Fan Shares OLD


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These original watercolors were found in a thrift shop in Waupaca, and recovered by a new fan. They are now in the Milwaukee area, They measure roughly 10 x 14 each.
If you are interested in these please contact us to help you get in touch with the current owners. Thank you Chantelle


This original watercolor painting was found in a thriftshop near Gil Reid’s studio in Elm Grove, WI.
It now lives in a loving home full of many of Gil’s other works near Portland, Oregon.

A fan named Austin reached out to enquire about a Gil Reid original he had recently seen during a visit to Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, NC. Chris Robbins, President of Tweetsie Railroad got in touch with us and shared photographs of two ’56 Gil Reid originals that they have as well as the following stories:

The first painting shows the ET&WNC Railroad #12 locomotive (which is still in operation here at Tweetsie Railroad). My uncle, Grover C. Robbins Jr., purchased locomotive #12 in 1955, and opened Tweetsie Railroad in 1957. This painting shows the locomotive at Linville Gap sometime between 1918 and 1940, with Grandfather Mountain in the background. The location of this scene is very recognizable today from busy NC Highway 105, which closely follows the original route of the ET&WNC. This painting has been in possession of the Robbins family since the 1950’s; I remember, as a child, seeing it in Grover’s office.

I acquired the other watercolor original (below) just a few weeks ago [Aug 2021]. A longtime family friend and business associate of Grover C. Robbins Jr. had passed away, and the painting was given to us by his family. This person had actually bought Grover’s summer home in the mid 1960’s and the painting probably came with the house. Since both works are dated 1956, I’m guessing that Grover had a personal contact with Gil Reid and acquired both paintings at roughly the same time. This particular painting is what I would call a “mashup”, and depicts a hybrid #12 in an imaginary location. The locomotive is depicted partly how it appeared during a brief life at the Shenandoah Central Railroad in Harrisonburg, VA (1953-54) with Confederate battle flags and “12 TWEETSIE” shown on the locomotive cab . . . and partly in it’s original “ET&WNC” livery on the tender.

You may find more on the Wikipedia article “East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad” and this article entitled “Tweetsie Comes Home“.

Thank you so very much Austin and Chris Robbins for bringing these stories to the rest of the Gil Reid fans!



“This watercolor was left in the attic of an old apartment building my parents bought in the late 80s. I have always loved this painting and was recently gifted it by my mother. “


“My wife’s father purchased a Gil Reid painting when both were residents of Elm Grove. While not of the train genre, this barn painting is magnificent in its detail and has hung in our home for years. The barn once stood on Bluemound Rd.”

This painting was recently found at a Janesville, WI Goodwill shop and the new owner is looking for an interested buyer. It appears to be in fantastic condition but if you are interested in contacting the new owner, please connect via the Contact Us Link above


For Sale A fan whose father worked with Gil at Kalmbach Publishing has shared these 3 incredible original prints. They appear to be in very good shape and I’m really excited to share them with you. If you are interested in inquiring about purchasing one or more of these, please Contact Us so we can help you get in touch with the owner “Chuck”.


An Elm Grove native shared photos of his family’s prized Reid painting of the Dousman Stagecoach Inn depicted at it’s original location on Watertown Plank Road/Bluemound. The building was later moved North along Pilgrim Road and now houses the Elmbrook Historical Society. This family said that all 8 brothers worked at the Halfway House restaurant just East of the original Dousman House, at the site now home to Walgreens.


A friend informed me that her husband had commissioned this original painting from Gil back in 1975. It remains secure in it’s original plastic sleeve.

She shared the story: ” He and his cousin used to jump on the train north or south of town [Defiance, Iowa] and ride it in to town, getting off at his uncles’s lumber yard building.  This is so reminiscent of that area.  I wonder if he did on the spot commissions; its simplest city might suggest that.”


A fan picked up this Reid original (10×14) watercolor at a thrift store. He requested if anyone out here knows anything about this painting (i.e. history, setting, when it was painted to please get in touch.


“My wife purchased these original watercolors for me in 1976 when we still lived in Milwaukee for my 30th birthday.  They were purchased at the “Collector’s Gallery” at the Milwaukee Art Center.  


“I lived in Brookfield from 1969 to 1970. At the age of 11-12 years my interest in trains was well-developed, thanks to my Grandpa who would take me to watch the Long Island Railroad during summer visits.

One day our family visited Brookfield Mall and discovered
Gil Reid and his works. I can honestly say I spent hours looking at his paintings and loving it.

Mom and Dad saw my eye was especially keen on this Soo Line 708 painting (images attached). Lo and behold, that Christmas it was a gift to me. It hangs in my home to this day.

I managed to find a photo of this locomotive online, too.

Thanks for keeping Mr. Reid’s work available to the train-loving public.”


