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Re: (erielack) In Memoriam - Earle Gil

Paul,

Sad to hear this.  I had sent him a letter with some photos just last week 
after your earlier posting.

Bill
- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul R. Tupaczewski" <paultup_@_comcast.net>
To: "'EL Mail List'" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2007 6:11 PM
Subject: (erielack) In Memoriam - Earle Gil


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> Hi everyone,
>
> Whippany Railway Museum member and Morris County Central founder Earle Gil
> passed away early yesterday morning. Earle started the first "true" steam
> program in northern NJ, and had a good relationship with the EL. Below is
> his memorial and some photos over the years of Earle at his best.
>
> - Paul
>
>
>
> In Memoriam
>
> Earle Richard Henriquez-Gil, Sr.
> December 24, 1928 - June 8, 2007
>
>
> After an 18-month battle with cancer, Earle Richard Henriquez-Gil, Sr.
> passed away on June 8, 2007.
>
> Earle was born on Christmas Eve, December 24,1928 in Mountain Lakes, New
> Jersey, to Carlos and Dorthea Henriquez-Gil, the 7th of 7 children. His
> father, Carlos Henriquez-Gil was born in Madrid, Spain and was said to 
> have
> been a brilliant individual...having graduated college at the age of 16. 
> As
> an adult, Carlos was employed as the Export Manager for the A.C. Gilbert
> Co., the makers of the legendary American Flyer model trains and the 
> equally
> famous Erector Sets.
>
> Several years after Earle's birth, the family moved to "Thornwood Farms" 
> at
> number 4 Whippany Road, Morristown, NJ. The 28-room farmhouse with its 11
> fireplaces was on an idyllic setting where the family raised horses,
> chickens and sheep. From all accounts the family lived comfortably, even
> during the darkest days of the Great Depression. Photos still exist of a
> young Earle sitting at the controls of his extensive American Flyer layout
> set up in a large room of the farmhouse.
>
> Destined to become a life-long aficionado of railroads and steam
> locomotives, Earle, through his efforts and self-taught talents, became 
> one
> of a unique band of visionaries who set out to preserve the image of steam
> railroading in the United States. His early 1960's restoration and 
> operation
> of 1907 Baldwin-built, Southern Railway 2-8-0 No. 385, and former U.S. 
> Army
> 0-6-0 No. 4039 (ALCO 1942) became a cause of celebration for 
> "steam-starved"
> fans not only in New Jersey, but from all across the country.
>
> Gil was the founder and president of the Morris County Central Railroad
> (MCC)...one of the first steam preservation railroads in the U.S. 
> Originally
> located on the Morristown & Erie Railroad at Whippany, NJ, the MCC made 
> its
> first revenue run on Sunday, May 9, 1965. On that day, Locomotive No. 385
> proudly led a string of restored ex-Jersey Central RR commuter coaches of
> 1915 vintage, trailed by a 1923 wooden, ex-Pennsylvania RR N6b Cabin Car. 
> By
> the end of the day nearly 1,500 passengers had climbed aboard for a
> nostalgic journey into the past. The melodic whistle and distinctive 
> "stack
> talk" brought back the sounds of a fondly remembered era to not only those
> who rode the train, but to the throngs of people witnessing the event from
> trackside.
>
> The MCC's reputation became established in Whippany as a wonderful place 
> for
> people of all ages to visit. The clean, family-friendly atmosphere 
> reflected
> Gil's leadership and characteristics. With the assistance of his loyal 
> crew
> of company directors, employees and volunteers, the Morris County Central
> continually grew, amassing a fine collection of locomotives and rolling
> stock. Each year, returning visitors would see something different at the
> site...whether a newly acquired piece of equipment or some improvement to
> the property or in the type of entertainment provided to the public.
>
> After 9 years at the Whippany location, Gil and his officers made the
> decision to relocate the entire operation 25 miles to the northwest at
> Newfoundland, NJ on an unused (at the time) section of the New York,
> Susquehanna & Western Railroad. In December 1973, every piece of rolling
> stock owned by the MCC was prepared for the move and gathered together as
> one train. Engines 385 and 4039 were fired up and assisted diesels in
> leading the vintage collection of freight and passenger equipment over the
