Gorre & Daphetid

Garden Railroading
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I’m sure that name will ring a bell or two amoung a few of the “older gents” of Model Railroads. I was out digging through some boxes in the garage, took a break and opened up an old footlocker that I had packed away with all of the HO stuff years ago. To my supprise I found stuff that I did not remember until I opend the boxes. In the early 80’s Roundhouse came out with a commemerative edition series of the full set of John Allen’s Gorre & Daphetid. Most of the cars are fully assembleg, some have as yet to have the parts bags opened.

Does anyone know of a webpage on John’s old layout?

Rene

Here is a pic you cane share with someone in your office.

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I remember they also had the passanger station and I believe a mine as a kit. John Allen was an icon of the model RR world, he is still sadly missed after all these years.

Cool cars, how much are those worth? Cha-ching$$$$$$$!!!

[oX)]

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tangerine-jack

$$$ - ??? Don’t Know.

to give you an idea I found the following,
the 4 car (named) consist of the Overland coaches
Overton coaches, (1 built/1 kit)
ribbed ore cars (2 built/ 2 kit)
40’ Hvy Ore car (1 built/1 kit)
80’ gondolas w/ scrap steel loads (2 kit)
cattle cars (2 built)
freigth car (1 built/1kit)
ventelated freight (2 kit)
combine (2 kit)

All still in their original boxes, the ones not yet built (kit) still have all their parts in the original plastic bags. all with Kadee couplers installed or in the boxes of the ones in kit form.

If you are interested I’ve got the full set of pic’s out at my “webshots” album

(edit) spelling corrections

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I still look at the book that tells it all.

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mine is on the top shelf of my book shelf, a bit ragged from the years of admiring th pic’s.

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Tom
If you want to know value repost this in the Model RR forum, there are alot of guys there could give you a really good idea. Neat stuff.

Why not do your Garden RR as the Gorre & Daphetid?

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Those are some cool lookin’ cars. Share those with the guys over on the Model
Railroader forum and they would go crazy, I would know, I have done it…[swg]

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Yes I did. I posted both posts of mine over on the MR forum. The article here is getting more hits than over there. I think it is because those of us who were doing HO thirty years ago, have gone outside with the hobby. Every time I go to my “Train Store” about half the crowd buying the HO and N stuff still has to figure out that a belt is designed to hold your pants well above the cheeks of your posterior. They would have NO CONCEPT of who John Allen was to the hobby. I know he provided a tremendous influence to the indoor scales (HO/N/O etc.), and I’m sure he provided some form of inspiration in the garden size. I have no intention of selling my treasures, but rather only wished to share some very beautiful memories of the past with a bunch of folks who are “mature” enough to remember.

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Tom,

I emailed a couple of the guys over at MR to see if they know of a web site.

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So I’m “mature” now is it? I still have my Dec '81 MRR mag that featured the G&D. The cover is missing, the pages are ragged, but I have memorized every word in it during the last 24 years. John Allen changed the model RR world, nothing less. The youngsters need to get a grip on that pivotal piece of history, pull up their pants and get rid of those stupid beer can mufflers on their roller-skate cars.

I guess you can’t put a price on that. Thanks for sharing your memories, Tom.

[oX)]

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Andy Sperandeo tells me there’s a Yahoo group called “GandD” There’s no web site that MR knows of.

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TJ, [#ditto]

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I"ve toyed with the idea of using the G&D original design somewhere on my layout… Maybe someday.

I’ve lost track of my book. [:(] Somewhere in the basement, a casualty of the last move.

SteveF

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I still regard John Allen as the greatest model railroader of this or any other era. Yes, there are a great many truly superb model railroads out there in a variety of scales, but to my way of thinking John still ranks as the master at creating a world in miniature that was both fanciful and entirely plausible at the same time. Everything he did had a purpose that supported and justified his overall theme in a masterful way. I’m old enough to remember his contributions, and I continue to be inspired by his work. He left a legacy that few who were around at the time would–or could–ever forget.

Those who don’t have the book about the G&D (published by Kalmbach some years ago) really owe it to themselves to seek out a copy somewhere–not just for the story of the railroad itself, but for what it shows of its creator’s philosophy and approach to the hobby.

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I’ve always wanted to get the video of his only known footage to have been taken.
Rene, ol, bud???

Speaking of MRs forums, I’ve been shocked at the good response they have shown, I have two e-mailing me on the side about info.
But I have learned from you’al on how to keep a thread going .[;)][;)][:p]

i think the price and space is what may hinder many at first. Now after these years i think anything under $80 is a deal.[:I]

i’ve said this before if I get the name right.[:I]
The Veginain and ohio by Ron whats his name??? Dang old age, wheres that book.??
Hes the one i adapted the “believable” part of modeling. Should be just good enough to be believable.[^]

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Wonder if I can add a Triceritops Switcher to my layout?

Hehehe…Now THATS a John Allen original.

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Hi all
What amazes me is the G&D started as a 6’ X 4’ with 15" or there abouts
radius curves.
And when you look in the final incarnation of The G&D if you know where to look the orriginal G&D is there 15" radius curves and all.
regards John

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Heres the original track plan from Carl Arendts Website:

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http://www.sundayriverproductions.com/model/G_D.html

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As they say they are “The world’s oldest, largest and only exclusive producer of archival railroad video tape”. So if you are interested in G&D or any steam videos, that looks like the place to go. The ONLY thing they have are video tapes.