Ron Hollander's Vivid Nostalgia

Totally agree with you Art. I can never stop mid-article with reading one of Ron's pieces. I always feel like I'm right there in the story. Thank you Ron for sharing your gift.

I didn't know he did articles in periodicals. I would go to the local library in Santa Monica CA when I was a teenager and check out the book he did on Lionel trains all the time. It's is a great book with lots of pictures of the old factory layouts and lots of info on Lionel's history. I found a hardback copy of it at the local train show a few years ago and bought it. That era was way before my time but it is a great book and I still enjoy reading it and looking at the pictures.

Couldn’t agree more -  have been thoroughly enjoying all the articles by Ron in the recent TCA quarterlies 

And of course his book All Aboard is a must have / read for any Lionel / toy train fan 👍🏼

All Aboard by Ron Hollander should be in every Lionel enthusiasts library.

The second hardcover edition even mentions Mike Wolf's impact on the O gauge hobby.

Ron's book was THE single thing that got me back into the O gauge segment of the hobby after a hiatus of a good many years. I left O gauge, and the model railroading hobby overall, in my college and military years, and got back into model railroading in N scale in the mid-1970s. When Ron's book was first published, my girlfriend at the time bought it for me as a Christmas gift (I was unaware of the book, but she figured it was appropriate because I liked trains in general). Read it from cover to cover in one uninterrupted sitting, and the day after Christmas I want to Honolulu Trains & Hobby and bought several Lionel trains, track, transformer, and accessories. That launched my start back into O, and I have been with it ever since. Ron is a friend, and I have seen him at York a number of times over the years.

The TCA Quarterly is probably my favorite reason for being a member.  At least one or two articles each issue are read in full.  Ron Hollander has been contributing an article in almost every issue for the last five years or so.  He bought a house on eastern Long Island and joined the club that runs the old Lionel factory layout from the 1990s out in Suffolk county.  He covers a wide range of subjects in his articles, mostly from his youth, but also describing his approach to displaying his collection and building his first real layout. If you join the TCA, you can read back issues on line if I'm not mistaken.

My experience was almost exactly the same as Allan's. Reading All Aboard, and the warm nostalgia it evoked when I discovered it back in the 80s, was the principal motivator to start buying vintage Lionels. Somehow Ron's book made you believe that those broken links to your past could be repaired by the totems from your childhood and buried memories could be unearthed and burnished.  I still get out my dog-eared copy occasionally at Christmas for a trip down memory lane.

There is a certain aspect of his writing style that draws you into his narratives and I almost always read them in one sitting. His sincerity about his subject is always evident.

I wholeheartedly agree with the above comments about All Aboard and Ron Hollander's splendid writing style and gift with words.

For me, more than anything, it's writing style, more than substance, that typically gets me hooked. 

All Aboard has both: great writing style and substance. An example is the following quote from page 1 of Ron's wonderful book:

"The electric train is called a Lionel, after the middle name of its inventor. The passenger train is named The Twentieth Century Limited, after the new century whose speed and progress it will symbolize. For the next sixty-five years, each will be synonymous with excellence and preeminence. They will pace each other, Lionel and The Twentieth Century, growing and prospering with America, reflecting the style and times through which they travel."

All Aboard is loaded with similar examples of brilliant writing.

I am struggling to come up with superlatives that do justice to All Aboard. It is so well written, interesting and engaging; it transcends toy trains, model trains and our hobby. In my opinion, it is a great work of art.

Arnold

Our connection is the fact that Ron and I both had Lionel layouts created by our fathers in New York City apartment buildings.

His was in Brooklyn and mine in the Bronx.

We both always wondered if some part of that magical layout still existed in those apartments long since occupied by unaware strangers, as he described in "All Aboard".

It was years later that I found myself drawn back to Lionel trains. My trains had long since been given away to a younger cousin, but I found this one rail joiner in my father's old toolbox amidst miscellaneous nails and screws years after his passing. It will always have a place of honor in my train room!

