John Olson, a popular Model Railroader magazine author and photographer from the 1970s through the 1990s, died on Dec. 28, 2025. He was 78 years old.
His first MR article, “A day at Mule Shoes Meadows,” appeared in the May 1976 issue. John is perhaps best known for his nine-part project railroad series on the HO scale Jerome & Southwestern, published between February 1982 and February 1983. The series was later turned into the Kalmbach Publishing Co. book Building an HO Model Railroad with Personality. His HO and HOn3 Mescal Lines and HOn3 Cielo Lumber Co. were also featured many times in the magazine.
John did design consultation with model railroad manufacturers. Among the companies he worked with were Campbell, Chooch, and Plastruct.
Professionally, John was a designer for WED Enterprises, the Disney organization responsible for designing and developing theme park projects. He designed and supervised projects at Disneyland in California, Disney World in Florida, and many Disney parks overseas.
Head over to the Trains.com Video Vault to watch a production from the 1980s showing John Olson and Dave Frary demonstrate techniques for adding texture and trees to a model railroad.
I was 15 years old when my dad bought me my first issue of MR. It was the February 1982 issue with the first article of the Jerome and Southwestern project. It was the first time I had either seen or heard of Model Railroader. I have every issue since. To say that John and the Jerome and Southwestern changed my my life by setting me on the path of a lifetime of model railroading is an understatement. Thank you John Olson and Model Railroader.
John was a very talented artist and modeler. His Jerome & Southwestern was an early inspiration for me. My condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace.
John Olson and Malcom Furlow may they both RIP and certainly gave MR some great articles and photos, they are both missed!