Hi, Can anyone tell me if Malcom Furlow is still into model railroading? Thanks.
DFD26 - Welcome to Trains.com! [C):-)]
A few years ago there was an article with a very whimsical mini-layout/diorama he built, but I think he is more focused on his painting these days.
–Randy
Stourbridge Lion - Thank you!
Thanks Randy! I really enjoyed the MR article and the Kalmbach video from the early 80s featuring his San Juan Central. Appreciate the information.
I really liked Malcom’s vision and way of doing things. I had and really likes his book “Narrow Gage RR you can build”!
For a while, wasn’t he buiding Model Railroads for people.
Thanks, everyone, for your comments.
He is doing well. Goggle him to see his work. I am building my version of the San Juan Central. I have communicated with Malcolm about details on how he built it. He is a great guy. Still willing to give advice.
I read on another forum that he has left model railroading after being verbally accosted at a narrow gauge convention by some tight minded guys who couldn’t deal with his style of model railroading. How true this is the I can’t vouch for but it explains a few things, at least to me, of why after a big spread in MR in 03 he went silent without any kind of follow up by anyone.
Can anyone verify if this is true. Furlow is one of my heroes. I’d like to know if he’s still active …
I heard something of the same sort on another forum as well.
I’m kind of suspicious about that story though. He seemed like the type who would rather stick it out rather than cave to some individuals who did not like his approach.
Rivet counters and purists pounced on his work. To me, his work was and still is awesome. This is a hobby for FUN and doing it YOUR own way is the way to go. To many anal eggheads couldn’t see or understand that.
I had taped the tracks ahead shows he had done . Watched them many times. Sent the tapes to Diner friends and they are now out there somewhere. DARN, miss seeing his work.
FLIP
I agree, he doesn’t seem the type to bow to criticism . I was always amazed at how fast he could get a layout finished. he definitely had his own style, which is a good thing. His San Juan layout is what got me back into model railroading. I think it was like “tried that, time to try something else”.
Malcolm Furlow has evoked strong emotions in certain sectors of the hobby, especially among those who worry that his style might be contributing to an overall negative image of model railroading in our present-day culture. Sam Posey in his book Playing With Trains - A Passion Beyond Scale, contrasts him with Tony Koester (another “lightning rod” mrr personality!) whose prototype-faithful modeling and operating approach is diametrically opposite of Furlow’s - he even goes so far as to say he’d hesitate to leave Koester and Furlow alone with each other in the same room!
In any event, he “is who he is” - and people who disagree with him should just let him be.
I heard the same stories about Malcom quitting the hobby. There used to be a guy on this forum who would go nuts attacking him every time Furlow was mentioned. Since a thread like this one would have launched him I have to assume that person doesn’t post here any more. This guy’s comments would lend credence to the story of Malcom getting accosted at a narrow gauge convention.
Personally I always liked seeing his work. Some of his and Olson’s modeling has rubbed off on my style over the years. But then I like all styles of modeling from rivet counting to more whimsical layouts (as long as it isn’t Thomas or something like that) . - Nevin
Again, thanks everyone for your helpful comments. Most informative!
There’s three questions I try to remember before speaking: 1) Is it true? 2) Is it helpful? and 3) Is it kind? My opinion is, if you’re a rivet counter, enjoy being a rivet counter; but don’t come down on the folks who aren’t. This hobby is supposed to be fun, isn’t it?
I can’t enlighten you as to whether he is still active in the hobby or not . . . . . I do know that he is a very accomplished artist and his work draws some pretty big bucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Please, don’t ask me why I was surfing the boob tube at 3 A.M but a couple of months back I stumbled onto a program where this guy was being interviewed. I was just about to turn the thing off and go to bed when they flashed the interviewee’s name on the screen . . . . . Malcolm Furlow. I watched for another fifteen minutes and model railroading was never mentioned at all.
I liked Furlow and hope he is still in the hobby. I have been in model railroading since 1958 0r 59 and have listened to and turned off a lot of the self proclaimed gurus who have said “my way or you are all wet” type remarks. There are some enormous egos in this hobby just like any other field. But I enjoyed Malcom Furlow, and his approach even though I am a conventional modeler whatever that is. The hobby certainly has room for all types if the self proclaimed big ego types would just let them be.
Bob
Every art form has many versions & I consider model railroading to be an art. Look at the many types of painting, I don’t like them all, but recognize the talent behind them. Many types of acting, ceramics, photography,carving, sculpture, etc. Malcom is a bit whimsical, but that was his style. I think he just wanted to move on to something else. He was a great inspiration to me.
I was informed off-forum by another forum member that in a nutshell, since he’s doing so well with his art that he’s focusing on that and not doing any more MRing. If thats so then I’m glad the “convention accosting” story isn’t the case. Good for him, but too bad for us in the MR community, I am hugely dissappointed that I’ll never see how the 03 layout would have looked finished up. Maybe one day he’ll give it a whirl again, but seeing what prices his paintings are selling for…I wouldnt count on it.
While we’re at it, John Olsen and Bob Hayden (C&DR) haven’t shown up in MR in quite a few years. Would really love to see what they’re up to today.