I have posted this before but it's worth repeating:

Jim

Arnold: You have captured the essence of the appeal of All Aboard! Ron Hollander is a gifted writer who imbues his work with a palpable passion that makes it such a joy to read!

"All Aboard" has always been one of my favorite toy train related books. Second only to Bantam Book's "Model Railroading" - I remember taking that one out a number of times from what was then my local library in Queens NY, even though I was probably only 8 or 9. I always liked the scenery and layout construction ideas in it. Clearly Lionel had a hand in this book too.

A similar book published around the same time as "Model Railroading" has become my third fav since I started dabbling in Postwar American Flyer S gauge. This book is "How to Build a Model Railroad" by Marshall McClintock. This one appears to have been ghosted by American Flyer.

By the way, Ron attends our local train swap meet here on Suffolk County, LI, he is certainly a nice enough guy too

A memorable passage in All Aboard for me  has always been the paragraph where Ron figuratively mentions chasing the lights of the Lionel Limited and speculates about what we are really searching for with our fascination for these toy trains. He later concludes his philosophical musing by imagining himself and his childhood chum, Mitchell, simply enjoying a dessert at the Plasticville Frosty Bar. A fitting ending to a great read!

Y’all have convinced me.  While I enjoy reading Ron’s stories in the TCA Quarterly, I’ve never read his All Aboard book.  

After reading the glowing comments in this thread, I decided it was time to remedy that omission and ordered a copy on eBay.  Looking forward to it arriving in the next week or so and enjoying what must be a good read!

Curt

Hey Jim - that’s really cool 👍🏼

Curt - you’re going to love it 

Many of us have reread our copies of All Aboard multiple times; it's that well done!

I have three copies of All Aboard - one softcover, one hardback, and the updated edition.  I hope at least one survives all the re-readings in good condition. The book reflects dedicated, wide-ranging research and great writing skill to maximize both learning and enjoyment for the reader.  I consider publication of this book one of the most significant events of the second golden age of Lionel and this hobby.   It was this book's description of the York meet that got me to finally find a couple of TCA members to sponsor me - I bought the book in 1981 or 1982 and attended my first York in October 1989.  

It was published in 1981. I had been a TCA member since 1974, and my favorite train author before All Aboard was Louis Hertz. Hollander's work did not diminish Hertz's impressive achievements, but added an indelible  personal and emotional dimension to the canon of toy train history.

Five or six years ago at York, I was standing at a table in one of the member halls and a gentleman next to me was buying a very nice looking Lionel Cattle Car and Platform. In fact it looked to be like new. Turned out that the buyer was Ron Hollander. Had a brief chat and made a point of telling how much I have enjoyed "All Aboard" through the years.

By all accounts, a good man, an enthusiastic collector and a fine writer and author. 

I have gotten to know Ron as he is also a member of the Railroad Museum of Long Island. He is a gentleman and a great guy to be around. Ron has autographed many copies of "All Aboard" to help out at the Museum. Hopefully he will continue his writings for the TCA.

Hello, everyone.  I belatedly would like to thank you all so deeply for your extraordinarily kind comments.  I am so moved and touched that (1)  You've enjoyed my writing so very much; and (2) that you'd take the time to share it so richly.  This is manna to a writer.  You know, a writer kind of labors in isolation.  Rarely hears from readers (unless a mistake!).  So to hear this way from my audience is just wonderful.  Glad you so enjoyed All Aboard!, and then my string of TCQ articles; I think about 27 or so consecutively.  Thanks, here, too, to the Q's very supportive and perceptive editor, Mark Boyd, who has encouraged me and given me a platform. 

I hope and pray that you're all doing well in these awful times.  Will we ever have a York again??  Or, for that matter, a TCA?

All the very best to everyone,

Warmly,

Ron

Ever think about putting your articles in a book for those of of us who, for no reason, never joined TCA?

Yes!  Actually outlining same.  As they’re already set with art embedded, shouldn’t be hard. My only question is perhaps rearranging the order. 
Wouldn’t be a big printing anywhere near All Aboard! (100,000), but for a limited audience in an unfortunately limited hobby. 
ron

That sounds great, put me on the list. Your style of writing is so enjoyable.

