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E. L. Moore’s legacy

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  • Member since
    February 2014
  • 20 posts
Posted by jdlowe on Saturday, February 25, 2017 7:34 AM

Thank-you to you both for posting a link to the E. L. Moore index. The 'E. L. Moore in the 21st Century Series' got started in August 2013, and the number of posts has surprised me! At first I thought I'd write a few posts about things I enjoyed about ELM's work and that would be that. But there was some unexpected good fortune along the way: lost articles were found, ELM files and photos were brought to my attention, and two collectors generously allowed me to photograph their collections of ELM original models.

I put together some subindices to help me organize this material because the master index was getting quite large. Over in the left-hand column of the blog, in the 'E. L. Moore in the 21st Century Series' column, the first few links under ELM's 'selfie' are links to those indices. For reference, here's a list,

Index to ELM's lost photos
https://30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/2016/09/index-to-e-l-moores-photographs.html

Index to ELM's lost unpublished articles
https://30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/2016/12/index-to-e-l-moores-lost-articles.html

Index to excerpts from ELM's files
https://30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/2016/06/index-to-e-l-moore-files-excerpts.html

Index to photos shot in Sept '15 of ELM's surviving models
https://30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/2015/10/index-to-e-l-moore-models-posts.html

The series is more-or-less done now, but there are still many mysteries to be solved; both in the known unknowns, and unknown unknowns category :-)

One of the known unknowns I'm particularly interested in is the segment on ELM that appeared in a 1971 episode of the tv show Carolina Camera,


https://30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/2016/02/e-l-moore-tv-star.html

There are a number of segments from that show online, but not the one featuring ELM. Inquires to the tv station have gone unanswered. That might be the only known footage of an interview with ELM and a tour of his work area.

http://www.30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Monday, February 20, 2017 8:46 PM

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: US
  • 15 posts
Posted by ELMooreFan on Monday, February 20, 2017 8:15 PM

J. D. Lowe's blog is, like, the number 1 spot on the Internet for finding rare E. L. Moore photos and long lost projects.   https://30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/2014/04/index-for-e-l-moores-legacy-in-21th.html

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • 20 posts
Posted by jdlowe on Saturday, October 31, 2015 5:21 AM

Awhile back I had the opportunity to visit with two gentlemen who have collections of models made by E. L. Moore. Many had been packed away and not seen the light of day in over 30 years. They generously allowed me to take photos, and I've been posting them at my blog. An index of what's been posted so far can be found here. To me, the most surprising find was that, unbeknownst to the collectors, it turned out that between the two they had all the principal buildings that appeared in E. L. Moore's 1900 era shortline terminal. That piece of his layout was featured in the Jan '67 MR article, Turn backward, O Time.

http://www.30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • 20 posts
Posted by jdlowe on Sunday, March 15, 2015 4:45 AM

Looks like it's coming along quite well.

http://www.30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/

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    February 2014
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Posted by jdlowe on Saturday, March 14, 2015 5:35 AM

E. L. Moore wrote about using a wood-burning pen as a modeling tool in the July '62 MR article called 'Modeling with a burning tool'. I decided to give it a try and posted about the results early on in the series.  I bought a wood burning pen from Michael's in 2013 for the project as I didn't own one. It was a fun project and the results were ok. Although, I also tried using a hard (4H), sharp pencil and that was a good alternative.

http://www.30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • 20 posts
Posted by jdlowe on Saturday, March 14, 2015 5:26 AM

I hope you're going to post some pictures :-) I'd like to see it when it's done. It's a favorite.

http://www.30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • 20 posts
Posted by jdlowe on Saturday, March 14, 2015 5:25 AM

I got that vibe too from his projects.

http://www.30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Duluth, MN
  • 424 posts
Posted by OT Dean on Saturday, March 14, 2015 1:10 AM

If I recall correctly, some of his structure articles were used as patterns to manufacture plastic kits.  He did have a great sense of humor, such as the time he turned his depot model around to take a photo of the back side and knocked a finial ar the end of the roof decoration askew.  He was innovative but often built models from photos and sometimes used a wood-burning pen to create stone or rockwork---and inspired me to use one to make the stone courses in the roundhouse at Farley, CO, on my old HO Colrado Western.  Do any of you younger modelers know what  wood-burning pen was (is?)?  It made a lovely aroma when used and it's one of my earliest memories of my oldest brother.

Deano

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: US
  • 973 posts
Posted by jmbjmb on Friday, March 13, 2015 9:30 PM

Always loved his work.  It's a style that's missing from writing today.   Have built a number of his structures over the  years.  In fact, I have a version of his Cal's Lumberyard on my workbench right now.  About 3/4 done.

jim

<Edit:  Added photos showing test fitting on layout.  Still need to finish foundation, interior, add roof, and paint.  Sorry, I've got something not set right with the pics.>

 
  • Member since
    February 2007
  • 472 posts
Posted by Graham Line on Friday, March 13, 2015 5:50 PM

E.L. Moore always seemed to be having a great deal of fun.

  • Member since
    February 2014
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Posted by jdlowe on Friday, March 13, 2015 3:22 PM

His humorous stories were always a draw for me too.

http://www.30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Fruita, CO
  • 541 posts
Posted by slammin on Friday, March 13, 2015 8:32 AM
I've been modeling off and on since the mid 50s and always enjoyed E L Moore's articles. Because of his subject matter and humor, I always looked forward to his next creation.
  • Member since
    February 2014
  • 20 posts
E. L. Moore’s legacy
Posted by jdlowe on Friday, March 13, 2015 5:29 AM

I’m a longtime fan of E. L. Moore’s projects, and for around the last year-and-a-half I’ve been writing a series at my blog about his legacy in the 21st century. An index of the posts so far can be found here, or by going directly to the blog’s home page, you’ll find them listed in the left-hand column. Recently a number of readers have brought to my attention photos, manuscripts, letters, and models by E. L. Moore, and I’ve been able to post a few. Hopefully, if all goes well, there’ll be more posts of that material in the weeks and months ahead. This got me wondering if there is any other original E. L. Moore created material still out in the world? It’s amazing that there is any around these days given that he passed on in ’79.

http://www.30squaresofontario.blogspot.ca/

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