Recently we received the sad news of the passing of our friend Lin Barenchi.  Lin had been battling lung cancer for the past 18 months. He had joined the club back in 2009 when the organization was just starting to build the layout at the fairgrounds. He helped enormously with the scenery work and with making and finishing the various buildings on the HO layout. He and a former member Bob Young worked on the mountain area behind the Roseville depot area on that layout making the mine area and the hillside with the oil pumps. When we re-did the roundhouse area later Lin re-painted the roundhouse and populated the area with a steam house and loading dock. He really had a nice skill for weathering small areas so they looked aged and natural looking. He also took on the role of maintaining the fridge contents thus making sure the rest of us were kept refreshed with coca cola and candy bars. Essential for a group of portly old guys! He maintained this role until 2021 and helped lay out the kitchen area in the workshop room at our current location. Just months before he was diagnosed, he helped out our landlady by fixing the toilet and sink area in our new restrooms. He couldn’t help being a plumber despite retiring many years before and it gave an indication of his selfless devotion to our cause. Another indication in this respect was that Lin sold his train collection back to the club and donated many items to us. This through various auctions enabled us to accrue money to pay our rent and keep the club going during the Covid episode. Lin was known for speaking bluntly and very plainly and was very useful in Business Meetings with his “take no prisoners” approach, helping our Presidents control the frequent rat holes that our more vocal members would disappear into… One of the last things Lin did with us was to officially open the first main line loop on the new HO layout.  The picture below shows him at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

We all miss Lin, he was a good friend who made a major contribution to the club over the years. He wish he rests in peace and that his family can gain comfort and be proud of the work he did for us.

sincerely,

Keith Waddell, President