Hi Folks,
Regretably Despatch Junction in East Rochester, NY, burned to the ground yesterday afternoon. Most importantly, there were no reported injuries, although the news reports mentioned that the fire was very hard hard on the firefighters, 6 companies fought to control the blaze. At this point, foul play is not suspected.
I’m sure I speak for many customers in the Rochester area who will miss visiting Stan and the guys and shopping at the store, housed in a NYC Passenger Station built in 1900. Stan, thank you for bringing us a great experience in model railroading. You and your staff taught many of us how to build model railroads and how to enjoy the hobby. Despatch Junction was always a gracious host to our children, providing a wooden toy railroad for them to play with while we shopped. The guys would always be happy to run the trains on their large layout at the request of the kids - even the big ones. It was always entertaining to watch train fans of all ages run to look out the back window as the Conrail and later the CSX went by.
Stan, should you choose to rebuild, I will return with my business as I’m sure many others will. But for now, thanks for the memories; many of them live on in my layout in my basement. Stan, I hope you don’t mind my using your first name in this post.
Yes a lot of history involved with this… East Rochester was originally called Despatch, NY and was the home of Merchants Despatch was a maker of railroad cars and was partly owned by the NYC. The hobby shop was named after the company and town and was well known around this area.
Some news about the fire: http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S3452073.shtml?cat=565
73
Thanks for the video and the history, Ray. I didn’t know East Rochester was called Despatch at one time. Times they are a changin’ along the trackside. BTW, those links on your signature line are some beautiful pictures.
Bummer about about Despatch. I have some 86’ auto box cars down stairs in my collection the I purchased there. It was great to be shopping one moment and then watch a Conrail intermodal freight train rush by. Aside from the 86’ auto box cars from Athearn, they also had the Trailer Train special run of yellow 86’ flat cars too. Shame they were lost!
Yeah, probably 70% of my rolling stock and 1/2 of my locomotive roster is from Despatch. All my scenery and my bridges were purchased there. But here is the good news: no one was injured in the fire. It is possible that Stan will rebuild. There’s a lot of positive energy around model railroading here in the greater Rochester area. It is hard to imagine all that great merchandise lost, but it would have been worse had anyone been injured or mortally injured in the event. It will take a long time, but all of that will be replaced, either by Stan himself or by someone else. Thanks for sharing your memories of Despatch Junction; it means a lot to me and others who knew the store and the guys.
Dave,
Out at the Rochester and Genessee Valley RR Museum we operate a Transfer Caboose that was made in East Rochester in the Despatch Shops. We also have a Reefer identicle to the ones made there. She is used as a display car and has a movie usually playing of the Reefers being made in the shops. The movie was made in the late 1940’s by a local TV station.
A guy from the Museum just sent out an email to the membership that shows the end of the Depot that housed Despatch Junction… Sad, very sad! http://youtu.be/IweLRVnBang
Thanks for your kind words about the SLOW…[swg]
73