Bill Benson, long time railroader and model railroader, known for The American Freedom Train, Right of Way Industries, and the restoration of Reading 2100, died last Saturday.
RIP
Lou N
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@Lou N posted:Bill Benson, long time railroader and model railroader, known for The American Freedom Train, Right of Way Industries, and the restoration of Reading 2100, died last Saturday.
https://www.eckardbaldwin.com/obituary/William-Benson
RIP
Lou N
That is sad to hear. I am a huge fan of ROW products. I have 5 engines, tons of coal cars, and two of the 400 watt transformers. ROW was ahead of its time in technology and quality. Bill contributed a lot to the community and will be remembered for his work. Rest in peace.
ROW fan, myself.
Rest in peace Bill !
RIP indeed & may God rest his soul. I was fortunate to attend one of his open houses in Akron & buy some nice engines back in the day.
Bill had quite a career, in both model trains and the 12-inch-to-the-foot scale stuff. He worked with Ross Rowland on the American Freedom Train back in 1976.
My condolences to the family.
I knew Bill quite well, and spoke at several of the open houses he held in Akron back when I worked with Kalmbach Publishing Co. At one time I had a good number of R-O-W locomotives; a bit of rolling stock; and a fair number of signals and other accessories. He always treated me well. Many who have been in the hobby for a long time also remember the Right-of-Way transformer as being the best one ever built, then or now.
I never met him but he was very forward thinking; I heard he said that he was not making trains for the masses. looking at the prices in the new Lionel catalogue, he was clearly ahead of his time with that thought.
Indeed, sad. We have lost another great in our wonderful hobby. Sincere condolences to family and friends.
Bill has joined the many railroaders, modelers, and railfans, who boarded the Heavenly Express which stops at the Roundhouse in the Sky, just beyond the Big Rock Candy Mountains. RIP.
I lost my best friend in 2006, and just learned yesterday, that another good friend suffered a stroke (last Saturday) and is in extensive care at Tampa General Hospital in Florida.
Please take a moment to say a prayer for the ones we've lost and others who suffer from sickness including this dreadful Corona.
Godspeed
Joseph Toth Jr.
I never met Bill, but I heard he made the hobby so much easier with his inventions over time. Rest in peace Bill, may your tender be full of coal and water, full head of steam, clear green lights ahead.