Steve

Add me to the list for an autographed copy,  and may you be safe in this perilous time!

I did a book report on his book back in junior high school. I have gone through 3 copies of it over the years & was actually just reading it again about a week or so ago.   Every time I pull it out, it's a fresh & enjoyable read & I get sucked in, even though I've had the book for 30 years.  

So nice to hear from the man himself. I would definitely be interested in a book compilation of the TCQ articles. All Aboard is the book that rekindled my interest in Lionel.

Ron put me on that list also cant wait.

I never realized that there was a second edition just ordered Hardcover from Amazon. Bought the first one for my father when it was first released still have it and still review from time to time. You can never get tired of that book. Looking forward to the second edition.

Rick,

I just did the same thing.

Ron, I would also like to be put on the list to puchase the upcoming book as well.

Thank you,

John

Ron, you have made a lot of folks very happy with your contributions. I read the original “All Aboard” soon after its release and now have the updated edition, as well. 

When I was in high school back in the mid-sixties, the only way to get out of daily study hall was to get a pass to go down to the school library. So I spent many an hour pouring over magazines as well as books on various subjects. The two books I enjoyed the most (and read and reread and reread) were “Trees - Yearbook of Agriculture 1948” published by the USDA and “The Heart of Thoreau’s Journals.”

I have them both in my personal collection now, a very direct connection to my teenage years. Certain books have a way of taking us back in time almost magically. “All Aboard” is that type of read. 

And btw, I just enjoyed your latest TCQ article last evening! Keep ‘em coming. 

I’ll admit it, I never heard of the book. I did read the article this morning, and after reading this thread, I just ordered a copy. It should be here Wednesday.

Chris: You will not be disapointed!

Ron, check your email...

Ron: Your tecent nostalgic and heartfelt TCQ article reminded me of that relevant quote from that Chinese sage, Mencius: "A great man is he who has not lost his child's heart". 

Guys, thank you all yet again!  I'm sorry that I can't reply to everyone individually, but believe me, I have read and treasure your comments.  Mean the world to me.  Have tucked every one of them away in my writer's memory bank. 

I am sure that if the compilation of my TCQ articles does in fact come to pass, that you will all hear of it through all the normal train channels. 

Be well...and be hopeful,

Warmly,

ron

FYI all,

There is a nice copy of Ron's book "All Aboard" on ebay right now, running off at 1:00PM eastern, for $10., free shipping.

Hi all. There were several editions of All Aboard!  1981 paper $9.95 (a steal!); hardcover 19.95;  2000:  updated hardcover with new last chapter variously 21.95; 24.95.  No new paper. 
Enjoy!

ron. 

All, see Friday 8/7/20 Wall Street Journal real estate section "Mansion" for big piece on people with train rooms in their homes, including me!  I'm sorry, I'm too lame at the moment to know how to post the link here.  Enjoy!

Best to all,

Ron

Guys, some success I think.  Here's the link to the pdf version of today's WSJ piece.  A couple of great layouts and train rooms.  I sort of feel like a piker next to some of these fellows.  But they did quote me a lot, plugged "All Aboard!", as well as my train "club," the Railroad Museum of Long Island, some of whom, such as Lenny Joerg and Francis Amendola, helped on the layout. 

It's strange, the print version today has a few different pix (in addition to IDing me as "Ed" Hollander (oh, well) than the first electronic edition yesterday afternoon, and now the PDF has slightly diff pix again.  Too bad, this PDF version is lacking an overall view of the train room which is pretty grand. 

