Joe contributed to the growth of the toy train hobby as a modeler and author. His landmark O gauge layout, the JL&ATSF Railroad, was featured prominently in Classic Toy Trains throughout the 1990s. Joe enjoyed sharing his tips on creating a realistic environment for Lionel trains that brilliantly incorporated popular operating accessories, scratchbuilt structures, hand-painted backdrops, and details.
During the past 20 years, Joe shifted his interest to full-size railroading in southern California, where he lived his entire life. Determined to preserve the history of major and lesser lines in Los Angeles and its suburbs, he launched the Los Angeles Railroad Heritage Foundation. Under Joe’s guidance, LARHF has sponsored displays in museums, restored stations, and restaurants, along with publishing books filled with vintage pictures and reproductions of documents.
Joe’s was a lifetime dedicated to explaining the impact of railroads full-size and miniature as well as sharing the joy he experience by building layouts and riding passenger trains. We at CTT are grateful for the many ways Joe supported our magazine while helping it mature.
Joe played an integral part in the early stages of development of the San Diego 3 Railers, SD3R in the San Diego Model RR Museum. His support was memorialized many years ago with the town of Lesserton incorporated on the layout. RIP Joe, he was always an asset to the hobby.
I met Joe at a train convention many years ago. A very nice man and and an excellent modeller. My condolences to his family.
My condolences to his family. I learned a lot from his articles.