Gerlits, the long-time mentor of UP steam chief Ed Dickens, was on hand for the big move of the 4-8-8-4 across the fairgrounds parking lot. He set up a lawn chair in the shade of a portable tent in the parking lot of the fairgrounds where he greeted the curious and the dedicated with his humor and enthusiasm and his passion for making sure that everyone got a good look while staying safe. He took ill last month and was hospitalized before passing away on Tuesday.
Gerlits was a railfan’s friend and a mentor to dozens in the steam community, Dickens said. He was a member of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club, and an early supporter of the UP steam program. He was a passenger on UP 4-8-4 No. 844’s first excursion in 1960.
He was the co-owner and builder of the 2-foot gauge High Country Railroad in Golden, Colo., where many people, including Dickens, began their steam careers. “He was a tireless advocate for steam locomotive technology and railroad history,” Dickens said.
Gerlits is survived by two sisters.