Hope you enjoy,

ron

file:///C:/Users/RONHOL~1/AppData/Local/Temp/Model%20Railroaders%20Are%20Parking%20Their%20Train%20Sets%20in%20Souped-Up%20Spaces%20-%20WSJ.pdf

I had a copy of his book for years, I can read it over and over again.  I also had a book that followed some boys building a Lionel layout that becomes a club.  Dates from the 1950, and was supported by Lionel as its their trains that are pictured in it.  The cover has a huge image of a 2343 on it with a 675/2025 crossing over it on a high bridge on the back cover.  That is probably what drives my love of the Santa Fe F3's even though I am a PRR modeler by heart.    AD

The link above doesn't work for me.  Try this:

https://www.mansionglobal.com/...ped-up-spaces-141816

You sure?  'cause it brought me to a story on people using cattle stock tanks as swimming pools!

ron

I just tried the link I gave you.  Copied it and pasted into my URL (or whatever it's called) line.  Came up fine.

Even in California the link took me right to the story. Thanks Landsteiner!

John

@Ron Hollander posted:

You sure?  'cause it brought me to a story on people using cattle stock tanks as swimming pools!

ron

My original link was incorrect. Sorry. 🤪. Now fixed.🌈

To what?

ron

To a version of the article without the WSJ pay wall.🎉

Yes, thnx, but what is your corrected link that works?

I replaced the incorrect link with the correct one. If it’s not working please refresh your browser. Nice layout room by the way. You also look very fit.👍

Thnx, thnx, all much appreciated.  But what *IS* the link you're using that works, to share with everyone else??

Thanks for sharing the link Landsteiner!   That’s a pretty impressive setup!

@Landsteiner posted:

The link above doesn't work for me.  Try this:

 

https://www.mansionglobal.com/...ped-up-spaces-141816

Thanks again.  I REALLY like this one, because it opens up with a great overall photo of my train room!  This is odd, because this is at least the fourth version of the story I've seen on WSJ sites, and including the print edition which has a photo of the exterior of my house, but dropped this overall view of the train room.

Ron

Ron,

My wife was able to pick up the paper at Stop & Shop and I thought it was a good article. Congratulations. So many train articles make us all out to be loons! 

Tom 

Thanks, Tom.  Well the congrats go to the reporter, Candace Taylor, whose byline was inexplicably omitted from the print story (which also captioned me as Ed!).  I did like the quotes she used from me. Glad you enjoyed it. 
All best

ron

Ron, this WSJ article and your participation in it, like your marvelous book, All Aboard (which I've enjoyed reading several times), is a great contribution to the promotion of our hobby. That is a very good thing for numerous important reasons. One such reason is that there are people out there (not yet in the hobby), especially during these difficult times, who could benefit from doing something as fun, joyful, interesting and engrossing as model railroading. Arnold

Arnold, thanks for your continued kind words about All Aboard!, and glad you enjoyed the WSJ.  However, regrettably, I’m not as sanguine as you about the future of the hobby.  It was very historical period based, and I fear we from that time are literally disappearing.  Those who are still here are thinking do I want to leave my kids all this mess, convert to cash now (lots of luck), downsize, consolidate, etc. So I fear we’re the last of the Mohicans.  Meanwhile, enjoy your trains, but I fear the Titanic is going down. 
sorry to be so glum

ron

@Landsteiner posted:

 

Many thanks for providing the additional alternate link.

@Ron Hollander

I just finished reading my original copy of "All Aboard" for the first time in years. It is as good reading as ever, even though it was literally falling apart in my hands. Like so many of you, this is the book that got me into Lionel in the 1980s, devouring it in a few days one cold winter almost 40 years ago and then rushing out to the nearest train store.

I guess it's time to put a new copy on the Christmas list. I haven't seen the later edition. Does it have the text from the original intact with an addendum? And Ron, that second book is now 20+ years old!! Is a third edition in the works?

Also, any news on the possible publication of the TCA articles you mentioned? I confess that being out of the hobby for a period of about 15 years, I let my TCA membership lapse. If they are written in the same warm and nostalgic style as the book and as meticulously researched, I am sure I will enjoy them. At the risk of making your head explode from swelling, your writing is degrees of magnitude more readable than any of the usual dry writing that is done for this hobby.

Stay well and prosper!!

@Landsteiner posted:

The link above doesn't work for me.  Try this:

https://www.mansionglobal.com/...ped-up-spaces-141816

The link is still active, BTW. Great article. Nice photo of Ron. And Ed Dougherty's postwar collection of posters and displays is one to drool over.

