It is our sad duty to share news of the passing of long-time club member Dale Brown on Monday, August 28, 2023 at the age of 71.
Dale loved the club and was a very active member throughout the years. He was around for the early club steam trips, and was one the many members who helped restore and operate Tower A at Cincinnati Union Terminal in 1989-1990, and beyond. More recently, Dale was elected to our board and served as vice president through December 2022. Last year in the absence of our club president, Dale conducted our monthly meeting as acting president and was so very proud to say he was president for a day. He was not afraid to show his support for the club, proudly wearing his Cincinnati Railroad Club jacket around town and to various railroad activities around the country. He also had a passion for narrow gauge railroading, which he put on full display for us all with his presentations of South American steam and narrow gauge railroads in Colorado and other Western environments. He thrived showing slides from his travels during some of our recent informal slide nights in the club library.
Dale, along with David Oroszi and others, was a founding organizer of Summerail, and also a two-time Summerail presenter. Dale was also a life member of Cincinnati Division 7 of the NMRA – National Model Railroad Association, having joined as a 25-year-old in 1967.
Dale enjoyed traveling to different parts of the country (and world) to explore other cultures, especially if he could combine his love of travel with his love of railroads and photography. He loved travel so much that he founded & served as President of Wings & Rails International Expeditions where he & his wife Miryam organized & operated rail-oriented specialty tours in South America from 2002-2009.
Our hearts go out to Dale’s wife Miryam, and all his family and friends. Dale will be sorely missed by all. The family has planned a memorial service for Friday, September 8, 2023 at 5pm at the Cincinnati Hilton Airport on Turfway Road in Florence, KY.
Highball Dale!
Thanks to Dave Oroszi for sending the photo of the first Summerail presenters (1996) and a few other photos for our use.
