It is with heavy hearts we share news that long-time Cincinnati Railroad Club member Mike Brestel passed away on May 22, 2024, just a week after his 73rd birthday. Mike was an active member throughout the years, volunteering in various ways – from working the club’s steam trips to presenting programs at club meetings. He was especially known as an expert on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway’s Cheviot Yard and environs. Many referred to him as Mr. Cheviot Hill. But Mike was so much more than Mr. Cheviot Hill . . . He was also a railfan, photographer, owner of Western Hills Photo & Hobby, model railroader with his own C&O layout at one time, member of the Cincinnati Model Railway Club, Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Society, honorary life member of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) and Cincinnati Division 7 MCR NMRA where he held multiple offices at the local, regional, and national level, served on the Summerail committee and handled the sound booth at the annual event, plus so much more than this space allows.
Most importantly, Mike was a husband, father, grandfather, friend, and mentor to so many who will greatly miss his presence in their lives.
Friends & family may call at Neidhard Minges Funeral Home in Westwood (3155 Harrison Ave.) on Monday, July 1st from 5pm-7pm & on Tuesday, July 2nd from 10:30am until the time of the Memorial Service at 11am. Mike will be laid to rest at Rest Haven Memorial Cemetery in Evendale. Click here for Mike’s obituary.
Frank Koch, Mike’s close friend of 50+ years, wrote a very nice tribute detailing his contributions & achievements to the model railroading community & others which is available on the Cincinnati Div. 7 website here. Larry DeYoung, who provided many photos of Mike for use by the CRRC, Cincinnati Div. 7, & the NMRA, also provided a wonderful write-up about his friendship & adventures with Mike which you can read here.
Now it seems fitting to close with OVER & OUT . . . those same words Mike wrote as the title of his final magazine column as NMRA President in 2012.
Mike, may all your signals be green.
Mike (2nd from left) and many other club members working in the club car during one of the club’s many steam trips in this undated photo from the club archives. We can date this photo to 1988 or later based on the club’s square 50th Anniversary pin on the hat of the gentleman at the far right. (Cincinnati Railroad Club photo)
Railfanning Sand Patch with John Roberts (left) John Burchnall (right), and Larry DeYoung (not pictured) in April 1996. (Larry DeYoung photo)
1st Annual Summerail at Union Terminal in 1996
Pre-Show Prep: (L-R) Mike Brestel in the sound booth, Ron Flanary with back to camera working out a mic issue, & standing behind the projector carts are Dan Finfrock, Jerry Obert, & Dave Oroszi. Dave is using binoculars to adjust focus for the analog slideshow.
Summerail 1999
(L-R): Dave Oroszi, Ron Flanary (behind podium), Jim Corbett, Brad McClelland, Dale Brown, Mike Brestel, Kim Casagrande, and Paul Ramer
Summerail 2011
After completing pre-show prep work, Mike takes a break with Ron Flanary in Union Terminal’s Reakirt Auditorium before the doors are opened to Summerail attendees
Mike was also the long-time proprietor of Western Hills Photo & Hobby which combined his love for photography and trains (both model and prototype). I’m not exactly sure when he became the owner, but I can tell you my dad’s first 35mm camera was a Christmas present my mom bought from Mike at Western Hills Photo in the early 1980s, and many a roll of slides and prints were processed through his store. I also recall selling train magazines for Mike at the Div. 7 train show in the early 1980s when he was occupied with other customers at his store tables.
Here we see Mike hard at work in this 2006 photo by Larry DeYoung.
(Store photo by Western Hills Photo & Hobby)
A young Mike in 1978 photographing the motive power and environs at the C&O’s massive yard complex in Russell, KY northwest of Ashland. At the time, Russell Yard was reported to be the world’s largest railyard owned by a single company. The complex didn’t lack for interesting photography subjects, as the coal classification yard also had the Raceland Car Shop facilities on about 84 acres at its west end, consisting of 5 buildings (each serving a different purpose in the car building process, while the east end of the yard had the locomotive shop and the Railroad YMCA; a little farther east was RU Tower and the passenger depot. Definitely had lots of action to photograph at Russell back in the day!
(Larry DeYoung photo)
Thanks to Larry DeYoung, Ron Flanary, Don Phillips, Summerail, and Western Hills Photo & Hobby for sharing these photos with us.
