Jesse Livingston

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Pontiacguy1
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:15 am
Location: Tennessee, USA

Jesse Livingston

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

Jesse Livingston, AKA Unka Jesse from Troy Tn, passed away yesterday 3/21/2019, after a heart attack. He was the same Jesse Livingston who was a regular contributor to Live Steam magazine for nearly 20 years, and was also editor of the Mid-South Live Steamers' newsletter "Southern Steam" for almost the same length of time. He was one of the true legends in the hobby and was a fountain of knowledge of almost all things steam and mechanical.

I haven't seen Jesse in about 7 or 8 years now. His advancing age and deteriorating health led him to stop attending MSLS meets around that time, and he sold off all of his locomotives and rolling stock about 2 or 3 years ago. He had built at least 5 or 6 different locomotives in 7 1/2" gauge, and had also built many stationary steam locomotives of various types.

Jesse was always very interested in the oddities of the steam world, and his projects tended to reflect that. Projects such as a two cylinder oscillating slide valve locomotive, and the Filer and Stowell oscillating cylinder steam locomotive. Both of these were series that ran in Live Steam back in the 1990s and early 2000's.

He will be missed by those who knew him.
RET
Posts: 960
Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:36 am
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by RET »

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear that.

Although he hasn't been active on chaski for quite some time, I'm sure many will miss his comments. I know I for one always appreciated his ideas and replies. They were always informative and well worth considering. He was always polite, humorous and kind.

Richard Trounce.
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PeterCraymer
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Location: Maysville, Ga.

Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by PeterCraymer »

Unka Jesse was a great source of information and generally a nice guy and willing to share. He liked to simplify things - meaning uncomplicate them even when building something odd or complicated! It's been a few years since I made it to any MSLS meets myself, but as a beginner in the hobby with either no equipment or a wooden box on a tender frame, I was never turned away with any question I had for him. He would setup his canopy over the steaming bay and tinker half the day, make a couple laps and go back to tinkering. He will be missed.
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Fred_V
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Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by Fred_V »

I always looked forward to seeing Jesse at the meets. I would get a steaming bay near him if possible and we enjoyed many good conversations. He was a gentleman of the old school.
Fred V
Pensacola, Fl.
Oilcan
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Location: Northern Michigan

Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by Oilcan »

Sad to hear of Unka Jesse's passing. I always enjoyed receiving his articles, email dialogs, and phone calls. His efforts were quite instrumental in perpetuating the live steam hobby. He will be missed by the hobby and the readers of LSOR.
Editor Emeritus - Live Steam & Outdoor Railroading
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Fender
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Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by Fender »

I never met Jesse in person, but corresponded via email. In addition to writing many articles for LS&OR, he had a lot of good stories about his days working in the Jackson TN shops of the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio RR.
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
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Benjamin Maggi
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Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by Benjamin Maggi »

I hadn't seen him on the board since 2008. In fact, when I did see him I was surprised because before that he had been gone for a long period.

http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/vie ... hilit=unka
"One cannot learn to swim without getting his feet wet." - Benjamin Maggi
- Building: 7.25" gauge "Sweet Pea" named "Catherine"
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gwrdriver
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Location: Nashville Tennessee

Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by gwrdriver »

Thanks for passing that along.
R.I.P. Jesse
GWRdriver
Nashville TN
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Dick_Morris
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Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by Dick_Morris »

Sorry to hear that. I have exchanged emails with him for several years, often prompted when he found a photo on Shorpy the caught his fancy that he sent to me and a few others. The most recent was on February 25. We would often spend time discussing all the little details that were evident in those sharp B&W photos.

RIP Jesse.
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mikeyg
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Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by mikeyg »

I'm sorry to hear that as well. We corresponded on Falk construction for a number of years and was always helpful. And a quite a character too. I'll treasure his emails.

Fair winds and following seas.
Rich_Carlstedt
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Re: Jesse Livingston

Post by Rich_Carlstedt »

Truly a nice guy.
Have not communicated with him for many years, but he was special.
RIP Jesse

Rich
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