Mack Lowry locomotive collection

Roo..try and find the aug 1974 issue of model railroader. it has a story of Mac Lowry and his 50 x 165 ft Trains of America tourist attraction. His collection of 350 locos 600 cars under one roof was incredible. It was in Cuyahoga Falls near Akron in Ohio....conrail john

After Mac died, a decent proportion of his locos showed up at one or more O Scale Nationals for sale.    The general opinion was that his stuff was run very hard and if you buy, be prepared to do some serious maintenance.    I think it all sold.     Some of it was very new looking unpainted USH locos.

Is Mac Lowry's building still standing on route 8 in Cuyahoga Falls?  Just curious.

Dale

yes its a carpet store or something or furniture

I think I have that 1955 MR article, those pictures are very impressive.  The article gives the impression that most of the loco's (at least at that time) were custom built by the prominent loco builders of the time.  That said I would not be surprised that we later would purchase a bit of brass.  I woul dbe more than happy to have any of those locos in my collection!

I was at a York meet in the late 70s and at least 5 tables of trains from Macs collection were for sale, there were a number of Fisher cars but the full Fisher train sets were all ready gone, as I recall Bill Wolfer had several full train sets NYC and Pennsy when I was at his place. the previous York had a large amount of models from the collection. Before the first dedicated O scale meets York was the place to go for O scale [2 rail models] I believe King of Prussia was the first large 2 rail meet in the Northeast, it was big and quite crowded.

I am guessing "Chi-Town Union Station" in Commerce, Michigan would be a modern rival. Probably a better mix of motive power, as in steam/diesel, as I am guessing Mr. Lowry's stuff was mostly steam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjwE5zd4M8I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3W7yZMTnTY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V02xcQAIxY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o0VJFkJI0c

Simon

I have several locos and fischer cars that came from Mack's collection. Here is a picture of the Bill Lenoir NYC Niagara, it's number 68 in the Lenoir book. Some of Mack's collection was abused, but alot of it was not, I guess thats the benefit of hundreds of engines. Like the Niagara in picture, it has the original paint and original hand lettering by Bill Lenoir which still shows very well being built in the 60's. The engine also still runs like a tank with its original motor. Nothing like scratchbuilt engines.

If there is any interest I will happily share more of them...

There is always an interest in Bill Lenior locos. Mack's collection abused or mint is something that will always amaze some of we older collectors and modellers. I am sure many folks here would like to see the models and learn about some of the history of his R/R and collection. Please post when you have time

Thank you

Franky-Ogee

Yeah, are you kidding? I lust for photos of this kind of stuff.

I know most of you blokes would have all the old MR's because they were the best issues and they are easy to get in America. The reason I discovered this article I was looking through a pile of magazines destined for the recycling bin as I need to thin out more mags this one is going to if anyone wants it let me know and I post it to them along with a postcard of Perth, otherwise it's gone. That's all I'm doing at the moment, while the wife recovers from her accident, no modelling, just cleaning up the hobby room worjkshop and throwing things out.

Roo.

I visited Mack Lowry's display/layout in 1965 when I was attending college in Ohio. I remembering thinking the whole spectacle was excessive and pointless.

Scale City Designs posted:

I have several locos and fischer cars that came from Mack's collection. Here is a picture of the Bill Lenoir NYC Niagara, it's number 68 in the Lenoir book. Some of Mack's collection was abused, but alot of it was not, I guess thats the benefit of hundreds of engines. Like the Niagara in picture, it has the original paint and original hand lettering by Bill Lenoir which still shows very well being built in the 60's. The engine also still runs like a tank with its original motor. Nothing like scratchbuilt engines.

If there is any interest I will happily share more of them...

Humor me, do you have any idea what became of the model of the Lima 2-8-6 prototype?

Lou N

I visited the Mack Lowry's display in the 1970's on the return trip from an Indianapolis O scale National Convention.  While the layout was large, from an operating/model railroading perspective it was unimaginative.  When a train stalled/derailed  someone climbed up on  the solid un-scienced table and picked up the locomotive as if it were a common $35 Lionel steamer.  Years later after the display closed (I believe Mack retired to Florida) I saw Mack at several successive TCA meets unrolling his many Joe Fischer cars (500+) and Bill Lenoir custom built locomotives from newspaper to put on his tables.  At the end of the show he'd just roll the unsold models back up in the same newspaper and put them in large crates. Some of the models showed blemishes from careless handling.   As finely built as the models were - I found the scene disturbing and frustrating.  He showed little respect for the models, while at the time they were beyond my model railroading budget.