Kansas City Union Station – The Glory Days 525 prints were reproduced, for the NMRA’s Mid-Continent Region conference in 1984. It’s called Kansas City Union Station – The Glory Days. It measures roughly 14 x 28. Gil was actrually there at the National Train Show and signed the prints individually if one so so desired


For Sale

KPC-Crescent Limited

A friend and colleague of Gil is interested in selling this painting:

“Provenance: Renowned railroad artist Gil Reid created this painting in 1976 on a commission for Hugh Stephens, a native of Virginia and a lifelong Southern Railway fan. After a postwar career in the early years of the airline industry, Stephens served for many years in the 1950s and ’60s as Vice President-Sales for Kalmbach Publishing Co., then formed Amro Ltd., a model-railroad important company. In the 1980’s and ’90s, he was the executive secretary for the Model Railroad Industry Association. Stephens, who died in 2004, is a member of the Model Railroad Industry Hall of Fame. The painting, “Southern Gothic,” depicts the Crescent somewhere in Virginia behind a Ps4-class 4-6-2. It includes Gil Reid’s original signature. “

Please use the contact us link at the top if you are interested in getting in touch with the owner.


“I have a Gil Reid watercolor that I am interested in selling.  On the bottom of the watercolor it says ” Proposed watercolor painting for William J Dewitt, III.,  20 by 14 (or larger).  Signed by Gil Reid on 02/24/76.  It is not in the greatest of shape, but a very cool Gil Reid, none the less.”

Please use the contact us link at the top if you are interested in getting in touch with the owner.


Noonday Water Stop

Special thanks to Chris from Russiaville, IN, who sent along a note that this painting is called “Noonday Water Stop”. This is the painting mentioned in Ernie Pyle’s book “Brave Men”. He painted it in 1939 and 1940. It was Gil’s first published painting (1943, Trains Magazine) and he was deployed overseas at the time. This was the painting that launched his career as a railroad artist.
I found this Reid print listed for sale on Ebay. The seller indicated “To the best of my knowledge the print was offered for sale in the 1950’s by trains magazine.”


He informs this is this a signed/numbered print:

“Some of these are private commissionings and my not have been widely seen.

Beautiful Gil Reid autographed  in 1998. This was a private commissioning. This is print #3 of 100. The print measures approximately 18 x 14 and is in perfect condition. Never mounted, matted, or exposed to light.

Joe Zimmerman
jzatben@hotmail.com


FOR SALE SOLD

These 5 originals have been sold and have a very happy new owner!

A customer is interested in selling all five of these original paintings:

Note one of these is the original Pennsylvania RR T-1 watercolor and was used by Kalmbach for one of their covers some time ago.


FOR SALE

A customer is interested in selling these paintings. He calls them framed originals and says he bought them around 1970 in Rockford, IL. That are in very good shape.

The other painting is of the old Brookfield, WI Milwaukee Rd depot. The Cannonball used to stop here.

Please contact me to get in touch with the owner.


FOR SALE

One Gil Reid fan indicates he purchased these directly from Gil at an Art show at the Mount Mary College in Wauwatosa, WI sometime in the early 70’s.

Both paintings are 14″ x 22″, framed to 22″ x 29″

If you are interested in purchasing either of these paintings directly from the seller, please contact us using the “Contact US” link at the top of the page



Recently sold for $400, this original watercolor has a title: “Wet Steel” on the back along with a note that says “Brookfield”. I don’t think the scene depicted here is Brookfield, WI (Gil’s hometown)

Does anyone know the story here?

The light in the center/top unfortunately is the camera flash.


Print For Sale Signed & Numbered

Gil Reid’s signed and numbered #62/100 print of UP 2-8-0 #440 at the North Freedom WI Depot.

Originally sold as a fund-raiser for the Mid-Continent Railroad Museum, this limited edition professionally framed and matted print is no longer available. The print is in great condition according to the owner.

The owner was asking $450 for this print. Please contact us to get in touch with this seller.

The print is located in the Lake Mills/Madison, WI area, otherwise buyer would be responsible for shipping and insurance costs.


Names of Ships Pictured: “William H Downer” and “Katherine”

Names of Ships Pictured: “William F Soiez” and “Henry Phipps” and “Henry H. Rae..(?)”

Name of Ship Pictured: ”Maitland No 1, Roen Steamship Co.”

One fan shared these three originals of ships from their collection.
He said:

My dad loves ships from the Great Lakes. His father was a chief engineer on an ore boat back in the 1920s. My dad is 85 and when I asked him where he met Gil Reid he couldn’t remember. He had him paint the attached pictures back in the middle 70s. I think most of these were from the area around Jones Island in Milwaukee.

If anyone has any more information on these paintings, we are interested in hearing what you know.


One fan sent this original that is in their collection and they’re interested in selling it. It is currently not framed. The inset on the photo show the signature “Gil Reid-Brookfield, Wis Sept 24, 1967”.

Does anyone have any more information about this painting or its subject, or interested in purchasing?

Contact TridentofNaples at Earthlink dot net


This one-of-a-kind original was painted by Gil and he gave it to me as a graduation gift. It is very special to me. It depicts our shared hometown depot in Brookfield (Wis) on the former Milwaukee Road/Soo Line (now CP). This is the same depot in “The CannonBall“, “Day Express Doubleheader“.


Jon Barber had this print but Gil could not recollect the story around the painting or when he had done it.