Saturday, June 24, 2017

E. L. Moore reconnects with Bill Rau

Aqua Motel and Apartments - West Palm Beach, Florida. 197-. Black & white photonegative, 4 x 5 in. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory , accessed 24 June 2017.

I've been re-reading all the E. L. Moore material in preparation for working on a Wikipedia article about him. I want to see if I've forgotten or overlooked anything. One thing I did find was this letter from Bill Rau, an associate editor at Model Railroader, to E. L. Moore in response to Mr. Moore's submission of a manuscript called, Inter Changeable Coal or Wood Timber load. It gives a little insight into how Bill Rau and E. L. Moore got acquainted and became friends.

November 12, 1963

Mr. E. L. Moore
525 Oakland Ave., Apt. 3
Charlotte 4, N. C.

I'll wager you'll be surprised, E. L.,

when you read the signature at the bottom of this letter. The last time I wrote to you was from West Palm Beach when I was running the Aqua Motel there, remember?

I have been happily ensconced at Kalpubco as associate editor of Model Railroader since the middle of last month, and am particularly happy to greet as a contributor one of my favorite writers on old-time model railroad subjects.

We just received your little filler about interchangeable tender loads . . . we all got a big kick out of it; and I hope you will get a bit of a kick from the enclosed check for $15 in payment.

Linn and Andy said to say "Hello!" to you.

Personally, I hope you will remember Model Railroader first with any more articles you have about the buildin' and doin's on the Elizabeth Valley.

Sincerely,
signed Bill Rau
Associate Editor

P.S. I went through Charlotte on my way up (stopping at Pittsburgh to see mine and my wife's family) but was in a hurry to get up and get started here. Otherwise I would have stopped in to say "Hello" in person. I sincerely hope to meet you some day. I have always enjoyed your writings because I'm an old time buff too.

The article was eventually published in the January 1968 issue of Model Railroader.

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