Remember the OGR Tours

We went on one of the Weaver factory tours several years ago.  Was quite interesting seeing the various processes up close.

The layout tour photos shown above are great.

The OGR tours were fun.  Enjoyed seeing Tony Lash’s layout and the Weaver factory tour.  Good times.

They were, indeed, a whole lot of fun. I was fortunate enough to have made the tours a number of times, and thoroughly enjoyed each visit to Weaver (both the factory and Bob's home), MTH, and the always-spectacular Tony Lash layout. Great memories!

Definitely fond memories of these tours!  I think I went to at least 2 of each.

Weaver manufacturing area was always informative, and lunch at that station that became a restaurant (I forget the name, Front Street Station, maybe? - I see there is something called that in Northumberland).  Seeing the Bob Weaver layout pictured above was amazing.  Bus ride to get up there was a bit long, but well worth it.

Seeing MTH was neat too, and Tony Lash was always a great host to share his layout with us.

And we can't forget the commemorative rolling stock that was available with most/all of these tours.

-Dave

We never made it to the Weaver tours but we did get to see the MTH tour and Tony Lash layout.  Fun trip!

Ben.....love it.....we all look so young....

Peter

Putnam Division posted:

Ben.....love it.....we all look so young....

Peter

First, those tours were great!  Thanks for sharing the pictures as they brought back some good memories.

Second, who photoshopped Brian in a Yankees hat! He's a fellow Philly sports fan who wouldn't be caught dead wearing that hat!

-Greg

Greg Houser posted:

First, those tours were great!  Thanks for sharing the pictures as they brought back some good memories.

Second, who photoshopped Brian in a Yankees hat! He's a fellow Philly sports fan who wouldn't be caught dead wearing that hat!

-Greg

Now that's funny!  I saw Ben's "see if Brian is paying attention" comment, but totally missed the added hat until you brought it up!

-Dave

Enjoyed everone!!!!!

Enjoyed the tours & the "special run" OGR rolling stock -- which I still have.  The bus rides allowed a good deal of interaction & the food was decent ++.    Sad these were stopped.

Tony

Up on the "D & H Bridge Line"

The Weaver tour was great.

I attended the weaver, MTH and Tony Lash tours.  Really enjoyed the tours and the company.  

Yes I’m paying attention!  That Yankees lid was from losing the 2009 World Series “bet” that I’d have to wear a Yankees hat if the Yankees beat the Phillies at the next train gathering. Of course, Ben couldn’t wait so he photoshopped that abomination on my head from that October 2009 Thursday at Friday’s.  I actually have a Yankees hat I was going to honor my bet with. It was all in great fun!  

All those OGR trips were great. Funny story, during the MTH visit we had the opportunity to buy items they had in stock. I bought a couple of engines and was last in line for the purchase. The bus was loaded and waiting to leave. In comes Bill Parisi yelling at me (jokingly) to hurry up cause the bus was leaving. I finished my purchases and got back on the bus before Bill did!  We had a good laugh over that.

What fun times those trips were. 

Yep, fun times for sure. Did the MTH tours, Tony Lash tours, and Weaver tours.

Loved the one tour I got to go on, MTH, and Tony Lash’s. Only sorry I didn’t do the Weaver tour. 

Thanks for the pics.

I did all the tours  It was great  Met more friends on the bus and probably enjoyed talking to them more than the tours

BTW Brian  This is the real pic

These were at Tony Lash and MTH

What ever happened to the Weaver and Lash Layouts?  Torn down?

Great trips!  We were fortunate to go on all of them.

Very good memories.

I was on the first bus tour to MTH and Tony Lash's layout. The talk back then was that Tony was going to sell his company, and what was going to happen to Tony's layout.

necrails posted:

What ever happened to the Weaver and Lash Layouts?  Torn down?

I’ve not been to Bob’s in like 5 years, but when I was there last Bob had actually added on around the walls. The aisles were getting pretty tight. I believe it is still there. That layout is actually in the basement where Weaver Quality Craft began on Wheatley Avenue.

Tony Lash did indeed sell the business and the layout was taken down.  I understand the stuff is in storage somewhere (maybe Florida).  I know Tony is big into boating these days.  He once told me, "You think you can spend money at a train show?  Try going to a BOAT show!"

When OGR had the tours and the Thursday night event at Fridays, those were really great days but like everything else in life, things change. York is different today than it was back then, still has a good following the demographics are changing but those that attend can meet many of the same great folks there.  

bluelinec4 posted:

While at York OGR used to have tours of train stuff around   I remember going to the Weaver Factory, Tony Lash Layout, and Bob Weaver layout   Loved all of them   Here are some pics from Bob Weavers layout

Two comments:

1. When a friend and I visited the Weaver plant and got an invite to come to his home layout, we went and it was two-rail; this was around 1980 or so. At that time, Bob did not produce any three-rail cars.

2. I have an RS-3 painted in the Weaver demonstrator colors; when I see it I think of the US Coast Guard!

Seems like just the other day. Can’t believe it was 13 years ago. Following the tours when we got back to York we made our way over to the DCS dinner & meeting hosted by Barry Broskowitz. Lots of great memories over these 13 years.

I went on one tour to Tony Lash and MTH. What a great tour. I really enjoyed it. 

I wonder what ever happened to the Bob Weaver Layout?

We were fortunate enough to go on all the trips.

Great times.  Great experiences.

Some shots from the Weaver Plant tour, October 2008:

Ready for the paint booth:

The Pad Printer:

Mr. Weaver's Layout:

Wish we could do these trips again during York Week!

Here are some pictures from the MTH Tour.

Here are some pictures from Tony Lash’s tour.

And to think Jim Weaver from AtlasO was also a 3 railer.

Dick

These layouts were absolutely fantastic.

Question about the piggy back flats in photo 5 from the Weaver layout.  Are the flats Atlas, Quality Craft wooden kits, or custom made?