Larry Harrington from Bachmann Trains just called to tell me that Jerry Williams passed away this week. Jerry founded Williams Reproductions (later Williams Electric Trains) and sold the firm to Bachmann several years ago.
My dealings with him were always top notch and he was a straight-shooter in relation to industry topics.
Remarks from Jerry Williams’ induction into the Hobby Manufacturer’s Association Hall of Fame (Courtesy Larry Harrington).
Jerry Williams was born on March 1, 1937 in Los Angeles, California. At a young age his family moved to Frederick, Maryland, a small town in the western part of Maryland. Jerry always had an interest in trains at a young age. He had a few pieces of Lionel trains, and eagerly awaited the Lionel catalog each year.
As a young adult Jerry had ambitions of leaving Frederick because there were not many job opportunities in the area. He decided to join the Air Force. He found the Air Force was a great tool for him to gain a valuable education. He took several courses while in the Air Force . After his discharge, he attended and graduated from American University with a degree in Mathematics. He worked for Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory as a mathematician.
In the mid to late 1960’s Jerry rediscovered his interest in model trains. He would go to estate and yard sales to look for collectable Lionel & Ives trains. In 1968, Jerry joined a growing organization called the Train Collectors Association (TCA). The TCA hosted many train shows /swap-meets that allowed members to learn, buy and sell
Wow. Sorry to hear. I credit Williams as one who got me back into the hobby when I was young(er) and broke. Williams locomotives may not have all of the “bells and whistles” and yes, sometimes EMD and GE parts are interchanged , but I never had any issues and price was always great. They still are top notch performers. Thanks, Mr. Williams and RIP.
A really sad thing is the way Bachmann’s slashed the Williams product line. Compare a “Williams by Bachman” catalog from 2012 to the the current 2016 one and quite frankly it’s shocking.
I know business is business and you have to cut the slow-movers or no-movers and move forward, but was that the case here? I almost get the impression Bachman bought the Williams line and then didn’t know what to do with it after they got it. A lot of good, if not great, items at reasonable prices, all gone.
Great point, Firelock. The one thing Bachmann didn’t slash though was the pricing. Certainly quite a jump in MSRP since Jerry sold it off. Also, I went to the Bachmann website the other day to see if they posted anything on his passing. Nope.
RIP Jerry Williams. I loved the Williams line when Jerry Williams had it. Since Bachman took over they have raised prices and slashed offerings. The Crown Edition engines by Williams are my favorites.