End of the Virginian & Ohio

[V&AL]

I doubt that the V&O and the AM have been absorbed by the VMX.  A while back I contacted Tony abotu merging the AM with my Virginia and Alleghenny to form the V&ALM: Virginia & Alleghenny Midland.  He told me he didn't want to end the history of the AM.  Instead the V&AL, A&O, and AM all interchange at verious points.  I need to sit down with a detailed map and figgure out jsut where though....

[jamnest]

I hope Model Railroader gets someone to the layout for lots of photos before it is dismantled. The "V&O" and its creator has had a significant influence on my modeling.

JIM

[dmitzel]

I'm not concerned about Allen's future model railroading endevors... he has been quoted before (LDSIG LDJ Yards Issue) as to his thoughts about moving into a condo or other small housing. His thoughs then would be to build a yard (with staging) if faced with less square footage. Also, one MRP he showed a plan to fit into a spare bedroom. Larger doesn't always have to equal better.

I wish him and his wife well in their future home.

[wm3798]

Could it be that the V&O and the Allegheny Midland have been absorbed by VMX?

Lee 

[cjcrescent]

Would be nice to see Atlas, Athearn, or somebody come out with a couple V&O locomotives or cars.  I've got one of the 50-foot V&O boxcars that Allen allowed to have made about three years ago but would love to get more cars added to my fleet.

Kevin

http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html

Kevin;

Emphasis mine, but I'd start looking for Train Miniature 2-bay hoppers from the mid 1970's. They offered at least 3 cars. These were 2-bay hoppers lettered for the V&O, Tony Koester's AM and Jim Hediger's OS. Other roads and car types may have been offered as well, but these are the ones I have.

[chatanuga]

Well, as far as I'm concerned, the V&O will live on.  I'm modeling Mansfield, Ohio, which is at the northern end of the V&O.  South of my "MF Tower" is where I've pictured my interchange with the V&O (my Columbus staging yard), and I've always envisioned V&O traffic and run through power heading up to Cleveland through Mansfield on my ficticious North-South route through Mansfield.

Would be nice to see Atlas, Athearn, or somebody come out with a couple V&O locomotives or cars.  I've got one of the 50-foot V&O boxcars that Allen allowed to have made about three years ago but would love to get more cars added to my fleet.

Kevin

http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html

[Anonymous]

Another great model railroad comes to an end....

I never got to see any of the different versions of the V&O, and I won't be able to make it to the open house either.... "Hey dad, will you drive me to Ohio?" Yeah right!

I certainly hope he builds another V&O in the retirement home! I know I could never give up model railroading.... 

[PASMITH]

I can remember Allen's first MR cover and still have that issue. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit V & O 1. Whether we are armchair modeler's or master builders, his work has enriched us and I wish he and his family all the best having confidence that the V & O and his work will continue it's natural evolution in one form or another with this move.

Peter Smith, Memphis

[BRAKIE]

That is sad indeed and truly a era has came to a end.
Allen and Tony was very instrumental in the planing and modeling a fully believable freelance railroad.I have planned and modeled several freelance railroads following their lessons..

I wish Allen and Sharon the best in the coming years.

[jecorbett]

I have been influenced by a lot of the great modelers who came before me but in terms of layout concept and design, Allen McClelland has had the greatest influence on my current layout. My mainline is a linear, around the room layout design, with a branchline planned for a center peninsula. A train will never pass through the same scene twice. While that is not unusual today, it was certainly not the norm when Allen began his first V&O. Spaghetti bowl design was much more common as modelers tried to squeeze as much mainline as they could in a limited space.

It doesn't seem that long ago that I was reading about the dismantling of the V&O 1 and the birth of the V&O 2. How long had the V&O 2 been in existence. I grabbed one great idea from the V&O 2 which was the use of a long papermill along the backdrop opposite my main classification yard. It filled a big void and gave me an interesting industry to service as well.

Thanks again to Allen for the contributions he has made to this great hobby.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Kevin ...... I'd like to know more, and sent a PM to you.

[fifedog]

For the longest time, I had thought the V & O was a real railroad.  I have watched GREAT MODEL RAILROADS VOL. 11, countless times.  To this day, I still prescribe to the "good enough" approach to modeling.

Good luck to Allen in his retirement.

[wm3798]

The V&O served as an inspiration to me back in the seventies when I was in the germination phase as a model railroader.  From the atmosphere of the scenery to the style of operations, I was always impressed with Allen's work.

