The Passing of Tom from the Choo Choo Barn.....

Very sad to hear about the loss of Tom Groff.We will always be indebted for his contributions to the hobby of model railroading.

Thank you to your contribution to this great hobby Tom. A top notch layout that is enjoyed by all, and an inspirational place for many.

After reading about the Choo Choo Barn in train magazines for 30 years,I finally got to see the super impressive layout this past September during my trip to see the N & W 611 steam engine in Strasburg. I loved seeing all the custom animations on the layout. The employee at the front register was providing note cards to write a message to Tom,so I was able to let him know how happy I was to see his elaborate creation.

Right across the street from the Choo Choo barn was a field of corn being harvested by Amish farmers shown in the photo above.

A wonderful man. Always kind and ready to spread the word about trains. The first train I bought for my daughter was from Choo Choo Barn.  Many days we made the short drive from New Cumberland to Strasburg and each included the Red Caboose Motel, Toy Train and State Train Museums, and the Choo Choo Barn. God's speed Tom.

My deepest sympathies to Tom's family.

After reading the OGR email today on the sale of the Choo Choo Barn and train shop I paused to think of my friend Tom.  It’s been 3 years and I’ve not forgotten him.  I can only consider myself fortunate to have known him.   He was truly special.  

Unfortunately, I never met Tom, but was fortunate to visit the Choo Choo Barn with my wife and young children in the mid 1990s.

I think what I'm about to say I've said before on the Forum. The Choo Choo Barn is the best model train shop I've ever visited, bar none. The layout in the shop was marvelous.

During this visit, I bought something I treasure. I saw Kramer Product O Scale metal baseball figures on sale for $150. I thought that was expensive back then, so I showed them to my wife, mentioned the price, and asked her what do you think? She gave the perfect answer, she said: you love baseball, go ahead and buy them. I did.

That was the beginning of my Popsicle Stick Yankee Stadium:

Arnold

I had a couple discussions with Tom about his automation techniques, he was always interested in new ways to do things.  On a visit to the Choo Choo Barn, I got a look behind the curtain, I hope the place finds a new owner and continues on.

Mom and dad took us to the Choo Choo barn as kids. Now I'm here on the forum, about 20 years later,working on my own model railroad. That's the shortest way I can say what I mean to say.

On one of my six visits to the fantastic Choo Choo Barn during York week, I entered the train room and Amish parents plus their ~10-year old son were in front of me.  Without disturbing their privacy and being respectful of their religion, I learned quite a bit about Amish customs and the father's leadership of family.

The young boy was completely enthralled with the trains and the display and proudly shouted when seeing the "Amish house" on the layout:  THAT'S LIKE OUR HOUSE!!

A great cultural lesson for me.

I do hope that someone will continue the Choo Choo Barn legacy.

With years of attending York, and exploring SE Pa., and with Amish in eastern Indiana and lots in NE Ohio, l know there are Dunkards, and Mennonites, as well as Amish (and others?).  Pre- COVID, at a large show in NE Ohio, l was startled (should l have been?)  to pass a table of HO with a vendor with a young boy at his table , both dressed in that familiar garb.  Which l understand has variety.  I was thinking "electricity"?  I have seen "black-bumper Mennonites", not allowed to have flashy chrome on vehicles.  In Pa. or ?, are these denominations, maybe first two, active in trains?

I loved taking my kids to the Choo Choo Barn when they were small. I sure hope it's still there for them to bring their children and grandchildren. With the number of train loving people who pass through that area, with the Strasburg Railroad, the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum and the Toy Train Museum right there, the right owner should be able to keep it alive and successful. Unlike Roadside America, the audience is right there.

For me putting the size of the layout in perspective, in square feet the Choo Choo Barn layout is more than 3 times larger than the layout in the old Lionel Showroom in New York City.

My boys are 6 and 3. I've been there three times with my oldest and twice as a family since we have had the little guy. We planned to go a different time recently but they were closed due to weather. I'm going to take them again soon since there is no telling how long it'll be there. I sincerely hope someone buys it and it doesn't end up like Roadside America, which closed before we could visit.

