Ron Brown Memorial Award

Ron Brown loved all his hobbies — radio controlled airplanes, hang gliding, dirt bikes, organic gardening, apiarism (honey bee farming), guns, camping, sailing, boating, fishing — but he loved trains the most.

Not just any trains, but small-scale live steam trains.  Each and every one of the steamers or “would be” steamers he touched recognized his unbounded enthusiasm for our little locomotives. With a booming voice and a wonderful laugh, Ron would swat away any arguments one might have about joining the hobby or expanding one’s railroad.

In 1990, Ron and his faithful assistant — wife Marie — started Steam in the Garden magazine as a way to organize and encourage North American small-scale live steamers.  Together, Ron and Marie published the magazine six times a year (mostly) for the next 20 years.

In October 2010, at age 70, Ron passed away. In his 30 years in the hobby, two-thirds of which he was publishing its leading magazine, Ron touched thousands upon thousands of hobbyists and potential hobbyists. He was called “the quintessential live-steam evangelist.”

The organizers of the Summer Steamup decided that an award should be given each year to memorialize Ron and his enthusiasm for the small-scale live steam hobby.

The idea behind the plaque is to remind steamers of Ron’s belief that having fun playing trains is the most important part of the hobby.

Winners: