Anthony James
“Tony” DeMasi
Anthony James "Tony" DeMasi,
50, of
Many of you here
today, who have known Tony your entire lives, loved and understood him far
better than I ever could. Listening to
some of your “Tony stories” last night, I am aware that I never witnessed Tony
speeding around town in his Pinto, or his Duster, or his Fiero. Never had a chance to engage him in
competition in a
On behalf of the Richmond, Freelance & Prototype Model Railroaders, the Richmond Area Ntrakers, the members of the National Ntrak Association, the members of the National Model Railroad Association and the Mid-East Region of the NMRA, and the hundreds of model railroaders, collectors, railfans, friends and associates, who knew him simply as “Tony”, we are proud to offer this tribute to a great man, a bold leader, and a loyal friend.
Just a few days ago, I imagine that Anthony DeMasi, after a long, hard day at the hospital, was greeted by the Conductor at Richmond Station. “Now boarding, on Track 1, passenger express to St. Peters Gates.” And with a broad smile, underneath his signature New Haven Railroad baseball cap, Tony reached into his pocket, pulled out five singles, and asked the Conductor, “Will five bucks get me a cab-ride up front?” We all know if given the choice between the stairs or the elevator, Tony would take the train. Am I right?
There are not enough words in the English language to adequately describe the life, the times, the love, and the impact that Tony DeMasi had on all of us. But if he were here, I’m sure he would tell us exactly which words to use.
As a train collector, Tony could tell you that the value of a collectible train is determined by the quality of the piece and by the limited quantity of pieces produced prior to breaking the mold. Well, by any definition, Tony was a collector’s item. After God made Tony, he immediately broke the mold. In a train yard full of ordinary hoppers and basic boxcars, Tony was a bright red caboose. Make that a bright red caboose with colorful graffiti on the side.
When you met Tony for the first time, you almost certainly got the feeling that you had known each other for many years. From that day on, most people would say they became very good friends; some even to the point of being like family. And as he came to know you better, many will agree that Tony was a source of inspiration. An ever-present fountain of advice, Tony was sure to give it to you straight. You may not have liked everything he had to say or even agree with him, but he gave you an honest answer as to how he saw things. Honesty and straightforwardness were among his trademarks.
Among the dozens of model railroaders who contributed thoughts in the last few days to this tribute, the following words and phrases were mentioned repeatedly. Tony was an eternal optimist. He simply refused to accept “No” for an answer. If you wanted to become the subject of Tony’s good-natured ridicule, just tell him “It can’t be done” or “that’s impossible.” Tony was a dreamer and a perfectionist. You were better off not to stand in the way of any of his perfectly laid plans. At times you might hear him say, “Listen Bucko, it’s my way or the highway.” At the same time, Tony became known as an Ambassador for model railroading. He welcomed everyone, as a salesman into a showroom.
Tony is known, and adored by so many of us precisely because he left a lasting impression on everyone he ever met. Allow me to read a list of questions, the answer to all of which is “Tony.” Who always gets the last word? Tony. At every show, who ran the longest train? Tony. After the scenic train module is finished, whose idea was it? Tony’s. Who thought it would be a bold stroke of genius to host an uNconvention – the new and improved version of a convention? Tony did. And to host uNconvention, part Deux? Uh huh. Tony. Who could antagonize you for twenty minutes until you are red in the face, and then, at the end, compliment you and get you to buy him a cup of coffee? Tony could.
Tony was a trainman’s
trainman. A rail fan’s
rail fan. Tony grew up with
trains. I believe he said his Dad
operated a hobby store with trains. In
the early Nineties, he rekindled his interest in model railroading and joined
the RF&P Model Railroaders. Rather
than let his first heart attack and bypass surgery slow him down in 1996, Tony
instead forged a close and lasting friendship with another model railroader,
Tom Kaeser. Together they rebuilt a
module that Tony aptly named “DeMasi’s Dream.” It was an innovative track plan designed to
create more interesting train operations, generate excitement for the viewing
public, and inspire a sleepy
Despite all the railroad track
plans and the huge train collection he dubbed “The Wall of Shame,” to Tony, the most important aspect of model railroading was not
the trains themselves. Rather it was the
fellowship with other model railroaders.
Almost more important than a train show itself,
Tony valued the four-hour drive with friends to get there. He lived for the big Saturday night
banquets. The 6am
breakfasts at Denny’s on Route 10.
The ready-reserved table at Cracker Barrel in
Even more noble, Tony preached often that the self-satisfying hobby of model railroading should be shared with others. He actively promoted public shows at which raffle and gate revenues were given to the families of children with leukemia, cancer and other misfortunes.
Anyone who knew Tony for only 5 minutes quickly understood that he was passionate about everything in his life. He loved trains. He loved to watch real trains. He loved to collect trains. He loved to design train layouts and scenic railroad modules. He loved to run trains. Long trains. Lots of trains all at the same time. He loved debating about the intricate details of model railroad electrical wiring. Insulfrog! Electrofrog! AC versus DCC!
He loved the Yankees. Just this past Saturday he was gloating about
the Yankees’ 3-game sweep of the Red Sox.
Having grown up in
He loved his kids. He loved to talk about their accomplishments. We railroaders particularly saw Tony introducing his daughter Emily to the hobby – setting up and running her own trains. Backward. Down an occupied track. Just like her Daddy would. I remember Emily shouting at obstructing engineer, “Hey buddy, move your train!” I swear Tony laughed for five straight minutes. He was so proud.
He loved his wife. He loved that Carol understood that spending his time and his fortune on model railroading was the best way to keep him out of trouble. In an apparent effort to prove it, I am told that just last Friday, Tony attempted to buy an expensive camper (“only $400 bucks for 60 months” he exclaimed.) Fortunately for him, Carol refused to sign.
We are sure going to miss Tony. He provided so much energy and momentum to our local band of model railroaders. This year, serving yet again as RANTRAK’s President, he faithfully produced a monthly newsletter. I have selected several excerpts from the February issue of his monthly article entitled “Along the Shore Line.” These excerpts are not particularly exquisite literature. However, they represent a snapshot of the man we know and love. He writes:
Along
the Shore Line
It was good to see a few of our members who have been absent for a while. I know everyone was wondering what happened to you! Let's see those smiling faces every month . . .. This year is a busy one for RanTrak. In addition to the open houses, we are scheduled to participate in nine events already this year, so be prepared to lend a helping hand. Do not let a select few do all the work. We need full participation to make this work! . . . One plan I would like to put in place . . . is adding a new officer to the club, a vice president. This position will require a good deal of work, and in case the President does not finish out his term the VP would. In addition I am having a discussion, with a group that would like us to do another holiday show this year.
And then Tony concluded the article
with a sentence he used frequently. He
wrote:
So [now] it is time [for you] to decide just how far
you want to ride this train!
All
the way, Tony.
I’d like to ride that train with you all the way.
And so, I imagine that on Thursday
morning, Tony, sitting in the cab of that locomotive at Richmond Station, took
two long tugs on the train whistle. Then
he cracked a big smile and yelled, “All Aboard!” And with that, he steamed away down the
tracks.
God bless you Tony.