Famous railroad modelers
It’s no surprise that railroad modeling has been associated with its share of famous names over the yearsthe popular hobby’s combination of imagination and a sense of detail lends itself well to many different pursuits. Each of these celebrities is a self-professed model railroad enthusiast. While we may not be able to ascribe their success to that fact, we’re happy whenever our favorite hobby makes its way to the public eye.Wilbert Awdry: Awdry was an English reverend who is better known for creating “The Railway Series” of children’s books. Thomas the Tank Engine appeared in the self-titled second book in 1946 and became the series’ breakout character. Awdry’s models are preserved today in a museum in the seaside town of Tywyn.Tim Berners-Lee: The man behind the creation of the World Wide Web was a fan of model railroading. We don’t know if he’s ever visited DCC Portal, but we’re sure he would be glad to see his work and hobby combined in one easy-to-read page.Tom Brokaw: Brokaw hosted NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004, and is the only person who has hosted all three of NBC News’ flagship programs (Nightly News, The Today Show, and Meet the Press). Brokaw is an avid HO collector.Johnny Cash: The famed “Man in Black” was a spokesman for the Lionel Trains in the 1970s, recording numerous TV commercials and endorsements. Lionel also has a connection with another legendary singer-songwriterread on to find out whom.Gary Coleman: The late actor was an employee of Denver, Colorado’s Caboose Hobbies, and had a model layout featured in the September 1990 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman.Ed Dougherty: Dougherty is an American golfer with 19 top-10 PGA finishes to his name. His non-golfing hobbies include classic cars and model railroads. One of his “Lionel” layouts was featured on an episode of the PBS show Tracks Ahead.Michael Gross: Best known for playing Burt Gummer in the Tremors films and television series, Gross is not only a passionate modeler, but is also an amateur railroad historian and a part-owner of the Santa Fe Southern Railway. He is a spokesman for the Model Railroad Industry Association’s “World’s Greatest Hobby” campaign, along with the “Operation Lifesaver” railroad crossing safety campaign and Maryland’s B&O Railroad Museum.Neil Young: The influential musician was part-owner of Lionel , LLC. until 2008, when his shares were wiped outhowever, he is apparently still a consultant for the company. Young helped design the Lionel Legacy control system and is also listed as co-inventor on seven other model-related U.S. Patents.