Tom Rock 25th Anniversary Painting of Etowah L & N Depot

Tom Rock of Cleveland, Tenn., has just released his 25th Anniversary Print of the Etowah L & N Depot. Tom’s expertise for detail has brought depot and train lovers requesting more. It has been 25 years since Mr. Rock introduced Etowah and the surrounding counties with his painting, called “Joint Effort”, a scene at the beautiful Historic Etowah L & N Depot during 1944 as “Mike No.1529 is topping off her tank in preparation for the day in the switching yard,” Mr. Rock tells me, “and double header First No.53 South is trying to get her tonnage started so she can head for Atlanta.” When you check out this print, as well as numerous others, you will understand why Mr. Rock receives continuous requests for this 25th Anniversary print.

Tom Rock moved his family from Detroit, Mich., to Cleveland, Tenn., in 1978. He was interested in art as a child and through the encouragement of his father, he took drafting courses in high school which introduced him to the field of graphic arts. He produced his first painting in 1972, under the guidance of NASA Technical Illustrators. Tom has mastered realism in acrylics over the last 30 years. He is a self-taught artist who loves railroad depots and trains. With much research, he has devoted his art to the themes of the depots and railroad still life as it was when these steam engines were still alive with dust flying as they made their way through history of past times.

Tom has devoted much time over the last number of years to L & N and Southern Railway depots located between Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tenn. It would be no surprise to find Tom Rock wondering around old depots or sitting on a bank above a train track along nature’s path, waiting on a train to come down the track. Tom has recorded and videoed numerous trains as they go from different cities across the country. He has videos that he sells so that you too can watch different engines traveling on different historic tracks and those still chugging along during special trips and seasonal excursions.

Tom invites you to check out his blog page or website www.TDRProductions.us. Train enthusiasts will enjoy his website where they can view his other prints depicting steam engines and Southern depots. You’ll enjoy the history Tom gives you with each painting; some of his titles are “Pardon Me Boy IS That the Chattanooga Choo Choo”; “Steams Final Hour”, “Crew Change”, “Waiting On 33”, and an amazing painting called “Pride of the Central (NYC)” depicting the “Super Hudson” as it storms out of the twin tunnel at Oscawanna, N.Y.

Tom works long hours and travels by net and highway to research his subject, making sure of every detail, then puts his brush to a canvas and his vision makes the time and effort all worth while. His art is some of the best and most detailed of any artist you’ll find. He wants to make sure the scenes he paints are historically correct for the time period in which the trains were on the rail and the depots operated. You will see he has the name and operating numbers for each train he has focused in his paintings as well.

The 25th Anniversary print called, “Joint Effort” is now available and can be purchased by calling Tom Rock at 423-472-9600 or emailing him a note at TDRProd@aol.com. When you purchase this signed and numbered print, you will also receive a DVD of a 20-minute video that was recorded on Nov. 27, 1988 during the festivities at the L & N Depot surrounding the official signing of this print. The video will bring back memories to many in the Etowah area, as they recognize some of those that attended that special signing. There were many workers and retirees of the L & N Railroad, including several who have passed away in the last 25 years. These prints will not last long. Be sure to tell Tom Rock that you read about the 25th Anniversary print, “Joint Effort” in The Busy Bee Trader.

By Maxine B. Jones, Ocoee, Tennessee