I didn't know Tom, but he was clearly a very intelligent man and that layout is stunning.

@PRRick posted:

... I'm going to take them again soon since there is no telling how long it'll be there. I sincerely hope someone buys it and it doesn't end up like Roadside America, which closed before we could visit.

I didn't know Tom, but he was clearly a very intelligent man and that layout is stunning.

That's a very important and timely reminder.  Many things in our hobby are the result of one person's vision and energy, and when they're gone...

The Choo Choo Barn has been a happy exception, as it has continued through multiple generations, but we shouldn't take it for granted.  I've fallen into that trap before - I procrastinated about visiting the East Broad Top for years, and then it went dormant for nearly a decade.  I was fortunate to make it to Roadside America a few years ago, and it was obviously fading.  Many of these places will fall victim to changes in tastes, demographics, and real estate usage.

Find the time to visit those people and places that intrigue us while we can.  The NJ Hi-Railers are on my list - trying to make it happen in 2024.

So his daughter is selling the place.  Wow!  What a dream business for a forum member.  It's profitable, too!  You could probably learn a ton just by digging into the inner workings of that magnificent layout.  Perhaps a group or club could buy it. 

If I were 10-20 years younger, I would seriously consider a run at buying it.  In the meantime, I'll continue to watch the video I bought from their website many years ago now (one of my all-time favorites) and hope I get a chance to visit the layout and new owner(s).

@colorado hirailer posted:

Pre- COVID, at a large show in NE Ohio, l was startled (should l have been?)  to pass a table of HO with a vendor with a young boy at his table , both dressed in that familiar garb.  Which l understand has variety.  I was thinking "electricity"?  I have seen "black-bumper Mennonites", not allowed to have flashy chrome on vehicles.  In Pa. or ?, are these denominations, maybe first two, active in trains?

Sounds like the show in Mt. Hope.  I try not to miss that show as it is one of the largest in the tri-state area and an easy day trip from the Pittsburgh area.  Once, at that show (Mt. Hope), I witnessed an Amish buying a Lionel MPC-era Amtrak set.  At a later show, I asked a Mennonite I was chatting with while waiting in line about it, and he said the Amish in that area were allowed to use items like this as long as they were not in the house (in other words, kept in the barn) and were powered by battery or windmill driven generator.  Others with lots of experience in dealing with Amish have told me that the rules governing the use of electric items can vary from congregation to congregation, but the common denominator is no connection to the electrical grid.

Back to the original topic, I have been to the Choo Choo Barn twice.  Once as a kid in the early 80's, and once again as an adult in the mid 00's right before I got back into trains -- who knows, maybe that visit is why I am here right now.   I hope that they can find someone to take over and keep it going, and in the mean time, I hope to get back there again some day to see it from an in-the-hobby perspective.

Andy

Condolences to the family.  It is a  hard decision to sell a mans life work and business.  John Allen's HO empire was attempted to be maintained as a club RR until the house burned. You read everyday about a successful business closing with the death of its founder or that last child that continued to run it successfully for decades.  In Bryson City, NC is a Lionel museum and store    https://www.gsmr.com/smoky-mountain-trains-museum/   is there because of donations and bequethments and the hard work of volunteers and paid staff.  Perhaps to preserve the Choo Choo Barn if shutdown is inevitable,  that avenue could be pursued.

I watched a video some time ago showing Tom creating and maintaining some of his animations. There is no way I could ever duplicate, create or maintain any of his creations. He was simply a very talented and gifted hobbyist.

It is a neat place.  Looks like the family is trying to sell.  Based on my experiences in a past life, the success of that sales venture will depend on how realistic the valuation of the cash flow and the inventory is, and whether the financial statements and other documentation backing it up are credible and detailed - auditing quality varies widely.  All stuff to be resolved in a sale process.  But I hope it remains open and viable.  

This makes me so sad, it just reminds me how close we are to the end of our journey. I now know what my father meant by being the sole survivor.