Hello Strap !
Cripes -- I don't want to ruin the scenes of my train room that way. But here is one photo and a short video --- with me in the scenes - in June 2018
Below with me in the center -- is NYC MTA Subway motormen Zach Summer (at left) and MTA Motorman Jason Okrosy at right . I have my scratchbuilt 5 story tenement building with an FW Woolworth 5&10 Cent store on it, (and its facade sign) lying flat to show its construction & details. The HO Scale Mainline railroad "around the room" modular-shelves layout is behind us -- and upper shelves seen arefor storing some of the 200 + HO Railroad passenger cars of PRR, NYCRR, NHRR, LIRR, B&O, Reading RR, SEPTA, Metro North, AMTRAK, (heavyweight & Streamline cars)
Below is a short video of my with, seen, former Metro North & Conrail locomotive Engineer Richard Okrosy and his MTA NY Transit Motorman son (kneeling) Jason Okrosy, and the Layout's partner for all its circuitry wiring and electrical installation with me for for 35 years - Jim Boylan - seen with glasses by the EL layout layup yards further back -
Most ALL the Photos and the Videos taken that day in June 2018, were taken (see below) by Doug Diamond, also an MTA - NY Transit subway motorman. -- regards - Joe F
BELOW in the photo I took that June 2018 day, is at left, the "late" DOUG DIAMOND -- also an MTA NY Subway Motorman (seen with Rich Okrosy) .
Doug sadly died, A YEAR AFTER June 2018 when he took the above photo and video, and when I took that photo below, of Pancreatic Cancer , suddenly while being treated at a Long Island NY hospital, on July 30, 2019, just 2 months after his May 2019 medical diagnosis.
I spoke by phone to Doug at his home one morning in early July 2019, a few weeks before he died, about rescheduling to cooler weather in late-September 2019, his then planned July 2019 layout-visit with some pals he wanted to make. He never mentioned anything about being so ill - (or he didn't really know then how bad, maybe) - just stating, sort of tired sounding, that he was on his way out that morning to the doctors for some "tests" because he was not feeling that well. And he would get back "later" to me about the September visit. He died a few weeks later. He had previously talked with me in early April 2019 by phone about setting it up sometime in late July. His passing away at age 60, was a loss and big blow to our fellow friends, transit modelers, fans and his fellow MTA subway employees. I still miss Dougie !
