaineer is an awesome 2 day train excursion through fantastic mountain scenery!
Cheers,
Rod
Best wishes for safe travels Rich!
Congratulations Alan!
Conflagrations to Alan and Rich.
Bumped into this forum in January 2014 and almost never missed a day.
Question for Rich:
What type of layout have you installed in the motor home?
Must be some heavy duty magnetraction.
Can you post some pictures
