Re: Farewell to Jim Vail

I join in the sad feelings about Jim's passing, and condolences to his understanding daughter (who I met at that Santa Clara NNGC tour), family and friends.

His layout is a truly amazing piece of modeling and ingenuity. The published photos do not do it justice, of course. It is all so well packed into the basement, two or three tiers high, yet each scene alone is outstanding. He is in the "Narrow Gauge Hall of Fame" that was established ad hoc by the NNGC devotees, and deservedly so.

Way back at an Sn3 Symposium in Phoenix, Jim visited my fledgling HOn3 layout in Tempe. He was happy to see another HOn3 layout being built, and was impressed enough with my animated water tower spout that he kindly mentioned it months later it in an NG&SLG article on "animation" on the layout.

When I switched to Sn3 a few years later (due to aging eyes), he jokingly branded me a traitor! Afterward, that was almost the first words from him when I ran into him over the following years. He always was interested in other's projects, and easy to talk and joke with.

Green board, Jim.

Bob of AZ