Very sad to hear of Don's passing.
John Knapp
Our prayers, and condolences go out to his family. May he rest in peace.
I did not know Don but thank him for his innovations. My condolences to the family. Mike has been a great help to me in developing my display case product which of course uses GarGraves trackage. Don's legacy will live on through his family and I think that is wonderful. Hang in there family I know it is a very sad time but it will get better.
Wow, this has been a really tough Year, both, Great Pioneers of the Hobby, and Stores Closing, and Good Friends Going on to Heaven. My memories of Mr. Roder go back to the early 1970's, when I travelled as a Sales Represenative for Belknap Hardware, Louisville Kentucky. I called Gargraves Trackage Corporation from Nicks Hardware in Dickson, Tennessee. Mr. Roder answered the phone, I asked him what the minimum order for Phantom Rail Flex 3 Rail track would be. He said, 1 carton of 50 pieces, (one piece packed free), and $50.00. He added shipping and sent the order to Nicks Hardware, c/o Larry Levin. This was the beginning of 3 Rail Realism to me...
Now, here is the reason for the short story, Last Saturday, Nicks Hardware, Dickson, Tennessee, was Auctioned Off, Gone Out of Business....A sad day for many folks in Dickson, Tennessee.
Although Mr. Roder has passed, his Track, ideas about this Great Hobby, will Live in Our Hearts!!! I am so glad I was able to talk to Mr. Roder, he was one of the reasons I Love Our Hobby.....The Roder Family will be in our Prayers. Thanks for posting.
A true icon of the hobby has passed. My condolences to his family.
Ed Boyle
Partner
Special Projects Editor
O Gauge Railroading magazine
In 1956, there was this little blond headed 10 year old boy in Louisville Kentucky whose father dropped him off at Fischer's Hobby Shop while he bought photo supplies for his business. That little boy trudged up the steps over the theater where the hobby store was located, and went in with his steam engine to get the reversing unit fixed.
He looked over inside the display layout behind the glass, and saw something absolutely amazing! Here was O gauge trains rolling along on track with perfect ties, and rails that were flat on top, just like the real ones! The trains swept through gentle curves that seemed formed by the landscape itself.
That was that! I never again thought of my trains as toys, as much as pieces of Model Railroads, just like my big brother's HO trains were. Don Roder and his GarGraves track transformed me on a road that I might have never followed otherwise. O gauge trains and hi rail layouts were now a goal! They went on to provide me not only with a lifetime hobby but also a means of making money building scale-looking O gauge train layouts, and even becoming an owner of a wonderful train magazine.
In anyone's life, you can look backward and pinpoint the exact time and circumstance that became the inspiration of the pivotal change in the direction they chose. In my case, it was that day in Louisville.
When the time came much later in my life that I actually got to meet Don, I couldn't muster up the courage to tell him what a change he had made in me. I did much later, but now I want to tell his wife and children what a great influence he had on me and on countless other thousands of people.
Rest in peace, Don. You made your mark!
My heart felt condolences. It's remarkable how universal GarGraves product has become, not to mention the longevity of the company. Those things only happen with great leadership and dedication. Although I never knew Don, I get a sense of profound loss at the passing of extraordinary pioneers in the model railroading industry.
Bruce
Don Roder was a great guy. When the Children's Museum in Florida wanted to build a layout Don stepped and donated all the track, the switches and the roadbed. He even insisted on paying the shipping. Without his help we might have never gotten off the ground. He is missed.
Al
When I got heavily into O gauge about fifteen years ago, I remember going to the Gargraves store in nearby North Rose, NY to look at their shadow rail track - that's where I met Don and his son Mike. My recollections of Don are nothing but excellent - he was incredibly knowledgeable and willingly helped out "newbies". Along the way, I learned that Don took over the company in the early 60s, grew and expanded their product lines, making him a true pioneer in our hobby. It was fun seeing Don at shows / meets like Syracuse and York after that, always there to answer questions and help out.
My deepest condolences go out to Mike and Tom and their extended families.
I remember Don as a warm and friendly person who always found time to chat for a few minutes at the annual train show in Syracuse. His depth of knowledge never ceased to amaze me. i'll miss those conversations; thanks, Don.
jackson
Tom and I would like to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words on the passing of our father. He was a remarkable man of which we owe him our gratitude for everything he has taught us over the years both in the business and in our personal lives.
He will be missed but never forgotten.
Thank you again,
Mike & Tom Roder
condolences to the family. I have been using Gargraves for many many years. One of the finest products in the industry.
