Steve Haas
Tom’s wife Carol and daughter Jennifer have shared that Tom passed away July 5th, due to complications following heart surgery. A memorial service is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., July 18th at Bellevue Christian Reformed Church, 1221 148th Ave NE in Bellevue. This is in the Crossroads area. A casual reception with open mike will follow in the Church Fellowship Hall. All are invited to this memorial service.
Carol and Jennifer have expressed a strong desire to keep the Pacific Northwestern Railroad up and running in the future. They will be in touch with those interested.
Tom will be missed. I did have the opportunity to operate on the Pacific Northwestern Railroad on two occasions. It was fun, and challenging. I was looking forward to retirement years and free time to become a member of the team. And then life’s circumstances moved me to Michigan.
Many years ago, Tom served as Superintendent of the 4th division. For several years, he supported the Pacific Science Center Show by bringing a switching puzzle using On30 equipment.
This is truly sad news.
For those new-comers to Fourth Division land, Tom is a former division superintendent.
He’s been active in division activities almost as long as I can remember. And, he always extended a welcoming hand to visitors to his “home layout”, which was actually in a specially-built barn adjacent to his country house.
I will miss him.
Tom,
Will truely be missed in our household! Tom was my mentor and a very dear friend.
Back in 2003 when I was taking a clss for my appraiser license. I met Tom. He came up to me asked if I would like to come to work for him. At that time little did I know that this would become a very close and dear friendship. After I was working for him a few months, I told him that I was building a model Railroad in my garage. It was then that he invited my to his house to work on his layout. Little did I know at the time that I had been just been recruited to be one of his many slaves to work on the Pacific Northwestern RR. LOL. But, did not mind as here I was getting a chance to work and opperate on one the largest model RR’s in the area. I felt blessed that he considered my skills good enough to work on his layout.
When the NMRA national convention came to Seattle. Tom volunteered to have the Wendsday picknick at his house. When he told me this. I asked him what he was planning on feeding the guests. His reply was “Hot Dog’s and Hambugers”.
I told him “Are you kidding? We need to BBQ some Pacific Northwest Wild caugth Salmon! These people are comming from all over the country. We need to show them how we BBQ in the NW!” He relented and his wife Carol when to Seattle and manged to get some Fresh Copper River Salmon for the BBQ.
Well it was great success! Everybody ranted and raved about the food.
At the end when all the guests had left. I told Tom “that my BBQ grill was dead from all the heat and cooking. But, that I would come back in a coulpe of days with the truck to pick it up.” Well, when I came back it had four 357 bullet holes in it! I asked Tom what had happened? His reply was ” well you said it was dead so I thought that I would put out of it’s misery for you!”
I said ” if that’s the case we need to drink beer to it’s good life and job!”
We both laughed and toasted to each other and the BBQ!
He inspired me to become a better modler and a join the NMRA. Two things I will cherish for the rest of my life.
So with sadden hart and tears in my eyes I say good bye and know that Tom has all green signals ahead. On his way to by with God. Until I see you on the other side. I love you Tom. Ring that bell, stoke the fire and blow you horn!
Good Bye
Peter M. Coulton
I had the privilege of working on and operating on Tom’s layout for many years. Tom had a great sense of railroad history and had created a mythical line, the Pacific Northwestern Railroad with a short line called the Cherry Valley Railroad. The railroad had a plausible reason for existence, based mining, lumber, manufacturing, shipping, and agricultural industries. It was integrated with several of the prototype northwest railroads which provided operation session activity for interchange freight. Tom was active in the Operation SIG of the NMRA and operated his railroad on a 1950s train order and timetable basis. Fully manned his layout can keep up to sixteen operators busy. He and Carol’s hospitality on operation session days was greatly appreciated. The burgers and franks and bull session at the end of the day was an anticipated highlight. Tom was an exemplar of all that is great about model railroading. He will be greatly missed by those of us who knew him well as well as those who dropped in for an occasional op session. I applaud Carol’s and Jennifer’s interest in keeping The Pacific Northwestern in operation for those of us who knew him as well as new friends in the future to enjoy.
God bless you Tom and I pray that you have a clear track and a high ball ahead of you.
Allan Rathbun
I was away and just got the news on Thursday, the 16th. He had been fighting the good fight for several years. Saddened by his passing, of course, but joyous that I have many, many memories of good times, and was privileged to know Tom and Carol. It only took one visit to learn his humorous side, and the many days shared with them and the whole train gang are precious memories.
John Colley, Sonoma, CA
I was glad to know Tom. I enjoyed running trains on his layout and his Carol is very nice. RIP Tom.