I would purchase the TCA articles in book form. If the project goes forward, please post particulars on this forum. Mark

LOL!  Did you think we'd miss the "Wolf's Big and Tall Men's Shop" on the layout? What a sense of humor!

Tinplate Art, great thread, Charles Lentz and myself, were at YORK, October 2018, and were fortunate to eat dinner at Quaker Steak and Lube and were joined by Alan Arnold and the Famous, Ron Hollander, it was a lot of fun, a night I’ll never forget. Ron is a down to earth fellow that is fun to listen to as is Alan Arnold,” The Adman” and Publisher & CEO of OGR. It’s a small world, and it’s all do you our favorite hobby, Model Railroading. Yes, I have his book, All Aboard. Happy Railroading Everyone

Bringing this back up in honor of Ron Hollander, who died very recently according to Phil Klopp's post.  Hail and farewell to a fellow who gave us all a lot of joy.

I’m saddened by this news today. Broke my heart .

My father bought me the book from a B Dalton in Souix City Iowa in 1981 off the new release pile; I remember it fondly at the new Southern Hills Mall. I was 7 years old; I would dive into those charming catalog artworks he reprinted and dream and dreamed to have these post war classics and today I have a substantial collection because of this fellow I share with my kids now.

My grandfather in Spencer had a 1952 Scout set that was bought for my father when he was boy and prior to the purchase of Ron’s book I would run down those stairs to the basement and bring up the tattered box and the cardboard flats with the track wired to it. That grinding old Lionel 1110 still adorns my train room with my most prized models. My sister and I would run it on my grandfather’s living room floor. That was truly my first exposure to model trains around 1978-1979 or so and Ron’s book was the cement that acted like a rekindle of the efforts of the Lionel marketing department 30 or more years earlier. I wasn’t born yet for the golden postwar era but I’ve sure exposed my current 7 year old to them now in 2022.

As I gathered further interest in model railroading I wanted scale models as I perused N at the time (1982-1984) and was influenced by All Aboard to stay with O which I am highly vested in now. Unlike many scale o enthusiasts I share equal parts passion for pre and post war 3 rail toy trains and my P48 brass and scratch building.

I am very sad by his passing. I corresponded with him once maybe 10 years ago and I am honored I had the great opportunity to thank him for the passion it’s been very good for me over the years.

He was a legend in our time everyone; an influential man with a lot of love. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends.

Erik C Lindgren

2/27/22

I'm very saddened to learn of his passing.

My Mom and Dad took us to a brand new mall in Hutchinson, KS, and I purchased  "All Aboard" at the mall bookstore. I was probably in 6th or 7th grade. I have read and re-read that book many times. I remember eating my Mom's sugar cookies reading that book as a kid. Still have it. His book brought me such great memories.

I became a friend of Ron's when he moved to eastern Long Island. He contacted me about doing repairs on his collection. He even trusted me to repair his display which he took on the road when plugging "All Aboard". From this starting point we became good friends and he joined me as a member of the Railroad Museum of Long Island. Ron never had a GG1 in his collection but when I moved to Florida I sold off part of my collection , Ron bought two of my GG1s to remember me by. He and I met in York last October for dinner and talked about how we enjoyed our trains.  I will miss him and so will all the members of the Railroad Museum of Long Island.   Lenny J

One of the first and best histories of Lionel. Loved the book, and still read it and use it to this day. This is the only book I've seen showing some of the products of wartime Lion-Ed toys. Because of reading it, I was able to spot, recognize, and buy the D-5 Girl's Puppy Rocker back when my kids were small enough to ride it. I and a gent from New England both wrote short articles for the TCAQ about them. Ron's Dream Layout articles in the TCAQ were also great reading. He'll be missed.

I've attached the layout Ron took on his All Aboard book tour. He used this to show what Lionel trains could do. Ron had me add controllers to the front of the display so he could put it against the wall in his house and show it off.  Lenny J