Last Run, Dr. Mark Bing, M.D.

[makinsmoke]

Long time Katy Railroad fan, member of the live steam community, retired medical doctor in Katy, Texas, past team doctor for the Katy Tigers, loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many passed away last night.

I met Mark when the Katy Model Railroad Club began meeting in the back of his office next to Landry's on I10 off Mason Road. One evening as we were closing up he wandered back and asked if I had ever seen live steam train stuff. I said no. He invited me to his house and we walked the track and went through his shop. Then we ran his diesel. Well I was hooked. Several meets gave me the opportunity to learn how to operate his Mogul and Joe Bailey's Consol, and meet some of the most amazing people ever. Then he asked me to go with him to a meet in Comanche. We piled everything into his Dakota including a couple of dozen new wood ties (because that's what you did), and five hours later and near midnight we arrived in Comanche. That was my first trip to the C&IG, and provided more opportunities to learn and meet even more people like Fred Springer and K Vollrath, who's photos I'd been looking at for years.

I believe in my heart he was the kindest person I have ever known. He and his family showed me how friendship, love, and affection can make the world a better place, and we are all at a loss without him. I am sad for Kelly, Ethan, Eliza, Mariel, Natalie, Elliot, and all his grandchildren and family. I am grateful they were kind enough to share him with me, and us. His medical practice and long career as team physician with the Katy Tigers will be remembered by many others. But I will say this. I am a better person for having known him. Godspeed, Mark. Thanks for the friendship, help and memories. I suspect you and Roy, Harry, Fred, C.T., K, Ray, Rich, and others of the gang are sitting on the wall at Indian Gap waiting for the next guy to unload.

High greens, My Friend.

[sbalkum]

Oh the stories I can tell running on Mark's railroad in Katy. It was just a walk from my parents' house back then.

Katy is playing for (one of the many) state championship this Saturday. (Crazy playing high school football in January.) I know Mark will be cheering. Go Tigers!

-Stephen

[Greg_Lewis]

What a beautiful tribute, Makinsmoke. I hope you will send that to the family.

[Harold_V]

What a beautiful tribute, Makinsmoke. I hope you will send that to the family.

Indeed! Very eloquently stated.

H

[Rob Gardner]

Didn't I read once that Dr. Bing was responsible for buying/saving Frank Mann's ATSF 2-10-4 when Frank had to move back to the Houston area to take care of family or when he had taken ill himself some years ago?

Rob Gardner

[makinsmoke]

Hello Rob,
Yes the 5001 does belong to the Bings, acquired by Mark from Frank’s family.

I first saw it disassembled and under a workbench, needing at minimum a new boiler. Ray Pennell built one, but it was many years before it was installed and the locomotive reassembled. Mark worked with Vance Nickerson to get it running again and test runs followed at HALS in Houston where Mark and his son Elliott saw it run, and Elliott operated it.

It is now in the care of Danny Click and myself, and with the help of Vance and several others, its working it’s way up to full time operation at the C&IG.

Take care,
Brian