VERY SAD NEWS: JIM BARRETT OUR FRIEND AND PARTNER HAS PASSED AWAY ...

I met Jim many years ago at York when I had just returned to this hobby.  Over the last twenty years this Forum has been in place I always recall his positive attitude towards solving problems.   

When this Forum first started there were only a few of us online.  Jim was very active then and he answered many questions. 

Recently his how to video's have been very instructional and helpful.

He will be sorely missed by everyone that knew him.

May God rest his soul in eternal light and may God give comfort to his family and friends.

My deepest sympathies.  Happy I met him a the New Jersey Highrailers..

One of the nicest persons that I have ever met. My deepest sympathies to his family and OGR. I am sure he is at rest and very happy in his Back Shop.

Prayers for JIM and his family.  May he Rest In Peace.

My condolences to Jim's family and his OGR family and friends. Jim was a great guy and I always enjoyed his articles on how to. He always had a smile on his face.

This is sad news indeed. Condolences to friends and family. RIP Jim.

Deepest sympathy.  Learned so much from his columns and videos.  He will be sorely missed. 

What a loss! Wow. Sending prayers for the family and all close friends.

Man, these are tough times for us model RR people.

I did not know him, but I knew of him. I just read his article on lighting in run 315. He will be missed.

Wow. We were talking last night about his visit to the club a few years back. Very sad indeed. Prayers to his family and friends. This has been a really bad year.

Prayers for and condolences to his family.  It has been a tough year.

My condolences... Jim was one of the good ones! He will for sure be missed

Shocking News !!  I've met and spoken with Jim Barrett and Rich Melvin a couple of times and purchased OGR Magazines and videos at the OGR stand at York.  We just can't seem to catch a break here in 2020.  I'm stunned, may he rest in peace and hope his family will receive all the prayers and blessings due them in this very sad time.  - MARSHELANGELO

Oh this is very sad news...My condolences to Jim's family.

He will be sorely missed.

WOW!  This is a gut-punch to the O Gauge community.  My sympathies to his family and friends.

Tom

Wow, just stunned to hear this news. Indeed 2020 continues to be a sad year for the O gauge community.

Jim's expertise and help that he lent to readers over the years was immeasurable. I can only imagine how many trains run today because of Jim's work through the years.

One of my favorite memories of Jim happened hear on the forum more than 15 years ago. The forum was in it's first or second year. We were still a small group but a boisterous one. Jim still worked for Davis Electronics and they had just gotten their shipment of JLC Challengers. Jim spent days on end crafting a story about it's unboxing, break in runs, etc. I wish I would have saved it. The excitement and humor with which he wrote were enchanting.

Until next time Jim, may your signals be green.

So sorry to hear this about Jim.  He will be missed deeply by many.

That is a real bummer. My condolences to his family.

I am shocked. Great guy, always willing to help.

This is very sad news indeed.   I met Jim once at a West coast train show.  He was very nice.  I have nearly all of his "backstop videos".  The videos plus his numerous articles have been very helpful to me as I constructed my and my club's layouts.

This is huge loss for the entire hobby and the OGR community.  My prayers go to Jim, his wife and his family.  NH Joe

My deepest condolences to his family and friends.  He will be missed.

To say I learned a lot from his articles and videos is a huge understatement! He will be greatly missed.

My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Very sorry to hear this awful news.  Jim will be missed by so many of us in the hobby!

Wow...just wow.  I met Jim Barrett at Davis Electronics in Milford Ohio.  He took my family upstairs to Mr. Davis private layout and ran the trains for us.  We talked about Mr. Davis collection, about the change in career that he was going through, my sister described the American Flyer set my father had and Mr. Barrett identified it by set number and contents.  It was Mr. Barrett that got me back in the hobby and excited my family about it.

This is a loss for the community and hobby.  I'm pretty shook.  Bye Jim.

I am a bit late in commenting on this thread, but that is only because I have been busy contacting folks both in and out of the hobby who needed to be made aware of Jim's passing. His death certainly came as a shock to me, as well as to my fellow partners Alan Arnold and Ed Boyle, and it's difficult to find the right words to adequately express my feelings at this time.

