In this audio clip taken from a cassette recorded in 1971, John Allen discusses freight car operation on his famed Gorre & Daphetid RR.
He refers to the cities of Port and Great Divide on his railroad, and makes reference to his regular operating crew. (Listen closely as he mentions an operator named Andy, who is Andy Sperandeo, Model Railroader‘s executive editor. Andy at the time was in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Ord, Calif., near John’s Monterey home.) The hum noise in the background is from the equipment used to record the cassette tape.
Please allow an audio professional to take a pass at cleaning up this audio. It would probably be far more intelligible audio with only a few minutes work.
Such a story John Allen and his G&D Lines. Please come and watch this famous layout be rebuilt. https://www.facebook.com/Great-Divide-Lines-423511918192732/?modal=admin_todo_tour
I loved the photographs by John in the Varney ads of that era. I was 12 in 1955 and they really left an impression on me. John Allen, Linn Westcott, they were my heros. I’ve always wanted to watch movies and listen to audio from John.I never thought any existed all these years. This is really great Thank you
Yes, very interesting hearing John talk about the operating sessions on his G-D line. Also neat to hear him mention Andy and Bob as operators on the line. Andy being in the Army at the time and Bob a Navy man. It’s just a shame you didn’t include still pictures or movies of the areas John was referring to in the audio. I feel combining this audio with still pictures or movies of the layout would make a really nice documentary on the Gorre & Dephetid layout of John Allen.
with out the link this is a poor article
What happen to the link? It isn't on Internet Explorer or Google Chrome. ??
No link….what's up with that?
No link to audio link anywhere I could see either on IE or Firefox. What's up?
What happened to the audio link?
hear hear!
How many remember John's article on how to sway back a freight car?
I have the Kalmbach book, 'Model Railroading with John Allen', the book assembled by Linn Westcott. It hasn't been in print for a long time, and the pages in my copy are coming loose from the binding. I think MR should have another publishing of this book, it really does give inspiration to improve ones modelling skills. I know I'd buy another copy in a heartbeat.
John Allen is part of our history as modelers of trains along with a sense of good kindred spirit. I built an HO layout in my garage,had it viewed during a model railroad convention in Ft Lauderdale,Fl back in 93.Now,since my divorce of 41 yrs I'm attempting to build another HO layout in my one bedroom apartment,also,N scale under my glass dining table and G scale out in my garden/patio. Ah yes,the power of John Allen's inspiration.
I would love to see another book like that