Welcome to John Ohler's web page.

I retired from the Grumman Corporation in 1989 after 43 years. My last position was as Vice President of Marketing for the Grumman Allied Division. Anticipating retirement, I decided to pursue a lifelong dream of building a live steam locomotive. I had always admired the engineering aspects of Lima Locomotive Works Shay and decided to build one. I started in 1980 making patterns to have parts cast and started to learn the machinist's trade. By the time I retired I had many parts ready to assemble.

Being retired afforded me all the time I needed to really make progress. By 1994 I had the engine, trucks, frame and the boiler complete. At that time I happened upon the Poway-Midland Railroad in Poway, California. This group was restoring a steam locomotive built by Baldwin in 1907. Wow! here's the real thing just waiting for a train buff like myself. I joined the Poway-Midland Railroad Volunteers and was elected President the following year. As my involvement grew in Poway, my interest in the Shay waned. I fact, it stopped completely and I decided to sell the LIMA 40-2 SHAY. A detailed description and specifications are part of this web site.

Recently I've become interested in radio controlled electric powered model airplanes. Airplanes were always another of my interests. In fact, they were the reason I became an aeronautical engineer and went to work at Grumman. So far I've built three models, just simple flyers. One is called the Whisper and is really a powered sailplane. The other is called the Dragonfly and is about as basic as an airplane could be. My next project will be a 1/12th scale model of the P-38 Lightning, a WWII twin engine fighter. I'm in the process of learning to fly these airplanes and have a simulator program to help me.

My email address is johler@Ohler.com.