Thoughts on the Gorre & Daphetid

SPsteam Mar 16, 2021

  1. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    He learned from the Master.
     
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  2. umtrr-author

    umtrr-author TrainBoard Member

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    Oh, there's no question that George Sellios was influenced by John Allen. The F&SM seems to me to be a direct descendant of the G&D.

    As for the G&D's pronunciation, it's "Gory and Defeated." Allen said he regretted choosing that name after a while, but it stuck, so there you go.
     
  3. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Don't forget Ben King's Timber City & North Western.

    If I remember correctly it was HO, 2'×10'. The mainline ran through the wall to a turntable long enough to turn a short train including locomotive.

    I remember his article on how to build a pinhole camera lens. Obviously before digital photography.

    His photographs made his layout seem much larger. Was anyone else surprised when the actual size of the layout was revealed?
     
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  4. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    I have always wanted to scratch build one of Ben King's buildings...
     
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  5. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    Even I have a tribute to him

    [​IMG]
     
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  6. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I've been meaning to check my hardcopy file and see if I cut out and saved any articles.
     
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  7. Great Divide Line

    Great Divide Line TrainBoard Member

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    I noticed this thread on the Gorre & Daphetid and thought I'd stop in and say hi and let this group know that John Allen's famous layout is finally being rebuilt as a museum quality recreation. I owe much of my career as a museum exhibit specialist to John and his amazing influence as a master craftsman on me since I was a kid back in the 1960's.

    Now in my retirement, I put a few additions to the second floor space in the large garage I built years ago for a layout so I could recreate the odd (diagonal) room shape of the G&D. I have been enthralled with John's place for so long I ended up deciding to treat this like a museum exhibit project of my own making, rather than just build my own design for a layout. So far the task has me super busy and I am having the time of my life keeping up with this man and it is beginning to look right in some of the areas now.

    Here's a couple of links and a short video. Please take a look and stop by to see how I am doing on this. There is some wonderful support from the modeling community so far and it is fun to see something a little different as it unfolds. So please hit the follow option or send in an email on the web page so when I get all that all figured out, I can update everyone on the list as things progress here. Hope ya have some fun seeing this progress...
    Randy Decker

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063657332404

    www.greatdivideline.com

     
  8. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    Now this will be exciting to watch!! His layout and skills inspired many of us and many of our predecessors!! Definitely want to see the Sorefeetz brothers and Emma switching cars!
     
  9. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    That is SO impressive, Randy! If any layout should be recreated, it's John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid! I'm sure he is smiling down.

    Doug
     
  10. Great Divide Line

    Great Divide Line TrainBoard Member

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    Yes indeed.. Little Emma. If you go to the web page that is still being worked on, www.greatdivideline.com Please read the build stories. There is new information about the real Emma Emma. She is badly damaged but here now. And also wonderful recreation of her, done by a great modeler from Japan who has become a good internet friend.

    And I agree Doug, this layout has been waiting to be rebuilt for 50 years. I seem to be the guy to do it. It's all a bit odd how it came about, but no matter, it is underway and looking better all the time. So thanks for the well wishes and I hope everyone enjoys seeing this project as it begins to come back to life again.

    Randy
     
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  11. JMaurer1

    JMaurer1 TrainBoard Member

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    The only 'bad' thing about this is that it is being built back east making it harder for me to go to (but if invited, I WILL eventually go to it). One of (if not the biggest) losses to model railroading was when the G&D burned. I will be eagerly watching the progress of this wonderful undertaking. I have the G&D book (rare and out of print) but it has always been a large part of my motivation when I got into this hobby. I have even decalled a G&D car or two on my railroad. Keep up the great work!
     
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  12. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    Then why did you post in this subforum? Is this reparations for decades of HO scale colonialism?
     
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  13. Great Divide Line

    Great Divide Line TrainBoard Member

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    Well Jeff, I can say you are not the only disappointed "West Coast" modeler I have spoken with. A few of the original operators have voiced interest in seeing this and a few visitors and so far most all of the people who knew John's layout are from the Western parts of the nation. But it will get to be a difficult task to invite modelers individually. LOL .. So I figure as I get closer to where this is looking more like John's place I will send some info on contacting me through the MR magazine or various web Forums or perhaps best to list it right on the web pages I have. That way people can call and make an appointment.

    Now, I wish I had a huge space... but this is just a private layout built only by myself and it has no more room than John's place did. I knew from the first day I decided to jump into this there will be many people who would like to see what we all lost so many years ago. This layout is a part of our hobby in so many ways, so I am no different than anyone who is curious and remembers seeing John's work and would want to come see this. No matter where it is.

    For what its worth, : anyone who is curious, my work is open to model railroaders just about anytime, I'd only ask for the curtesy of an appointment.

    Give me another year and it will be something worth seeing, give me two more years and I think I can drop some jaws and exhibit some real comparative studies for the fun of it. Give me three years and there will be a golden spike ceremony here for John. He never made it to his own. He was so close to it it will be a wonderful thing to see some original trains and perhaps #34 from Kalmbach, tuned and oiled up and brought here for the crossing of the Great Gorge Bridge.

    Please follow along. My own website will be fixed up better soon. And if anyone is here in the Northeast of the country and can fit it in, give me a call this really is a must see model project from our hobbies history. How often do you get to pull out old memories from 50 or 60 years ago or even more, during a layout visit. I am glad this work is being welcomed and I am proud to help repay the man who helped me to enjoy supporting my family through making models.

    Randy
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2021
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  14. Great Divide Line

    Great Divide Line TrainBoard Member

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    Perhaps I should drop a note in the HO section? I would like as many people to know about this project as I can. I was just answering a thread about John Allen and did not consider more people might see it in the HO area..?
     
  15. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    I don't know. Forums are set up with subforum so people looking for information on something specific can find it more easily. But if they're looking for something that specific, they'll likely use the search engine.

    I was mainly attempting to be funny. This seems not to helped my batting average in the succeeding in being funny department... :sick:
     
  16. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    As it is on TrainBoard, there are more N scale folks than HO. (Not that we wish it to be that way. Myself I model in HOn30.) So plenty will see it here, and appreciate it. John Allen influenced for than just HO folks! :)

    You could make a post in HO, with the link for this thread here, to redirect anyone so inclined. That would work quite well.
     
  17. Great Divide Line

    Great Divide Line TrainBoard Member

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    I think the scale specific dig is hilarious... After all we HO modelers have to keep the N scalers in line or they might take over... ?!@ Or have they? Yikes...

    It seems from other comments now this is as good a place as any. This project is just sort of an oddly different undertaking, I hope any of the modelers who remember John's work, will get to see this as it unfolds. The history involved with this man within our hobby is some of the most fascinating material to read to this day.

    BTW.... If anyone wants to read a fantastic book on Model Railroading please find a copy of Linn Westcott's book about John Allen (75% of it was already written by John himself) there is so much information in there and his story is full of fun ad thoughts about the hobby and how and why he did many of the things he did. the Story of that incredible layout is only part of the books content. Well worth the price.... if you watch for a while on Ebay they can be found for $20-$25.



    Randy
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2021
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  18. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    The Gorre & Daphetid, and any recreation of it, transcend ALL scale segregation!

    :D

    Doug
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2021
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  19. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    Vigilance seems like a good idea.

    [​IMG]
     
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  20. freddy_fo

    freddy_fo TrainBoard Member

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    I'm sensing some HO fragility in this thread... we need to strive to be anti-scalist.
     
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