Is Furlow still doing model railroads these days?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Back in the 80’s, you couldn’t swing a cat without smacking a Malcolm Furlow article in MR. I’ve done searches, and other than the LGB layout at that children’s hospital, it seems that he’s doing Native American inspired artwork.

Does he still do model railroading? Or was that just a small stint so he could further his career onto something else?

I used to like his combination of rugged scenery and often whimsical scenes. Also, his photography was always top notch.

Anybody know?

Rob

2

Russ Larson caught up with him a few years ago and put a blurb in MR - he was putting his energies into his painting, which currently puts food on the table. He was pondering a garden layout, but that’s the last I heard.

Hoepfully he’ll take it up again someday, but in the meantime, google on his art. It’s amazing.

3

Uh, click on the big cyan logo at the top left of this page and take a look at the cover for September MR.

4

Check out Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette about the Jan/Feb issue, featured an article on his new indoor layout. Its incredible, it looks like it figure 8’s until it crosses over itself 5 (!) times over the same spot, so you have bridge over bridge, etc. I think its G gauge but It could be O. It will be wild when finished.

5

I’m looking forward to that issue. I’ve never understood the anti-Furlow rants I read in the letters to the editor (or whatever) that appeared a number of years ago, other than popularity breeds contempt. When I watch movies, sometimes there is a “character” in the action that I would think would be fun to do, even if it wasn’t “serious stuff.” For example, Danny Devito and Jack Nicholson’s parts in the Batman movies I think would be fun.

I think Malcom’s layout is going to be in that category - a really great fun layout. It may not get marks for the most prototypical, but I bet it was a hoot to work on, and fun to run.

6

When we took vacation in New Mexico last year, I think he had a gallery in Sante Fe. All native american type stuff and southwest inspired art if I recall, no trains.

His stuff was really neat, a bit too far whimsical, but still real creative and quality workmanship.

7

I wish someone would do a retrospect book of Furlow’s projects thru the years, It would be an amazing resource. Listening Kalmbach???

8

The problem many of us have with Furlow is complex:

  1. he writes everything like he is the originator of the hobby and gives no one credit for what he has taken from their example.
  2. I canceled my subscription to MR when Furball got paid for an article (with our money) and got to advertise the buildings for sale on the next page of the issue. That is a clear conflict of interest to me.
9

Back in the 80’s, you couldn’t swing a cat without smacking a Malcolm Furlow article in MR. I’ve done searches, and other than the LGB layout at that children’s hospital, it seems that he’s doing Native American inspired artwork.

Does he still do model railroading? Or was that just a small stint so he could further his career onto something else?

I used to like his combination of rugged scenery and often whimsical scenes. Also, his photography was always top notch.

Anybody know?

Rob

10

Russ Larson caught up with him a few years ago and put a blurb in MR - he was putting his energies into his painting, which currently puts food on the table. He was pondering a garden layout, but that’s the last I heard.

Hoepfully he’ll take it up again someday, but in the meantime, google on his art. It’s amazing.

11

Uh, click on the big cyan logo at the top left of this page and take a look at the cover for September MR.

12

Check out Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette about the Jan/Feb issue, featured an article on his new indoor layout. Its incredible, it looks like it figure 8’s until it crosses over itself 5 (!) times over the same spot, so you have bridge over bridge, etc. I think its G gauge but It could be O. It will be wild when finished.

13

I’m looking forward to that issue. I’ve never understood the anti-Furlow rants I read in the letters to the editor (or whatever) that appeared a number of years ago, other than popularity breeds contempt. When I watch movies, sometimes there is a “character” in the action that I would think would be fun to do, even if it wasn’t “serious stuff.” For example, Danny Devito and Jack Nicholson’s parts in the Batman movies I think would be fun.

I think Malcom’s layout is going to be in that category - a really great fun layout. It may not get marks for the most prototypical, but I bet it was a hoot to work on, and fun to run.

14

When we took vacation in New Mexico last year, I think he had a gallery in Sante Fe. All native american type stuff and southwest inspired art if I recall, no trains.

His stuff was really neat, a bit too far whimsical, but still real creative and quality workmanship.

15

I wish someone would do a retrospect book of Furlow’s projects thru the years, It would be an amazing resource. Listening Kalmbach???

16

The problem many of us have with Furlow is complex:

  1. he writes everything like he is the originator of the hobby and gives no one credit for what he has taken from their example.
  2. I canceled my subscription to MR when Furball got paid for an article (with our money) and got to advertise the buildings for sale on the next page of the issue. That is a clear conflict of interest to me.