OLD & WEARY CAR SHOP

A Personal View
My full name is Allan F. Seebach, Jr., all of my friends call me AL, so if we speak please do the same.
My involvement in model railroading stretches well over thirty years and I have been a railroad historian for over twenty years. I was raised on the New York Central’s West Shore Division in Tappan, NY, watching first and second generation diesels pound past my home. In 1984 I joined the Ontario and Western Railway Historical Society, Inc. which is based in Middletown, NY. Through the years I became very involved in the O&WRHS organization.

My good friends and society members Stan Hamlet (L) and Joe Bux (R) at the Middletown O&W Railway Day at the Middletown Senior Center October 2006.

I recently had to wright a Resume for the upcoming society elections and after writing it, I thought I should add it to this page. I have been very fortunate to have been a part of this great organization and so lucky to have met so many good people whom have become family to me.

Al Seebach, Age 48, Father of four great children, Primary professional occupation, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent at the Blue Hill Golf Course, Pearl River, NY. Volunteer Fireman in Tappan, NY for 31 years.

Owner of the Old & Weary Car Shop, Inc. Established 1986

The Old & Weary Car Shop was founded as a response to the lack of O&W scale models that were available to the model railroader. Over the last twenty years I have manufactured numerous models in various scales for the O&W modeler. Our products have helped keep the O&W's spirit alive and has inspired many people to join the society and model the New York Ontario & Western Railway.

I joined the society in January of 1984 and the National Railway Historical Society in 1986. Starting in 1987 fellow member John Bifano and I took over as the editors of the Observer publications including the calendar. We published all of the Observers between 1987 through 1995. Although I am not very active in the Observer Publications today I remain as "Editor and Chief" and advise when asked. In 1987 I approached the Board of Trustees with the idea of the society running a "Fan Trip" in conjunction with the society's 25th anniversary. Reluctantly I was given the "go-ahead" and in 1988 the first of three Mountaineer Limited Excursions was run between Vernon, NJ to Little Ferry, NJ and return over the trackage of the Susquehanna RR. I also arranged for the NYO&W NW-2 116 to be present in Middletown for the celebration. Our second and most successful trip was run over the Delaware and Hudson RR from Taylor Yard in Scranton, PA to Oneonta, NY and return. The third and final trip was over the Susquehanna from Little Ferry to Warwick, NY and return. I was Trip Director for all three trips. As Trip Director my responsibilities included everything but, not limited to negotiations with the railroads, leasing equipment, obtaining insurance, printing the tickets and ordering the food. These trips added significantly to the Society treasury. I also received the John Hobbs Cryn award for outstanding service for 1987.
During 1990 I approached the BOT concerning the archives collection which was stored in our then President Ray wood's basement. I had been to Cornell University taking classes and saw the massive O&W collection they had been given by the O&W in 1961. Cornell offered the collection to the society if we could properly house the material. The conditions in Ray's basement were far from perfect and would not hold the addition of the "Cornell Collection." I inquired with Society member Richard Shrade about the Clemson Building and he offered us the space our archives occupies today. Gould Coleman from Cornell University made a special trip to Middletown to inspect our proposed site. Mr. Coleman was very impressed and cleared the way to transfer the Cornell Collection. Once we had the space I coordinated the preparations for storing the collections and personally went to Cornell (with Member Carl Ohlson) and brought home the "mother load." We then relocated the collection from Ray Wood's basement to our new archives center.
I was the first Archives Chairman in our new home a position I held until 1994. I was involved in creating many of the archives policies we use today.
I became a member of the Board of Trustees in 1991 and became Chairman of the Board in 1994. I held this position until 2001 and during my term I implemented the programs which, through membership donations we were able to purchase the engineering and small document copiers and eventually computerize the archives. All of this equipment was needed to make the collection available to our members and researchers. The copying equipment is also a source of income for the archives and also minimizes the occasion when original material has to leave the archives. In 2002 I received the presidents award.
Currently I am the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and I work closely with the Chairman and President in the daily operation of the society. In 2006 I was elected Vice President of the society. My most recent honor was to receive a handsome plaque presented to me by the society at the 2006 convention. This plaque was in recognition of my 20 years in model manufacturing and my service to the society. I look forward to helping to continue the mission of keeping the O&W's legacy alive.

Allan F. Seebach, Jr.