In August, 1957 at the age of fourteen, I accompanied a fellow railfan to visit his relatives in Akron, OH. My buddy told me that on his last visit he saw B&O steam, including double headed T-3 Mountains. So we went, and my friend Mike wanted to visit a men's clothing store in downtown Akron. (We stayed at a hotel downtown with his mother and his aunt.) We went to the shop and asked to see the owner's model trains, and we were told that the owner wasn't available but to go upstairs, which was a store attic, with several large tables of the type used to cut large swaths of material for clothing. I was looking for NYC but did not see any NYC. I did see a LOT of PRR and B&O on that table. I recall there were mostly brass steam engines, and I remember seeing four or five PRR J-1 2-10-4's, a few PRR K-4's, a PRR Tuscan red train trimmed in gold, and at least three B&O EM-1's. I wondered at that time why anyone would have a model of an EM-1, since they were running through town about three blocks from the store! My buddy and I were able to photograph several of them on coal trains, and a Q-4 Mike on a work train. All had been renumbered since I saw them at Painesville the previous year.

Years later I saw the Lowry Collection in a dedicated building on the outskirts of Akron, and the engine that I found fascinating was the Lima 4-8-6 that was featured at one time in "Steam Locomotives", published by Kalmbach. I did not know at that time that my future involved O Scale.

Mac Lowry owned the Railway's of America on Rt 8 in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio where he displayed his massive collection of Joe Fischer cars as well as his 100's of locomotives. This was his 2nd display as his 1st was in his clothing store in Akron. He owned at one time over 70 Bill Lenior locomotives as well as all the big name custom builders such as Jerry White, Kloppenberg, Icken Strayer Waller and others. He sold most of his collection to a guy that revamped the old Quaker Oats plant into a hotel and shopping complex. He regretted that sale and latter bought some of his equipment back. He also had a hobby shop there and I personally purchased 2 locomotives that he took off the display that was above the restaurant, but unfortunately he refused to sell me the Lenior Aerotrain.

Al Stauffer used to trade with him all the time and Al's son Eric still has several locomotives from Mac on his layout. One of the members of the Youngstown Model Railroad Association also knew Mac personally and purchased several locomotives as well as Fischer cars from him. When Quaker Square was taken over by the University of Akron the last of the Lowry collection was sold at auction except for a few pieces that were sold were sold a few weeks ago.

I will post a link that has info about Quaker Square and Railway's of America on it:

http://www.cstvcic.org/Documen...quare%20Brochure.pdf

Interesting story Marty, thanks for posting. Now if you really want to be my friend cast up some more Steel mill items!

Roo.

Keystoned Ed posted:

I visited the Mack Lowry's display in the 1970's on the return trip from an Indianapolis O scale National Convention.  While the layout was large, from an operating/model railroading perspective it was unimaginative.  When a train stalled/derailed  someone climbed up on  the solid un-scienced table and picked up the locomotive as if it were a common $35 Lionel steamer.  Years later after the display closed (I believe Mack retired to Florida) I saw Mack at several successive TCA meets unrolling his many Joe Fischer cars (500+) and Bill Lenoir custom built locomotives from newspaper to put on his tables.  At the end of the show he'd just roll the unsold models back up in the same newspaper and put them in large crates. Some of the models showed blemishes from careless handling.   As finely built as the models were - I found the scene disturbing and frustrating.  He showed little respect for the models, while at the time they were beyond my model railroading budget.

Nothing special or unique about any of this. It happens all the time. Someone with a bunch of money and no brains or no appreciation for what they have, buys something nice and beats it all to Hades. I'm sure you've seen PRR brass with train phone antennas that are all mangled up because some fool handled them carelessly. Sooner or later it all becomes JUNK so there is no point in lamenting it's fate. I try and take care of what I have and don't spend much time thinking about any of the rest of it. I've always considered the Fischer cars (as well done as they are) to be a bit too ephemeral in construction. Some things are just not made to last, and (opinion) I think they fit that category.

Simon