I am helping Aaron Heverin do some research about railroad sound recordists for his podcast "Living with Steam."
He is currently searching for information about Allan Sherry. Did anyone here know him or have any encounters with him? Any information or leads to potential sources will be very much appreciated.
There may be a future podcast about Mr., Sherry and his association with recordist Andrew M. Spieker if enough information can be found.
Thanks!
Ken Gear

I knew Al Sherry in the late 1960s-early 1970s, and did some railfan photo trips with him in the NY area. No family that I can recall, there may have been an estranged brother. He had some serious health problems later in life (a stroke, as I recall) and died about 20 years ago. He was very much a "character" and a strong personality.

A mutual friend (Ron Rosenberg- "Ron's Books", who passed about 5 years ago) told me that Sherry had been in a nursing home for his last few years, and as Ron described it, "The City came in and had his apartment cleaned out- it all went into the trash."

When I visited in the late 60s, the place was full of incredible railroad artifacts-- Grand Central Terminal roil signs by the dozen, rare lanterns, plus many unusual and valuable cameras, plus his vast negative and photo collection. He was certainly a hoarder, but it was all top notch stuff. I suspect it's all lost now.

Howard P.

PLEASE LET THIS BE A LESSON TO EVERYONE READING IT!

Do yourself, your heirs, and your community a favor.

If you have a collection of stuff, HAVE A PLAN for it.

Yes, I knew Allan Sherry. In the late 60's he became quite friendly with the Erie Lackawanna's dining car department. After the long distance trains stopped in 1970 he acquired a large amount of dining car stuff from the EL, plus he remained friends with many of the dining car employees, some of whom continued to work on the EL's commuter bar cars. About 15 years there was an auction on long island where I ago I was able to buy some of his stuff at auction but I often wondered what happened to the rest of it. I had many conversations with him in the early 2000's about dining car operations and I saw a lot of his stuff but he was never willing to let any of it go, even as his health declined and his ability to manage his stuff went away.

Ed makes an important point. I received a call from a long time steam fans son who informed me that his dad had suffered a stroke and was on his way to Hospice care. He said his dad had a complete set of Trains and Railroad magazines and a vast collection of steam photos numbering in the thousands from as far back as the 1930's.

I gave him a list of suggested contacts. I called him back some months later and learned that he was unable to generate any interest in the collection and that it went into the dumpster with all of his dad's " ancient" furniture and very old appliances.

Therefore, if you or someone you know is in a similar situation don't wait until the last minute to make arrangements lest it end up sadly in a dumpster.

Ross Rowland

[quote="co614” Therefore, if you or someone you know is in a similar situation don't wait until the last minute to make arrangements lest it end up sadly in a dumpster.

Ross Rowland[/quote]
Too true. We have a railfan son who knows what is and isn’t worth keeping, and even the “is” wouldn’t mean much if he didn’t know. Old EBT, OC and other tickets, pictures (all on his thumb drive,) JJ. Young’s book on local railroads, signed, some old Lionel with a backstory…)