Jango, Gianfranco Messaggi passed away this morning

.. my condolences .. speechless and shocked .. very grateful for all your beautiful creationz .. will miss you ..
 
My condolences to his family and all his Trainz friends.

It was the greatest privilege of my "Trainz" career working with Gianfranco and another missed great trainzer, Bendorsey, on the White Pass and Yukon Route.

The great ones have left but are not forgotten.
 
Jango was a dear friend to me and many of us here. He was a true gentleman, and had wonderful skills at the crafting of virtual scenery and railroad history. It was a privledge to work along with him on his projects, and to become his friend, tho we never met in person. We all have our time given, he used his to share and give so much to so many of us and to the heritage of Trainz and railroad history. I will miss him and think of him often and we hope we may have a chance to complete and release the last route he worked on if time allows. God Bless you Gianfranco and bring peace to your soul and healing to your family.

His picture was posted on the funeral notice and I share it here for us all.

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OMG I can't believe the news, for my Friend Jango, :cry:

I toast a Glass of Vino to you Jango, 🍷


Such a gentleman in all ways, I will miss you. 🌆
 
Jango had been doing poorly for some time. His various illnesses limited him and he did his best but in the end, after some time of it all, he passed on. We will all for sure miss him. A number of us worked closely with him as I did, he was really great to work with endlessly creative in his work creating and perfecting the best possible with Trainz as it too developed over the years. I kept hoping he might pull thru but we all have our time. He lost his son who was his work partner too some years ago now and it was all too much to deal with eventually. Just sorry he lived so far from many of us, i would have loved a chance to get to know him in person. And as you say, he was always such a gentleman in all that he did.
 
I add my sincere condolences to Gianfranco's family and friends.
Watching him create in Trainz from afar was inspirational.
He was the very essence of what Trainz was created for.
We owe him and the other early creators so much thanks for forming the foundation of what the Trainz community across the world is today.
May he rest in peace.
 
I too was fortunate to have made his acquaintance and had the privilege of working with him on one of his creations. I am very saddened to hear of his passing. I'll bet that he is heaven right now and likely creating some new content for God.

Highball Jango!

Paul 😇
 
Since not everyone here receives the newsletter, let me copy-paste what was put in there:

Newsletter of May 30 said:
REMEMBERING GIANFRANCO MESSAGGI
A Trainz Pioneer and Visionary

We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Gianfranco Messaggi, known to the Trainz community as Jango, a passionate route creator, artist, and a true pioneer of Trainz content creation.

Gianfranco joined the Trainz family in the early 2000s, inspired by the promise of building limitless model railways in a digital world. Coming from a model railroading background, he was captivated by the freedom Trainz offered to bring vast, real-world-inspired landscapes to life, particularly his dream of recreating great American routes.

He co-founded TrainzItalia, a cornerstone of the Italian Trainz scene, which helped foster an entire community of creators focused on authentically building Italian and international content. Gianfranco himself became known for his dedication to realism, deep historical research, and immersive world-building. From Sebino Lake to iconic American lines like Sherman Hill, Rollins Pass, White Pass, and Donner Pass, his routes became beloved by fans across the globe.

Gianfranco created thousands of custom assets, from historic buildings to terrain textures, each crafted with care and an eye for detail. He collaborated with international creators and brought together teams of talented contributors to realise expansive, historically-rich worlds, often going beyond what was thought possible in Trainz.

His legacy lives on through his routes, which remain a benchmark for quality and authenticity. His passion, generosity, and vision inspired many in the Trainz community, and his work will continue to shape the creative spirit of our platform for years to come.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and all those in the community who had the privilege to work alongside him. Gianfranco, thank you for sharing your imagination with us. You will be greatly missed.

The Trainz Team

The newsletter also refers to a gallery of Jango's work, which can be found here.
 
Another sad new for the TrainZ community, the french forum has lost some of important creators last two years... Let me say Jango was a pillar of Trainz in Italy, and as often stated, a true gentleman... My condolences to the Italian friends of Trainz and to our entire community...

Very sadly, Marc
 
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