RailRunner154
Classic railroads forever
I really didn't know Barney, but I"m sorry to hear about his passing. Rest in peace Barney.
In memoriam: Branko Špoljarić - Barney (1957-2013)
- Thread starter thom58
- Start date
SpaceCowboy
New member
Barney was such a huge presence in the Trainz Community, I remember him well. I haven't been on the forums in years, but I wanted to come pay my respects to a great friend to the Trainz Community. Most of the other names have faded from my memory, but him, CeeBee and a few others really held this forum down in the early days and significantly impacted the community in positive fashion. Thanks Barney... rest in peace brother.
Fred
Fred
okiedustdevil
New member
Sad news indeed. Barney was a huge presence during my early days of Trainz. As his quote mentions time sure marches on. I remember him as a good, humorous and influential fellow Trainzer, which I'm sure he'll be happy to know there are probably many more who've come to think the same for him over the years. This was pretty much the early days of the internet as well, and I remember thinking wow Croatia, how cool is that. People from all over the world interested in one common thing.
Thanks to Tony for putting this in the newsletter, I've not been around for years, but still get the letter and wanted to post my condolences to Barney's family and my remembrance for him.
RIP Mr. Spoljaric aka Barney
Edit: I got to thinking more, and please forgive me as I write this with utmost respect to Barney and what he's meant to this community and to me even though I never got to meet him in person. I don't know if Tony, John, Rob et al quite realize what we had here or maybe you do, I don't know, but you should be proud. This community was very unique, and as Barney mentions in his quote it had a family atmosphere to it, one I've never seen or been a part of since. Some close, but none to rival the Trainz community especially during the early days and the early days of the IRC. I still have several Trainzers I keep in regular contact after all these years, many I still game with. It may not be Trainz we play all the time but we still keep in touch on a regular basis. Despite not being on the forums for long periods of time, this community has had a huge influence on my life on and off the internet and when I read about someone passing like Barney it's very real, despite not having the luxury of meeting him in real life. He was and still is part of my clan. Sometimes I think as we go through life we tend to forget, me especially and it's things like Barney's passing that brings it home to what we really had here. There has been several of these types of threads over the years, all with a small part of us torn away, just like I would feel with my family. I felt this needed to be said especially in light of this sad news. I hope this makes sense and I hope this is looked at as a eulogy to Mr Barney you will be missed.
Thanks to Tony for putting this in the newsletter, I've not been around for years, but still get the letter and wanted to post my condolences to Barney's family and my remembrance for him.
RIP Mr. Spoljaric aka Barney
Edit: I got to thinking more, and please forgive me as I write this with utmost respect to Barney and what he's meant to this community and to me even though I never got to meet him in person. I don't know if Tony, John, Rob et al quite realize what we had here or maybe you do, I don't know, but you should be proud. This community was very unique, and as Barney mentions in his quote it had a family atmosphere to it, one I've never seen or been a part of since. Some close, but none to rival the Trainz community especially during the early days and the early days of the IRC. I still have several Trainzers I keep in regular contact after all these years, many I still game with. It may not be Trainz we play all the time but we still keep in touch on a regular basis. Despite not being on the forums for long periods of time, this community has had a huge influence on my life on and off the internet and when I read about someone passing like Barney it's very real, despite not having the luxury of meeting him in real life. He was and still is part of my clan. Sometimes I think as we go through life we tend to forget, me especially and it's things like Barney's passing that brings it home to what we really had here. There has been several of these types of threads over the years, all with a small part of us torn away, just like I would feel with my family. I felt this needed to be said especially in light of this sad news. I hope this makes sense and I hope this is looked at as a eulogy to Mr Barney you will be missed.
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May the G-d of his understanding richly bless him, his family of birth, and his family here.
A really dumb suggestion to those who will miss a dear friend:
Build a Trainz gravestone in his memory to be placed into a Trainz cemetery. Perhaps add other gravestones as others pass. When you drive a train past that cemetery you can remember your friend and his gifts to all of us.
My condolences to those who mourn his loss.
A really dumb suggestion to those who will miss a dear friend:
Build a Trainz gravestone in his memory to be placed into a Trainz cemetery. Perhaps add other gravestones as others pass. When you drive a train past that cemetery you can remember your friend and his gifts to all of us.
My condolences to those who mourn his loss.
I place one of these trackside memorials at whatever point on my current project is complete whenever a Trainzer passes. I have placed too many. The original asset is from Meridious who created it for HJP.....
Just to echo my comments on the news page... This is a very sad day, although I never met Barney in person I regarded him as a close friend and we collaborated on a number of ideas to keep the idea of advanced train simming alive and ticking in the early 2000's, including a joint forum hosted at his Crotrainz site. Although as things developed I graduated more towards MSTS, nevertheless his humour and great wisdom were a tremendous asset.
I will drink a glass of ale tomorrow to mark his passing and may he rest in peace.
I will drink a glass of ale tomorrow to mark his passing and may he rest in peace.
WestSideRailways
Active member
psycho_aussie
Resident Psychotic Aussie
R.I.P Barney. The Trainz Community just lost another great man.
Very sad news. Barney's site " CroTrainz" was pretty much a daily stop for me in the very early days before Trainz was even released. His passion and commitment to virtual railroading were highly evident and he contributed enormously not only to Trainz but the hobby as a whole. I will sound a long a whistle blast for you Barney.
Stuart
Stuart
puffernutter
New member
R.I.P Barney. And thanks. For helping trainz grow, for being a patient and productive member. Ta mate.
Oh My God! Please look after Barney - a very esteemed and dear railway enthusiast who goes back long before Trainz. He had his own web-site for the original, freeware train simulator, "Mechanik EN57" developed by Polish Maths university students called "Crotrainz" long before Trainz came on the scene.
He used to keep us all updated with the world of Train Simulators - new stuff for Mechanik EN57, the other Japanese freeware "BVE" (Boso View Express), and was very excited at being asked to help with the development of Trainz.
At the bottom of his web page, he had a little slogan saying "I am Disabled", so he must have lived for his web-site and to keep in touch with his friends who shared an interest in trains!
What a great shame and a tragic loss to our world. I would dearly have loved to have met Barney, and maybe bought him a pint or two, before he disappeared. :'(
Rest In Peace! Maybe a preserved "Krokodil" (his favourite) will rattle close by his place in heaven every now and then!
He used to keep us all updated with the world of Train Simulators - new stuff for Mechanik EN57, the other Japanese freeware "BVE" (Boso View Express), and was very excited at being asked to help with the development of Trainz.
At the bottom of his web page, he had a little slogan saying "I am Disabled", so he must have lived for his web-site and to keep in touch with his friends who shared an interest in trains!
What a great shame and a tragic loss to our world. I would dearly have loved to have met Barney, and maybe bought him a pint or two, before he disappeared. :'(
Rest In Peace! Maybe a preserved "Krokodil" (his favourite) will rattle close by his place in heaven every now and then!