Our Trainz friends who have passed on!

ish6

Since 2001
Hello Community --

After almost being one that could have passed on because of my serious health issues in the last 6 months, I began
recently
thinking about dear friends, in which I still have their emails and PM posts stored -- Ben Dorsey and Herbert (
VinnyBarb) --- great creators -- Ben, the master trestle building!

I have had private conversation via email and pms with these two gentlemen -- we talked about the community, private life, and especially content creations -- Both of these gentlemen has great knowledge in their right about CC, and I learned a lot from them! Ben, I spend the most time with -- he created dozens of Marsz contents, and he was my go-too guy for animation contents! I really missed them both, considering I never met them face to face! For me, I think that's the sad part of internet life --- You make great friends, see them in pictures, and perhaps have a phone conversation; But it's so difficult to hang out with them due to distances!

So guys, anyone from the trainz-world since 2001 in which you have connected with, and have passed on? Tell us your stories if you don't mind!

God bless
Ish
 
Not mush of a story, but I do recall hanging out with Harry_James_Potter in the old Auran IRC chat before he passed on. He has a monument someone made in his honor on the DLS.

peter
 
The sinister fat controller, Barney Spoljaric. We beta tested together for years and spent a lot of time talking in chat or by phone. My only regret is that when he was in Seattle one summer for a few days I couldn't take off work to go down and meet him in person He was a great friend, even if it was by long distance.
 
Remembering Wazzer, sadly missed.

Wazzer was very involved with TOTR, and I met Wazzer at a Canberra TOTR. I was subsequently privileged to join Wazzer, NSWGR_46Class (aka Bearcat) and Colin on the stand at later Canberra TOTR events. Wazzer was a very gentle soul, and was very patient with the children. The kids always circled him at these events, as he encouraged them to try out our Trainz demo's.

Wazzer enjoyed the feeling of community amongst Trainz enthusiasts, and organised regular Trainzer get togethers in Sydney, and between different Trainzer groups. I always found Wazzer a great inspiration in my own Trainz work. I know there are others who were similarly inspired by him. After I relocated to the Blue Mountains Wazzer visited several times, to check on my Trainz progress, and offer encouraging words.
 
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Not mush of a story, but I do recall hanging out with Harry_James_Potter in the old Auran IRC chat before he passed on. He has a monument someone made in his honor on the DLS.

peter

Yes, Harry_James_Potter ... a prolific contributor and a great help. He *does* have a monument somwhere...
 
Don't forget about bobcass, whose pictures of steam locomotives were always impressive. His legacy has not been forgotten on the Forums, as he started the thread 'Steamshots USA..Let's See Some Steam Shots' thread in the screenshots section of the Forums.
Let's also not forget BNSF50, whose railroad crossings have appeared on many routes set in the USA or Canada. People have also forgotten that he also created some tunnels that do not snap to the ground, which most tunnels in Trainz do. His tunnels allowed for tunnels to be made in situations where using tunnels that snap to the ground wouldn't work, though you need to use dig holes in order to get them to 'punch thru' the ground.
There are also several members of the Forum who have left and have not been seen in a long time.
 
The sinister fat controller, Barney Spoljaric. We beta tested together for years and spent a lot of time talking in chat or by phone. My only regret is that when he was in Seattle one summer for a few days I couldn't take off work to go down and meet him in person He was a great friend, even if it was by long distance.

+1. Great virtual friend although never got a chance to meet in person for a beer or two. Back in the early days of BVE, MSTS and Trainz for a while we ran a joint forum hosted on his Crotrainz site. His love of the Swiss/Austrian "Krokodil" electric locos was legendary - I remember him being mortified back when the forum avatar changed with the post count, to find he had exceeded 400 posts and the green Krokodil avatar turned into the TEE power car which looked like a jelly bean.
 
Hey Ish, could you put all the mentioned people into your original post please? Good to have them altogether in one post
 
+1. Great virtual friend although never got a chance to meet in person for a beer or two. Back in the early days of BVE, MSTS and Trainz for a while we ran a joint forum hosted on his Crotrainz site. His love of the Swiss/Austrian "Krokodil" electric locos was legendary - I remember him being mortified back when the forum avatar changed with the post count, to find he had exceeded 400 posts and the green Krokodil avatar turned into the TEE power car which looked like a jelly bean.

I bet he's driving that Krokodil up there or somewhere right now. :D
 
I have to mention andi06, a prolific creator and coder.

Sadly missed.

Wow, he's gone? Never worked with him, but knew him via reading his posts from the very early days of trainz --- Truly a great creator and programmer!

Hey Ish, could you put all the mentioned people into your original post please? Good to have them altogether in one post

Hello Amigacooke, sir

Ben and Herbert are the only one's that I knew on a personal level, who have passed away in recent years! I, almost, was a goner myself; but I guess it wasn't my time, since I believe everyone has a set day --

I know there's more out there, and hopefully folks share their stories! -- this thread is more remembering those who share and enjoy trainz with other trainz uses!

I bet these guys are looking down from Heaven, saying … I am still here in the forum. Etc!

Take Care
Ish
 
There's also Aardvark.

One great guy we all sadly miss his presence in the forums here. He always had a kind word to say even during the most trying times.

I too miss Ben, Herbert, Alistair, and Andi. They were all glue here in the forums up until recently.

Sadly like everything in the world, nothing is forever including our own lives. Cherish people close to you while you can because they're not going to alway be there.
 
We can now add another to this group

ceebee, who had posted in this thread earlier, best known for his Highland Valley route, passed away this week also.

EDIT: Here's a list of all the people who have passed on that have been listed in this thread
bendorsey
VinnyBarb
Harry_James_Potter
Barney Spoljaric
Wazzer
bobcass
BNSF50
andi06
Elvenor
Billegulla
Aardvark

EDIT 2: I've got an idea floating around in my mind about a way to remember these members of our community that has since left us. I'm not yet committed to going thru with my idea, so it may not happen, but it is something for me to think about.
 
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Very sad to hear about these passings. We spent a very long amusing time knowing about their helpful activities for Trainz.

Andy -my same age- was always very kind to me and the now inactive IBerTrainZ.

The grateful and recalling side of Alberte, who's getting older :(
 
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Let us shed a tear over the passing of Ben Dorsey, king of bridges , he was a very interesting guy, quite a philosopher , i miss his emails ,even though we sometimes had a differences as to how to measure out an item, we always worked it out in the end to both our satisfaction ....he was one in a million.
 
Billegulla was one of the great creators, could build a steam loco in about two months.
I met with him in Melbourne and had a look round a depot where they had an R class and were in the process of rebuilding an A2 class loco,
can't remember the name of the society unfortunately.
I also visited the model railway club he was involved with.

Bill69
 
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