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Harold Minkwitz (hminky)

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  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Harold Minkwitz (hminky)
Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, May 16, 2020 11:06 PM

Learned just a few minutes ago that Harold passed away on March 26th, while working on one of the  model railroad forums, so if someone's already reported this, my apologies.

Harold was an experimentor and innovator, always willing to share his discoveries and methods with his fellow modellers. 
I often pictured him in a la-bor-atory (pronounced the way that Boris Karloff might have said it), cooking-up a new method to perform some modelling task.

My condolences to his widow, Eleanor.

Wayne

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Saturday, May 16, 2020 11:37 PM

This is sad news, Wayne! I quite liked his sometimes rather quirky approach to model railroading and his persistence to promote S scale narrow gauge model railroading using HO scale rolling stock.

Condolences to those he leaves behind!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 10,582 posts
Posted by mlehman on Sunday, May 17, 2020 1:37 AM

RIP, Mr. Minkwitz. He was one of those unique model railroaders who regularly colored outside the lines and produced some interesting ideas.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: AU
  • 713 posts
Posted by xdford on Sunday, May 17, 2020 3:18 AM

RIP Mr Minkwitz. His website (http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com)was always an inspiration to a lot of people with many ideas and I am pleased that his wife will keep it going for 12 months.  

I will certainly direct a number of people I correspond with to that site to gather as much information as possible before it disappears. 

Thanks Minky... you served this hobby and us well!

 

 
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Sunday, May 17, 2020 3:47 AM

Another old timer becomes a silhouette against the setting sun.  God rest you, Harold.

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Sunday, May 17, 2020 4:33 AM

Sad news indeed..RIP Harold. You will be missed.

My condolences to his family.

 

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Culpeper, Va
  • 8,204 posts
Posted by IRONROOSTER on Sunday, May 17, 2020 6:59 AM

I always enjoyed his site and posts.

A sad day.

Condolences to the family.

Paul

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, May 17, 2020 8:48 AM

Very sad news. ... Harold's name should be added to the RIP Track in the DIner. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Sunday, May 17, 2020 10:05 AM

Sad. I used some of his ideas quite a few times.

I saw him in the Bachmann forums also.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: St. Paul
  • 823 posts
Posted by garya on Sunday, May 17, 2020 1:53 PM

doctorwayne

Learned just a few minutes ago that Harold passed away on March 26th, while working on one of the  model railroad forums, so if someone's already reported this, my apologies.

Harold was an experimentor and innovator, always willing to share his discoveries and methods with his fellow modellers. 
I often pictured him in a la-bor-atory (pronounced the way that Boris Karloff might have said it), cooking-up a new method to perform some modelling task.

My condolences to his widow, Eleanor.

Wayne

 

Thanks for letting us know.  He had several linked wbesites, with tons of experiments and useful ideas--fake fur grass, dirt roads, making plastic look like wood--good for every scale, and several sites with narrow gauge and scale specific ideas--55n3, Scale 72, modeling 1905--that I found fascinating, even if I never try them.  

He will be missed.

Gary

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,897 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, May 17, 2020 10:05 PM

Sad news, my condolences to his family.

I first met Harold on the Bachmann forum where is was also a regular contributor, always with a fresh new idea.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    February 2001
  • From: Wyoming, where men are men, and sheep are nervous!
  • 3,392 posts
Posted by Pruitt on Sunday, May 17, 2020 10:09 PM

We chatted back and forth once or twice on a different forum.

He was a modern day pioneer in the hobby.

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • 1,519 posts
Posted by trainnut1250 on Monday, May 18, 2020 3:08 PM

Sad news. My condolences to his family. I often use his coupler spring truck pick up. RIP Harold.

Guy

see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 12:03 PM

Please note, his wife answered someone at the Bachmann forums. Go check. She has a lot of his stuff to go through.

Edit.

There is a contact email. The forum is public. Someone is going to try to preserve is data. Someone here might have an idea.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 2:35 PM

I bumped this up to let people know someone in the Bachmann forums is in touch with his wife to keep his pages going. We shall see.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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