Model Railroad Hobbyist | July 2016 | #77 JULY NEWS column Richard Bale and Jeff Shultz James John Eager 1959 - 2016 James Eager died of cancer June 3, 2016, in Lakeland, FL. He was 57 years old. James had been an active railroad hobbyist since his boyhood days in Springfield, MA when he and his brother received Tyco train sets for Christmas. The interest in trains led to a father and sons layout in the basement and eventually a Boy Scout merit badge in Railroading. Throughout his adult life, James remained active in scouting and model trains. He became an Eagle Scout, with Bronze Palm, in 1974 and received a Silver Beaver Award earlier this year from the Florida Gulf Ridge Council. For the past eight years, James taught at the Merit Badge Academy where he instructed scouts and other scout leaders on achieving the XX THE LATEST MODEL RAILROAD PRODUCTS, NEWS & EVENTS • INDEX • TABLE OF CONTENTS