John Anderson (Cal Scale)

John Schow Anderson (1925 - 2000) was a design engineer and entrepreneur in the model railroading industry.

He was one of three cofounders of Associated Brass Products, Inc., a [http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/list.html California corporation] based in Pinedale, California (Fresno area).

Associated Brass Products, Inc.

The following three partners founded Associated Brass on June 2, 1959, organizing it as a [http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/list.html California corporation] :

:*John Schow Anderson:* [http://library.nmra.org/pages/walthers.html#Bruce Bruce Charles Bechtold] (b. 30 Jul 1929 - d. Nov 1967):*Harry Parker

The firm owned a foundry that manufactured model railroading products under the "Cal-Scale" brand. Bruce was the grandson of the Bechtold Stage Line family. He grew up living in the Denver home built by his grand parents about 1933. He was an Air Force veteran, having spent time at Castle Air Force Base, Merced, CA. Because of his model railroading interest, Oscar Neubert III, also an Air Force veteran, introduced Bruce to John and Harry. Bruce went to work for Kemtron after his release from the military. John, Bruce and Harry formed Associated Brass Products to be more in control of the use of their talents. John was a master die maker, Bruce a pattern maker and Harry supervised the plant.

The Associated Brass facility was located in Pinedale, California (Fresno County). The company manufactured some of the finest [http://users.lmi.net/drewid/Lost_Wax_Casting.html lost wax] brass castings ever produced for model railroading, many of which are still in production today.

[http://www.bowser-trains.com/ Bowser Manufacturing Co.] , a [http://www.corporations.state.pa.us/corp/soskb/csearch.asp Pennsylvania corporation] based in Montoursville, PA, purchased the Cal-Scale line from Anderson and Parker in June 1985. Anderson and Parker subsequently sold their commercial casting operation -- foundry, which included the property and physical plant at 7070 N Harrison Ave, Pindale -- to David Sciacca, who operates the plant today under the name, "Valley Brass & Bronz." Valley Brass does not produce model railroading products. Anderson and Parker never sold the corporate shell, Associated Brass Products, Inc.

Professional History

*Enlisted after World War II by M. Dale Newton to design for Red Ball Ltd. (founded 1939)
*Worked for Kemtron ... credited for putting Kemtron on the map
*Left Kemtron to start Cal-Scale with partner, Harry Parker.

Honor

*1998 [http://www.hmahobby.com/bios/JohnAnderson.html "Hall of Fame"] inductee, [http://www.hmahobby.com/ Model Railroad Industry Association (MRIA)] ; (Note: on July 1, 2005, MRIA became the Model Railroad Division of the [http://www.hmahobby.com/ Hobby Manufacturers Association] )

Obituary

John Schow Anderson died at the age 75 on November 6, 2000, in Hayward, California. John was born August 8, 1925, in Berkeley, CA. He attended schools there and graduated at age 18, just in time to be drafted and sent into combat during World War II. It was a mixed blessing -- both the scariest and most exhilarating experience of his life. He served in Special Forces under General Montgomery, behind the lines and in British uniform. He was eventually captured by the Germans. They cured his trench foot, healed his wounds and returned him to the American Forces -- a big surprise to him. He remained in Bath, England, for the rest of the war and had the thrill of seeing the lights of Bath go on once more on VE Day. He returned to Berkeley to study design engineering at [http://www.cca.edu/ California College of the Arts] ; whereupon in January 1950, he graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Arts. Shortly after, he moved to Oregon, settling in Medford, where he developed the model railroad line for Red Ball Ltd. John moved to Fresno in the early 1950's to work for Kemtron Corporation, developing their line of model railroad equipment.

In addition to model railroading, John was active in photography and authored articles for [http://www.trains.com/trn/ Trains Magazine] , the most recent of which (1999) was about [http://www.tuolumnemuseum.org/westside.htm West Side Lumber Company] narrow gauge logging operation in Tuolumne.

Wife

:In 1958, he married Barbara Dodd, daughter of a renown professor at Columbia Business School, David LeFevre Dodd, PhD. They were married August 21, 1958, at the Beach Haven Kynett (United Methodist Church) in New Jersey. Barbara is a 1950 graduate of the [http://www.georgeschool.org/ George School] in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania; in 1954, she received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from [http://www.stlawu.edu/ St. Lawrence University] in Canton, New York; and in 1956, she received a Master of Arts from [http://www.tc.edu Teachers College Columbia University] . [http://www.nmra.org/library/pages/walthers.html#Bruce Bruce Charles Bechtold] was an attendant at their wedding.

on and Daughter

:*David Anderson (married to Elizabeth); they have a daughter - Mollie

:*Gail Anderson

:John became involved with the YMCA, particularly with its father-son, father-daughter programs: Y-Indian Guides, Y-Indian Maidens, and Y-Trailblazers, and served on their boards.

:While the children were growing up, John wanted to again be involved with the military; so, he joined the California State Military Reserve. He reached the rank of Colonel before he was forced to retire because of a stroke.

:The Andersons were Anglophiles and took several trips to the British Isles to enjoy their life-long love of architecture and antiques. :For six of his final years, John lived at [http://sanjoaquingardens.com/ San Joaquin Gardens] , in Fresno. John was cremated, and the memorial service did not take place until the following summer, when his ashes were taken to his beloved island off the coast of Maine.

ee also

See also John Schow Anderson in the "Obituary - Daughter" section of David Dodd.