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For those of you who have been around on this forum for years, I received word today that Ed Reutling is in the hospital and not doing well. He is near the end of the line.

Ed and I would converse regularly through email, he helped me with a couple On30 projects and prototype information on a couple others. I used to call him 'The Wizard of Gray'. He lives in Gray, TN.

Some may recall Ed's cottage business: 'Adirondack Car and Foundry', maker of O scale resin kits. He also delved into R/C control for trains before most of us considered it.

 

Perhaps those who remember him can keep him in your thoughts today.

 

Last edited by PRR Man
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 I'd like to add so many thoughts to my post.

The biggest one of a compliment to him, would be that he's the first one to inspire me  to go deeper into two rail O gauge. It seemed that every idea I had for conversions, he had already conquered. It seems like he's not intimidated to attempt anything in this scale. I saw his conversion of the Lionel tank train cars and he said they seemed like the biggest secret in O at the time. Great cars that didn't seem to catch on at first. He had already converted them to two rail using his scratch built bolsters. I then started researching all the things I could find about what he had made.

 It got into my head that anything would be possible after that. Even looking at a small section of his layout is inspiring to me. I think that he has paved the way for many new generations to go deeper into two rail O scale. For that alone, I know I owe him much gratitude, and I feel the whole hobby does.

Ed is a talented modeler and could work at light speed. You'd mention a car you'd like and a few days later Ed would post a photo of one built and be offering the castings for a few bucks.  I built a lot of his kits over the years, log cars, long runner pig flats, hi cube box cars, rail gon etc. and always enjoyed the building and the conversations with Ed on the phone. I still have one of his rail gons which I'll always keep even though I'm not modeling in O scale these days....DaveB

Just got an E-mail from Betty. He's not doing well - lungs. Though I've never met Ed face to face, he and I have been corresponding for some time. He's one of the principal influences that steered me toward O scale -- first in hi-rail, then 3RS, and toward 2-rail -- not from the "purity" of 2-rail, but as improvement in the modeling. He and I have even advised each other on projects. He and I had a good laugh over the AGEIR box cab as he had built a resin scratch-build right before MTH announced one in diecast. My thoughts and prayers are with him and Betty.

Ed was my friend and I will always appreciate the welcome exchanges we shared. He would take the time to explain his technique for something I kept stumbling on and Ed would send photos to reinforce instructions...until I finally got it. I sent him a supply of material I thought he might find useful and a month later he had used some of to build a branch line engine house. I know he shared that build here. Ed always shared willingly, such was his contribution to this special hobby. Prayers heading his way.

 

Bob

WOW! I remember Ed R meeting him for the first time at the 1995 O scale Convention in Teaneck, NJ. HE had a small O scale Modular layout. I purchased 5 TTX Tuscan flat from him.... long before the atlas O stuff hit the streets. HE was a great Guy then, a Great guy on this forum way back when and will be remembered as an all around great guy! 

 

I was intrigued about his building of the IR only GM&O diesel on this forum. WEll Done! God Bleass and highball!

Sad news indeed. Ed was always his own man and had his own way of doing things which could ruffle a few feathers in the process, but was also very generous in his praise and help to anyone who asked for it. I expect this came from his teaching days. He never took the easy way unless it was also the right way. He wouldn't tolerate BS and was from the old school of thinking. I really appreciate and will miss Ed and these kinds of guys in general as you always knew where you stood with them. 

 

My condolences to his family.

 

Butch H. 

I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days with Ed and Betty several years ago after exchanging many e-mails with him. When we met in person for the first time it was like we had know each other for many years. Ed was a special talented modeler who was an inspiration for many people involved with O Scale and will be missed both as a modeler and a friend.

 

My thoughts and prayers go out to Betty and their children. While Ed suffered with health problems for several years, now he suffers no more and I feel he is in GOOD company with the O Scale railroaders

that we have lost in the past.

 

So Ed, when you open the throttle on that O Scale train in Heaven, may all your signals be "Clear". We will miss you, Gene. 

 

 

I was going through some old E-mails and pictures Ed had sent me and found these.

 

This is the Alco-General Electric-Ingersoll Rand "Oil Electric" (Diesel) Box Cab he did. As I had posted earlier, we had a good laugh about MTH announcing a diecast shortly after Ed built this one. The superstructure is resin and used Weaver-style drive components. The trucks were equalized.

 

100_1489 [2)

100_1690

 

 

Here's one of his CF7's under construction. He cast the Topeka Cab and pilots and used a modified Red Caboose GP9 body kit.

 

CF7 1st cast nose

 

 

Here's the last project Ed was working on. He was restoring a KIt Car he had built in the 1960's. His son-in-law had let it go to the elements, so Ed took it back to restore when he had "semi-retired" from model railroading a couple of years ago.

 

100_1384 [2) big fix sm

100_5037

100_5100

 

The master at work.

100_5086

 

 

I found an old E-mail from a few years back when Ed was going to shut down the ModelingInOScale Yahoo group which he moderated. It kinda sums up how he influenced my direction in the hobby

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Matt Jackson

To: MODELINGinOScale@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 1:36 PM

Subject: Re: [MODELINGinOScale] Shutting down of MODELINGinOSale

 

Ed.

I've corresponded with you off and on since the original O-Trains Yahoo list [almost 20 years ago]. You have enhanced my appreciation of O scale modeling, educated me in the finer points of scale, the value of counting "just enough rivets" and raised may appreciation of point-to-point/branch line modeling. I have come to view you as a close friend whom I've never met face-to-face (gotta love the Internet.) You have helped this lost son of O scale find his way.

You will be missed.

Matt Jackson

 

-----Original Message-----

From: ed
<reutling@embarqmail.com>Sent: Oct 28, 2010 7:06 AM
To: MODELINGinOScale@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MODELINGinOScale] Shutting down of MODELINGinOSale

 

 

As of early December I will be shutting this group down. If there are any pix or photos that you want for your own use, better start getting on your own computer soon.

Sorry for the inconvenience, but, there are other groups on yahoo that you can jump to, and they generally have much more going on.

Ed Reutling---owner/moderator

 

 

Rest in peace, Ed.

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Images (7)
  • 100_1489 (2)
  • 100_1690
  • CF7 1st cast nose
  • 100_1384 (2) big fix sm
  • 100_5037
  • 100_5086
  • 100_5100

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
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