Tom McComas

A tremendous loss for the hobby is putting it lightly.

He was a driving force for not just the established hobby, but for spreading the joy far beyond the hobby's boundaries, and deserves all the credit behind all the TM books, videos, and everything else in the past 50 years. I absolutely would not be as involved with the hobby as I am now without I Love Toy Trains.

He will very much be missed.

Is there an obituary yet?

Deepest condolences to his family.  His contributions to the hobby and his signature voice are legendary!

He was one of the great contributors to the hobby.  I heard he was not doing well and I had not been to his store in quite a few years.

My deepest sympathy to the family

I’m a long time fan of Tom’s books and videos! When I advised my youngest son of Tom’s passing, his first comment was “there’s a voice from my childhood!”

Condolences to Tom’s family and friends. He certainly made the hobby more fun and better informed!

Curt

A giant of our hobby.  His contributions cannot be overstated.

A video about trains just won't be the same without his narration.

My condolences to his family and friends. He used to be a fixture at York and I had missed visiting with him since they stopped coming to York. Loved his books and videos (and still do!).

Peter

Tom's voice and his Christmas toy train videos are part of my Christmas traditions.  He will be missed indeed.

Wow!!  So sorry to read this sad news.  Tom was a major player in our hobby, a truly fabulous ambassador with all his I Love Toy Train Videos and books ... of which I own many and have greatly enjoyed through the years ... and still do to this day!!  

Thank you Tom for all of your creative and infectious energy as you have made a major contribution to our great hobby.  Tom you will be missed and never forgotten!  

I'm saddened to hear this news. Tom has left a wonderful legacy for the hobby that I have personally enjoyed many times over the years through his various video productions.

With sincere condolences to his family and friends,

Jim

Tom's early books helped me to learn so much about the hobby as a teenager long ago. He is truly an icon of the hobby and will be sorely missed. My condolences to his family and friends.

Went to I Love Toy Trains earlier this summer.  Tom was a font of knowledge about the hobby.

Condolences and prayers to his family.

I always believed Tom's work was pivotal in the return of Lionel to prominence.

My sincere condolences to his family and friends.  I loved his videos and I still enjoy them.  NH Joe

I looked for him at this past York show and did not find his booth. My condolences to his family.

Chris

LVHR

I do not have words to properly express the sadness I felt when I learned of Tom's passing from Joe Stachler, who worked with Tom for some 24 years. Still cannot accept or believe it. Tom and I have been very good friends/colleagues/competitors for many years, and he most definitely was a major force in promoting and advancing this hobby through his many published books and videos that were instrumental in growing the O gauge segment of the hobby--especially through documenting the long history and current-day popularity of Lionel trains. I will have to collect my thoughts and memories and write a more detailed tribute to my friend a bit later, but simply cannot bring myself to do so now. My sympathies and love to his beloved Charyl; to sons Tom Jr, Jeff, Chris, and stepson Jack; and to the entire TM Books & Videos crew.

RIP Tom.

Prayers for him, his family, and friends. Tom put a lot of smiles on the faces of kids of all ages. That is something to be proud of.

My kids (and I) loved to watch his videos.

His books and videos will be a lasting legacy to his great contributions.  Hail and farewell.  Condolences to his family and friends.

I became hooked on collecting Lionel trains 49 years ago after reading one of Tom's early books.  I have great admiration of what Tom has contributed to the hobby and often enjoyed chatting with him, especially at the LCCA convention in Chicago in 2018, when we shared tables.  He will be sorely missed.  RIP Tom.

Bob Osterhoff

R.I.P. Tom. May God be with you, as well as your family and friends.

My condolences to Tom's family and friends. He will be missed.

Jim

Wow, I must have 30 of his DVD's of his.. It all started, for me, with "A Lionel Christmas". I learned so much about Lionel from him.

So sad to hear. I was a friend of his. I was introduced to his work on my 6th birthday when my parents gave me a VHS tape he produced called I Love Toy Trains. The video featured many toy trains running on many layouts he filmed for the model railroad and train collecting hobby. It was that video that ignited my love for toy trains and have been collecting them ever since. It was also his shows that inspired my love for filmmaking and videography and I am currently planning on producing a toy train short film, but I'll discuss that another time. In December, 2022, I had the blessed opportunity to meet Tom at his I Love Toy Trains store and TM Productions HQ in Michigan City, Indiana. He was such a delight to talk to and he enjoyed my enthusiasm for the hobby. Just a few months ago I purchased one of his prized locomotives, a Lionel model of the New York Centrals famed streamlined Hudson steam locomotive, the Commodore Vanderbilt, which was used in many of Tom's productions for the hobby.