When I last spoke with Jim a week or so ago about his column topic for our next issue, he indicated that although he was not in anything close to tip-top shape, and was still working to get over a recent hospitalization, he was gradually getting his strength back. I took that as a hopeful sign.

I have known Jim for a good many years, dating back to well before I joined the OGR team, and will write more about him and his many contributions to this hobby in our Feb/./March issue of the magazine.

To say Jim will be sorely missed would be a gross understatement. I will miss him for his friendship, for the kindness he always showed to me, and for his many significant contributions to our hobby. Many O gauge layouts throughout the nation and the world run better today because of hints, tips, and advice Jim shared with their owners. He will not be forgotten!

Very sad news, indeed... my sincere condolences to Jim’s family and friends.

When I was starting to build my layout several years ago, I knew I wanted to use my two PW ZW transformers to power it, but knew that I needed to add some fast acting circuit breakers to protect my engines. Unfortunately, every explanation of how to do it might as well have been written in hieroglyphics... then someone suggested one of Jim’s backshop videos. His presentation was clear and simple to follow. His circuit box has saved me countless times since. His passing is a great loss to the hobby.

May his memory serve as a blessing.

I’d like to suggest a permanent column in OGR dedicated to “The Backshop” and Jim Barrett

So Sorry to hear Jim was a great ambassador for our hobby and will be greatly missed. Condolences to his family!!

I knew Jim Barrett for many years.  I was first introduced to him when he was the sole editor of LOTS Magazine.  He turned the LOTS Magazine into one of the top rated club magazines -- then he was no longer with them. Our path crossed for quite a long time when Jim worked at Davis Trains in Milford, Ohio.  Jim had many friends at Davis Trains.  He had unique ways to work with trains and accessories.  I still have all of his VHS Tapesl -- In the Back Shop. I had been to his house several times in Cincinnati, Ohio and saw his Toy Train Layout.  He joined OGR and did a great job.  In fact, a group of gentlemen (including Jim) bought OGR the Magazine from the Myron Bigger Group.  I still remember going to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois (one summer in the early 2000s) and  seeing Jim and Rich Melvin making Video Tapes on a very hot summer day.  These men turned OGR into a top rated Train Magazine, equal in scope to Classic Toy Trains.   Jim Barrett is one of the finest men in the Toy Train World,  He probably is looking down on all of us smiling that one day we will all meet him in the Big Train Heaven in the Sky.                             

Rest in peace Jim.   Sincerely yours,  railbear601

I'm truly saddened to read this. Jim was an asset, wonderful ambassador to this hobby, and friend and will truly be missed. I have great memories from the first Train Stock at the NJ Hi Railers, especially the night before the event when a large group of us from the train club (including Jim and Ed from OGR) went out for some great Brazilian rodizio in nearby Bellville. His family, business partners, and friends in the hobby are all in my thoughts.

-Mat

Sorry to hear of Jim's passing.  I met him at the Amherst Show a number of years ago and he was fun to talk with.   This indeed has been a difficult year.  My prayers for his family, he will be greatly missed.

Marty

God Speed Jim. I've followed Backshop for years. You will be sorely missed.

My deepest condolences and prayers for him and his family.

Good evening, this is very sad news for the model railroad community and his family.

You sincerely have our condolences

The Strittmatter’s

Did not know Jim personally, but since I picked up my initial issue OGR,  Jim's Backshop column was the first article I would read . He will be greatly missed.

God Bless and Rest In Peace Jim.

So sorry to hear of his passing.  My prayers and sympathies for his friends and family.

Neal Jetr

Very sad news, indeed. Jim's layout building instructions and his videos helped many of us create our "railroad empires."

RIP Jim Barrett

John

So sorry to hear of Jim's passing. Hus contributions to OGR were immense and he will be missed.  Rest In Peace

My memories of Jim were talking to him at the Amherst train show, some twenty years ago.  Jim was the go to guy in the early days of TMCC and DCS.  Jim Rest In Peace, you will be remembered fondly and will be missed.