WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO RIGHT OF WAY INDUSTRIES AND BILL BENSONS ENOURMOUS 30X60 LIONEL LAYOUT? ITS ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES
That’s a good question, I’ve always wondered the same thing.
I bought a lot of switches made by Right of Way. I still have them, but they need a lot of work. The points keep breaking off the throwbars. I need a permanent solution that can be done from above, so the whole turnout doesn’t have to be ripped out. I’m leaning toward soldering a tab with a hole, on each point, then using a screw to fasten it to the throwbar.
I’m pretty sure ROW went bust. I heard that they took their customer’s deposits with them… anyone else know more?
ROW went bust around 94 or 95. The last engine they took deposits on was brass FT’s. They never made it to the market and apparently, many lost their deposits. there are rumors Bill Benson passed away but that just isn’t true.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT FINE LIONEL LAYOUT
I DIDNT HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT HIM PASSING AWAY.
ROW declared bankruptcy and closed its doors and place of business in November, 1996. I know this well, because I was there in person to replace my defective ROW Allegheny the day before the business closed. If I had waited one more day, I would still have an unusable $1,600 brass Allegheny.
BIll Benson was parted company from his TCA membership for the funny business around the FT deposits. He and his wife still live in Akron, and he still has the layout featured in the OGR Primer in his basement.
As far as I know, he still has some of the automobile collection that proved the financial demise of his train business. If he had been a more focused busnessman, he might have formed a business like MTH later became.
Somewhere in the depths of my memory I recall that Mr. Benson, Mr. Kughn and a couple of other fellows owned a real Reading T-1 Northern. If my information/recollection is correct, what became of it?
Regards,
David Doyle