another question for Andy.

[Anonymous]

Andy, this one's not fair at all;
Did Al Kalmbach's son Charlie take up model railroading ?
They were featured together on the cover of the Jan 1951 issue.
[This is just to illustrate how unfair some MR related questions can actually be.]
regards / Mike

[dknelson]

I am not Andy -- but ... I remember that cover.
I worked with Charlie Kalmbach for a few years before he essentially took very early retirement. I suspect the company stock has treated him well enough. Charlie said he had an interest in trains and told me that he had a few pieces of his father's model railroad equipment but I never sensed he was a serious railfan or model railroader. I think he also said he had some timetables with his father's notes on them - those would be worth seeing,m as reportedly Al Kalmbach had a mastery of train schedules when traveling. I never asked Charlie if he had his father's slides and photos -- those may be owned by the Kalmbach Company. Older types might remember when Blackhawk Films would sell Al Kalmbach slide sets -- wish I'd bought them all. Unfortunately the one time I toured the old Kalmbach building Al Kalmbach was no longer in a health condition (Parkinson's as I recall) to talk to visitors. he was there however. This was back when they still had their own printing presses there
Dave Nelson

[Sperandeo]

I think Dave Nelson is right. Charlie Kalmbach is still a stockholder in the company his father started, but I.ve never heard that he has any active interest in model railroading.

So long,

Andy

Andy Sperandeo
MODEL RAILROADER Magazine

[Anonymous]

Thanks Dave & Andy
regards / Mike