Merrill ("Gus") Negus passed away on June 29, 2014. Gus served nine years in the US Navy on submarines, and worked 36 years for the Delaware & Hudson railroad as an engineer and also working for a number of years as assistant to the CMO. Throughout his railroad career he was a valuable source of technical information and assistance to museums and preservation organizations. Following his retirement from the railroad he was a dedicated volunteer on the USS SLATER, serving as the Chief Engineer and heading the effort to rebuild the Diesel engines and restore them to functionality. I heard that the SLATER flew the flag at half mast on the move back to Albany in honor of Gus.

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Gus was also actively involved in the ALCO Historical & Technical Society. He was a hard worker with a wealth of ALCO experience from his days on the D&H. He always had a good (and usually humorous) railroad story to tell. I only just saw him a little over a month ago at my hobby shop. He told me then how much better he was feeling after battling an illness earlier in the year. I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of his passing.

Photo of Gus Negus on USS SLATER with rebuilt and operable Cleveland Diesel 3-268A.