> Erie Lackawanna Railway and the Lehigh & Hudson River Railway to the new
> location. After a 3-month winter lay-over in Sparta, NJ both steam
> locomotives powered the train over Sparta Mountain and down into
> Newfoundland. On July 4, 1974 the Morris County Central Railroad reopened 
> to
> the public at the new location.
>
> Though the future looked promising for the MCC at Newfoundland, the
> economics and the recurring gasoline shortages of the late 1970's brought 
> an
> end to the Morris County Central. Earle Gil's dream and consuming passion
> ended its days as an operating excursion railroad on December 14,
> 1980.<br><br>
> Though the MCC had come to a close, Earle did not sit idle. He was a
> founder, Charter Member and Trustee of the Whippany (NJ) Railway Museum
> where he could be found on weekends, lending his talents and expertise. He
> was equally at home working onboard the train, conversing with passengers,
> selling tickets, or most of the time, busily working to restore or repair 
> a
> car or engine in the Museum's collection.
>
> Extremely gifted, he was one of those individuals that could create nearly
> anything that he set his mind to. He became an expert at wood crafting and
> found the work relaxing and profitable, selling many of his creations at
> local crafts shows and markets.
>
> Earle could produce nearly any number of items from lumber. He built
> full-size, "four-poster" Victorian-style beds for friends and 
> acquaintances,
> rebuilt sofas, chairs and desks, along with a wide variety of other unique
> items...all in his fully equipped home machine shop. For the Whippany
> Railway Museum, his talents were immeasurable. In late 2003, using early
> 20th Century diagrams from the Pennsylvania Railroad, Earle first built a
> recreation of a 1911 Railroad Crossing Watchbox. This was followed in 2004
> by a wonderful recreation of of 1905 PRR Scale House, which serves as the
> Museum's Ticket Office. A 1909 PRR lineside Telephone Booth (for train 
> crew
> use) was also built in 2004. In September 2006, while in the midst of a
> grueling six-month round of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Earle
> kept active by building a garage for the Museum's 1948 International Coal
> Delivery Truck. The garage perfectly compliments the Museum's 1904 Freight
> House in style and construction.
>
> For the better part of 2004-2006, Earle led a group of capable volunteers 
> in
> a renewed effort to complete the interior restoration of the wood work on
> the Museum's former Central Railroad of New Jersey Commuter Club Car,
> 'Jersey Coast'. This work involved selecting the proper materials to match
> what remained of the original, but heavily damaged inlaid-wood that is a
> feature of the car. Earle selected the types and grades of lumber required
> to replace what had been destroyed by vandals and the elements. Through
> Earle's efforts, the remainder of the restoration crew was able to work
> behind him, and replicate the original 1927 interior paint and stain 
> tints.
> All 40 window frames in the car were fashioned from mahogany by Gil in his
> home workshop.
>
> As if his passion for railroading were not enough, late in life Earle
> discovered yet another interest and started to amass a fine collection of
> vintage farm equipment, including tractors, Amish buggies, buck-board 
> wagons
> and a restored, operating, antique pick-up truck.
>
> But it is the Morris County Central Railroad that will be his legacy. 
> Though
> the railroad and its creator are no longer with us, the MCC is remembered 
> as
> a highly-respected example of what a conscientious group of individuals, 
> led
> by a true visionary could accomplish with moderate resources and good 
> taste
> in the effort to preserve historic railroad equipment and present to the
> public a bit of bygone Americana.
>
> Rest In Peace, Earle. We miss you so very much.
>
> Donations: In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to:
> Compassionate Care Hospice
> 4949 Ogletown Stanton Road, Suite 107
> Newark, DE 19713
>
> (please make checks out to "CCHF")
>
> Credit Cards may be phoned into the office at the following numbers:
> Toll Free 800-999-8744
> Phone 302-999-8944
> FAX 302-999-8744
> For more information visit the Hospice website at
> http://cchnet.net/Compassionate_Hospice_Foundation_Get_Involved.htm
>
>
>
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