My deepest condolences to Tom's wife Charyl, his son's Tom Jr, Chris, Jeff, his stepson Jack and to all his friends and family.

Tom, you will be dearly missed and I, along with many of us in the model and toy train hobby will never forget the wonderful impact you had on our lives. May the Lord bless you in his kingdom of heaven and as you said in many of your shows, keep smiling. Toy Trains Forever

Like you Bob I remember buying my first TM book a lifetime ago - “Lionel a collectors guide and history vol.2 postwar” - that was it for me

Tom did so much for the hobby and train collecting community - no matter what your interest in the hobby TM books and videos have been along for the ride

We are all going to miss Tom - RIP

I grew up and learned a bunch about Lionel from his videos and dvds as a kid. Even met him twice in my lifetime as well. My condolences to Jeff and the rest down there… RIP

Angela and I have been friends with Tom for over 30 years..He was an early supporter and fan of Angela’s and featured her work many times and even did a video of our layout. He will be greatly missed. Condolences to his family.
Bob and Angela Thomas

That is very sad to hear.  When I started buying Lionel, I bought his books to help me learn about trains.  I am most grateful to him.

Sad to hear of Tom's death. His legacy will continue to touch us all.  My now adults sons still say "OOOh no"! when trains go off of the track as per his videos.  And who can forget Dinosaurs on the Train?

May he rest in peace and may Light perpetual shine upon him.

Earl     

Tom McComas was a true icon in the toy train hobby. Few individuals had a more important and lasting influence than he did. Truly, he helped resurrect Lionel when it was nearly dead in the early 1970s through his wonderful series of books which still hold tremendous documentary value to toy train historians.
Then  he pioneered toy train videos (his “A Lionel Christmas” is unmatched for nostalgia) and continued to promote our hobby in new and exciting ways for decades.
A true innovator that has helped the O-gauge hobby as few others have and left an unmatched legacy for us all. Thank you, Tom. Rest in peace. You did good. Real good…

Tom McComas created the scholarship on what Lionel made with his 1970s books.  And he had a second career with his model railroad videos.  And a third act with the "I Love Toy Trains" store.

Prayers for this family.  

His videos got me back into the hobby and my family enjoyed watching them.

Tom was a staple in our hobby.  My dad and I got the opportunity to meet him at his store 5 years ago.  I am very sad to hear about his passing.

TrainGuyJoe

My sincere condolences to Tom's family and friends.  I used to take my sons to a train show every summer  in the late 80's and 90's. No matter what , we always had to come home with the latest "I Love Toy Trains" vhs tape that we'd all sit down and watch together. ( I guess it was 1993 when the first ILTT was released)  Good memories for sure.

Thanks for the memories, Tom.

I'm very sorry to hear this news. Tom's contributions to the toy train hobby are immeasurable, and I always enjoyed speaking with him at York. One of my favorite TM video segments is the interview with Tom Snyder on the "Late Late Show."

My condolences to Tom’s family and friends.  He was a pioneer and one of the greatest ambassadors for our hobby.  Thank you for the inspiration, and memories taking us all along on your layout visits by video.  We will all miss you Tom!

Bill

his videos were an inspiration and still give me ideas for my layout

i still watch i love toy trains

his impact on this hobby and my life were awesome and i still recreate my favorite scenes from i love toy trains to this day

it won't be the same without him Tom is truly missed and i wish this was all a bad dream

Tom McComas' video programs on toy trains like the I Love Toy Trains series were a profound influence on my brother Keiji and I's lives, with its wide-ranging showcase of real and model trains, both new and old, some of which inspired me to start collecting, like the 1997 MTH "General" model. We were so delighted to meet both Tom and his son, Jeff McComas, at the I Love Toy Train Store in Michigan City, Indiana, during our family's cross-country road trip in the summer of 2016. Tom was so kind and generous to us all, and not only did we buy the matching freight cars from MTH's I Love Toy Trains starter set from their store, but he took the time to give us a tour of their studio where their newer productions were filmed, while sharing fascinating anecdotes and memories from their time producing their signature video series in the 1990s and early 2000s. We will always cherish our visit and friendship with Mr. McComas over the years. Say hello to Ward Kimball and Tom Snyder for us.

Definitely a true pioneer in O guage trains with his books and videos during Lionrls darkest history years. He definitely spearheaded the revival of the hobby for the 1980s til today with his numerous books and videos!

My condolenes to his surviving family.

Sad news to hear, talked to Tom many times on the phone over the years always a very pleasant man. Only had the pleasure of meeting him one-time years ago at York. McComas family, so sorry for your loss. RIP, Tom