I wish him well in his retirement, and hope that large chunks of the layout survive in some form or another.

Lee 

[fmilhaupt]

Wow.

This news hits me hard.

Those of us who are involved in prototype operation owe a HUGE debt to Allen. The V&O and the articles written about it were responsible for letting a lot of people know that realistic operation IS possible on a model railroad.

And he was doing it decades before most of us.

Most of the people I know who are into realistic operation cite Allen and the V&O as early inspirations.

I never saw the first V&O, and haven't been able to get down to see the V&O ver. 2.0, but I'll certainly try to make the trip to the open house.

I'd like to publically thank Allen here and now for all he has done to advance model railroad design and realistic operation.

 

[R. T. POTEET]

I had the pleasure of touring the V&O during the 1905 national convention - the only word to give justice to Allen McClellan's contribution to this hobby is FANTASTIC. I have hoped that somehow or another I would one day be able to make it back for a second tour in order to record the progress of V&O #2...

Young man, that means you are 103 years old!!  Typo or legend?  Please let me know.

Ya'gotme, my friend; that kinda mistake tells me I aughta gotabed!!!

I killed my car at an intersection the other day; that is about the third or fourth time I've done that in my life. I have heard that if you do it five times you have to turn in your drivers license.

[jasperofzeal]

I had the pleasure of touring the V&O during the 1905 national convention - the only word to give justice to Allen McClellan's contribution to this hobby is FANTASTIC. I have hoped that somehow or another I would one day be able to make it back for a second tour in order to record the progress of V&O #2...

Young man, that means you are 103 years old!!  Typo or legend?  Please let me know.

[R. T. POTEET]

I had the pleasure of touring the V&O during the 2005 national convention - the only word to give justice to Allen McClellan's contribution to this hobby is FANTASTIC. I have hoped that somehow or another I would one day be able to make it back for a second tour in order to record the progress of V&O #2.

I for one hope that V&O #3 rises in the retirement community spelled S-U-N  C-I-T-Y or S-U-N  C-I-T-Y  W-E-S-T, A-R-I-Z-O-N-A!!!

I never really wanted to live in Miamisburg, Ohio - who needs snow? - but if I hit the POWERBALL tomorrow night I'll buy the place!!! Does anyone know if a snow blower is included in the sale???

[tstage]

So, is Tony Koester implying that because Allen is moving and selling the V&O 2, he is also "retiring" from MRRing?  Just because he moves to a retirement community does not mean that he's necessarily done with modeling.  I've seen retirement homes that still have plenty of room in them.  Maybe Allen will decide to design and construct a smaller "V&O 3"?

Tom

[CP5415]

All good things must come to an end. Hopefully a model railroader comes along & buys the place.

I had heard of the V&O in the past but I didn't really take notice until I watched Allen Keller's video on the V&O. That changed my whole view about wanting to see the entire layout from one spot. His ideas about layout design changed my idea & I'm building my current layout with ideas similar to his.

I was looking forward to seeing the new V&O completed.

Gordon

[chatanuga]

Just saw this on the VandOHS · Virginian & Ohio Railroad Railfans (V&O) Yahoo group: 

===================================================================
> Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2008
23:05:27 -0500> Subject: Re: [J6-layout] Re: V&O -- End of an era (off topic)> >
This is REALLY off topic, but I thought you folks would want to know:> > Allen
and Sharon McClelland are selling their Miamisburg O., home and > moving to a
retirement community this spring. That will allow them to > gain better control
on their retirement funds and avoid heavy > housework. Allen would like to sell
the house with the V&O 2.0 > intact, of course. It is fully operational with
some basic scenery in > place. An open house is scheduled for Sunday, March 16.>
> Paul Dolkos, Steve King, and I are headed out there in mid-March to >
photograph and otherwise document every square inch of it for future > magazine
articles. An era is about to end. Hard as I try, I cannot > think of a single
individual who has contributed more to the > advancement of model railroading
from a runs-the-trains activity to > modeling a transportation system with a
walk-around design supported > by hidden staging.> > Now back to your regularly
scheduled programming....> > Tony K.>

Needless to say, we have a model railroading legend who will be missed.  As Tony said, Allen has contributed in a huge way to our hobby.  The V&O has been a huge inspiration in my attempt at realistic model railroading and the whole "beyond the basement" concept.

Mr. McClelland, thank you so much for all you have given us, and I wish you and your family well.

Kevin

http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html