I just emailed Oglebay about their train layout. We didn't get down there over the holidays this year to see the light display because of my mother in law's illness. Last year when we were there, the trains weren't running, and a staff member told me that some of the trains had been damaged. The reply I got from my e mail said the layout is gone. Real shame, it was one of the great ones.
Some pics from past years
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Sad. 
I don't recall all the details of the layout from memory, but I recall visiting this as part of the tours offered during the 2004 TCA convention in Pittsburgh. I'll have to review my photos from that tour someday to refresh my memory.
-Dave
the layout is in storage, and they are not sure if/when it will be put back up.
It is highly unlikely anything will be put up again. I was told by someone in the know that the layout went into the dumpster piece by piece as he witnessed most of the destruction with sledge hammers. I also know for a fact that anything remaining was auctioned off including some track, some salvaged scenery, and the rolling stock/engines. I attended the auction.
I noticed the last couple times I was there, probably around 2012 or so, that the layout was starting to look a little rough.
What was the reason for it being scrapped?
My friend in the know said that they no longer wanted to deal with it. They put an animal exhibit in its place.
when we got there last year, the trains weren't running. First time ever. A lady working there told us some of the trains had been vandalized, and they couldn't find anyone to fix them. They didn't even have the snow down in the winter area. And some of the stationary cars were zip tied to the tracks. Either to prevent naughty kids or just bad people.
mountain482 posted:It is highly unlikely anything will be put up again. I was told by someone in the know that the layout went into the dumpster piece by piece as he witnessed most of the destruction with sledge hammers. I also know for a fact that anything remaining was auctioned off including some track, some salvaged scenery, and the rolling stock/engines. I attended the auction.
wish I had heard about that.
I'm not sure about any "vandalism" they claimed to have happened, but I know they approached my local hobby shop about fixing some engines previously. From what the owner indicated when I talked to him, they wanted the stuff fixed for free and he would not do that.
That’s a shame. It really was a nice layout.
Nice Blast Furnace wow. Wonder who wound up with that? You have to scratch build them if you want one in full O scale.Nick
Thus another fine work of model railroad artwork has been scrapped. It should have been saved. Its so sad when fine works of historical artwork get destroyed for no one to see anymore and a shame that some local model railroaders did not step forth to save it. I often wonder if anyone is going to save Roadside America?
The blast furnace building was not at the auction. Only some pre-built MTH buildings and Lemax buildings were there. Anything that was scratch built or kit built was nowhere to be found as far as I saw. I do know that some relatives of the people who built buildings got angry when they wanted to obtain what their loved-ones created and were apparently blown off. Several even threatened a lawsuit at that point. I am not sure what ever happened with that.
The destruction seemed to be done without concern of asking others first. There was no announcement or press release before the demolition started last March. I'm guessing they didn't want it saved.
I remember talking to a gentleman around 2012 who volunteered there for a short time. He had to stop as they wanted to schedule him and several others for specific hours to "volunteer" instead of whenever they were able. Basically they gave them schedules like they were paid workers.
Steamer posted:
Thanks for the video find, that was a nice layout. Even a operating steam boat. Nick T.
A comment on the video says the steel mill was thrown in a dumpster... ☹️
It doesn’t surprise me. I got vilified for posting that the park planned to rip out the layout back in...2010, maybe? We were there at Christmastime and three different staff members told us it was to be taken out as soon as the Festival of Lights was over. People from the boards called to check on the “rumor” and the zoo backpedaled and kept it until recently. That they’d trash everything is also not surprising. Plans back then also called for getting rid of the outdoor zoo train. I don’t know whether it’s still there or not.
Same problem as all but the best museums: “we don’t know what that old thing is, so trash it.” If there had been advance notice, they could have sold things properly. They used to be a zoo focused on North American animals, but they’ve run after every fad around these last few years—and I do mean “after,” usually copying whatever Pittsburgh put up the year before. The idea that no one has mentioned it before this suggests they don’t have the visitors they used to.
it's unbelievable that no one...either the Park or the club that owned the display had no thought for the history of this layout to want parts of it to survive...or just plain greed to want to sell items from it.
Attendance was noticeably down. Last year the trains weren't even running. The year before, not many people there. It used to be shoulder to shoulder at times. There used to be a great train show at The Wilson Lodge. Two days, and tons of stuff. Then it got shoved out to a smaller building. Then totally gone. The Lights are a great show, but the main event for me was always the train layout. Doubt if I go back down again. certainly not after sitting in bumper to bumper traffic just to get to the park.
The layout was owned by the Good Zoo (where it was located). Some of the items on and in the display cases were on loan from people which were returned when the layout came down. There was no club involved with it. They had staff originally that ran and maintained it. That started to dwindle not too long after the train show went away.
I'll have to dig out the issue where Fred Dole did a story on the layout. I would have swore that this was club owned. Dang shame.
and I wonder what happened to all the vintage trains in the display cases? Ives, Chicago Flyer, Lionel
It was built by a group of people originally but it was not a club nor was ever club owned.
As I said previously, most of the items in and on the display cases were on loan and were returned to their original owners when the layout was torn down.
thanks for the info
You're welcome.
I went there this year, and instead of the layout, was a "Red Panda" pacing up and down in its display that replaced the layout. That is the last time I go back.
The lights are great but so was the layout. They have enough buildings on the site to put up a new layout if they wish. There are probably enough local hobbyists to help them make a good one. A modern layout (I don't mean time modeled, but technically) would be a fine addition to the attractions and would boost attendance.
Anyway, it was quite disappointing to find out when i got there that the layout was gone.
Ed Boyle Partner
Special Projects Editor, O Gauge Railroading Magazine
my feelings exactly Ed
mlavender480 posted:A comment on the video says the steel mill was thrown in a dumpster... ☹️
That's just wrong!
If the steel mill went in the dumpster, that would explain why it wasn't in the auction. My guess is the other scratch-built and kit-built buildings also went there since they weren't in the auction either.
Remember, to them scratch-built=homemade=worthless. There's no handy valuation book for one of a kind items.
Becky, Tom & Gabe Morgan posted:Plans back then also called for getting rid of the outdoor zoo train. I don’t know whether it’s still there or not.
The CP Huntington is still there and running (not in the winter).
Becky, Tom & Gabe Morgan posted:Remember, to them scratch-built=homemade=worthless. There's no handy valuation book for one of a kind items.
well it's good to know that Oglebay is doing so well that they couldn't use some extra $..
cripes...put an ad on Craigs List...something. Better to get a few dollars from a piece of local history than dumpster fodder. Makes me believe they just wanted it gone before anyone found out what was going on.
Dave,
That appears to be just what they did. They got rid of it before anyone found out what was going on. Then the auction of what little remained happened last year in a different county at a different location than usual surplus auctions from the city. The auction had already been canceled once after the public backlash started and finally happened in November.
Ed Boyle posted:I went there this year, and instead of the layout, was a "Red Panda" pacing up and down in its display that replaced the layout. That is the last time I go back.
The lights are great but so was the layout. They have enough buildings on the site to put up a new layout if they wish. There are probably enough local hobbyists to help them make a good one. A modern layout (I don't mean time modeled, but technically) would be a fine addition to the attractions and would boost attendance.
Anyway, it was quite disappointing to find out when i got there that the layout was gone.
Ed Boyle Partner
Special Projects Editor, O Gauge Railroading Magazine
Ed....I'm sure the magazine covered this layout once upon a time.....do you know the Run? I'd like to read about it again.
Peter
yes they did Peter.
and Fred Dole covered it in one of the mags.
I’m pretty sure the magazine article was in 1992, I know I have it somewhere...
Run 125
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