Dr. James P. Strong III unexpectedly got called home to the Lord on Sunday, June 26, 2016. He passed on surrounded by family and embraced by an overwhelming show of love and support by friends and family around the world. Jim was most well-known in garden railway circles as the creator of the Woodland Railway in suburban Washington, DC, which was his passion since it began operation in 1980. To me, he was dad. He was my partner in crime when it came to things railroad-y. The Woodland Railway has been an incubator of ideas between us for its 36 years of operations, whether it be from the earliest days of figuring out how to lay the track, to sound and control systems, landscaping, building materials… it goes on and on. Even after I moved away from home, we still talked constantly about projects we were working on, and visits home inevitably involved some kind of project on the railroad.
Many found inspiration in his railroad. I had the distinct honor and pleasure of being continually taught and inspired by the mind behind it. I can only hope to continue his legacy of looking for new and inventive techniques for use in the garden. He will be missed.
It is the intention of the Woodland Railway staff to keep the railway in operation. Its CFO (aka “mom,” “Ruth”) intends to keep the regular schedule of operating sessions going in Jim’s honor and memory. So long as there are people willing to help keep the fires in the fireboxes lit, we will keep the trains running.
(And Bruce, I hope you don’t mind me using your photo.)
Later,
K
