RailRoadFan.com

Bass solos? When are people going to realize that the bass is for *rhythm* and not melody!? :-) Being a musician myself (a melody player, mostly), I always got a kick out of the "musicians wanted" ads at places like the Metro Times. There always seemed to be a LOT of ads that wanted bass players for...

L. Brooks Patterson, longtime Oakland County executive, dies at 80. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/obituaries/2019/08/03/obituary-l-brooks-patterson-longtime-oakland-county-executive-dies-80/1909112001/ I have to say that I was never a fan of his. Way back in the mid-1970s, I played in a men's am...

Actor David Hedison has died on July 18 at age 92. https://deadline.com/2019/07/david-hedison-dead-voyage-to-the-bottom-of-the-sea-actor-obituary-1202650432/ Although he is probably best known for his role on "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (which I always referred using the Mad Magazine's parody ...

Sad news about Bluewater. I was a Bluewater member from 1984 through around 1992 or so, and I was a volunteer car host for most of their train trips in that period, especially for all of the N&W steam trips. Lots of memories, although not a lot of photographs as club members weren't supposed to be t...

Ex-major league baseball pitcher Jim Bouton has died at 80 years old. https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-jim-bouton-ball-four-dies-20190711-bxtdcqsymvfytf36nashfeouue-story.html The obit mentions his book "Ball Four." I bought that book when it came out. It is entertaining reading, es...

There was a collision between a loaded passenger train and a parked freight train in Pakistan that has killed at least 20 people.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/at-least ... icials-say

Garry K

Jochs wrote:R.I.P. Benton Harbor, MI native, Arte Johnson. (90)
He was a well known comedian on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In."
https://deadline.com/2019/07/arte-johns ... 202641747/

Veeerrrryyyy interesting!

Garry K

Dr. John has passed away.

https://deadline.com/2019/06/dr-john-di ... 202628466/

Niki Lauda, former Formula One racing three-time champion, has passed away at age 70. https://news.sky.com/story/formula-1-legend-niki-lauda-dies-aged-70-11725108 Lauda was my racing hero. In 1976, he was almost burned alive in a fiery wreck, and still almost won the championship that year. The raci...

I am hoping to make it to the foamer gathering at Durand on May 25. I'm hoping to bring my sweetie and perhaps two or three "tweens." One of those tweens is a definite future foamer.

Will folks be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs like in the past?

Garry K

Herman Wouk, author of "The Caine Mutiny" and "The Winds of War," has died at age 103. He was 10 days away from his 104th birthday.

https://apnews.com/1ee28153a1e54f52a516352171c7f41d

Garry K

Reruns of the old Carol Burnett show (with Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, and Vicki Lawrence) are still WAY funnier than any of the so-called comedies of today's television world. Who of us (or a certain age) doesn't remember Conway as Ensign Parker in McHale's Navy?

Garry K

Doris Day has passed away at age 97. For those young(er) folks, she was an actress that made "wholesome" family films. As it says in the Detroit News obituary, "she stood for a time of innocence and G-rated love."

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/obitu ... /39474845/

Garry K

Peggy Lipton (Mod Squad actress) has died at age 72.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/peo ... 181519001/

Garry K

The Detroit News has an article https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/07/big-boy-steam-locomotive-debuts/39457107/ about the Union Pacific's restoration of Big Boy 4014. Cool! Also a Wikipedia article about that locomotive at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_4014 . Garry K

The Detroit News web site has a collection of photos related to early train travel in Michigan. Check it out at https://www.detroitnews.com/media/cinem ... -michigan/.

Garry K

Speaking of "The Ghoul," the Redford Theatre will have a tribute to The Ghoul on Thursday, April 18, at 8:00 pm.

https://redfordtheatre.com/events/a-red ... oul-sweed/

Come and check it out! I'll be there, for sure.

Garry K

Dan Robbins has died. He was the artist who invented the "paint by the numbers" kits in the 1950s. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/04/artist-created-paint-numbers-pictures-dies/39299597/ Is there anyone who was a kid (or maybe an adult?) in the 1950s/1960s who *didn't* paint at...

The Ghoul (aka Ron Sweed) has died. Oh, no! Who is going to abuse Froggie? Who will make Cheez Whiz jokes? https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/detroit-tvs-ron-the-ghoul-sweed-dies-at-age-70 The Ghoul was supposed to make a personal appearance while hosting some horror-type movies at the Redford Thea...

Dick Dale, King of Surf Guitar, ‘Miserlou’ composer, dies at 81 https://www.detroitnews.com/story/obituaries/2019/03/18/dick-dale/39218067/ Dick Dale, whose pounding, blaringly loud power-chord instrumentals on songs like “Miserlou” and “Let’s Go Trippin’” earned him the title King of the Surf Guita...