December 21, 2006
CINCINNATI - Don Dover, 83, who as editor of the locomotive newsmagazine "Extra 2200 South," increased its coverage to national status, died from complications of Parkinson's disease and diabetes on Monday, Dec. 18. Noted diesel authority and author Jerry Pinkepank founded the magazine as a newsletter among diesel-enthusiast friends in 1961 while in college (the number came from his hometown street address in Lansing, Mich.). Dover and his family took it over in 1968 and built it into a strong magazine that tracked diesel locomotive news and histories; they produced 90 issues, beginning with No. 1 in January 1968, from their home in suburban Sharonville.
Dover, who had been in management for Ford Motor Co., insisted on high standards for the magazine, in both reporting and the photographs he and staffers chose to publish (he was assisted on-site mainly by son Dan, and friend Dick Will). Extra 2200 South was known for its extensive diesel data and regularly featured large, detailed, and often-serialized rosters of Class 1 systems. "Extra 22" had a high degree of accuracy, from items generated by its participatory subscribers, and became as much a research tool in perpetuity as a news source. It continues to serve as such today, published in British Columbia by Doug Cummings, whose first issue as editor was No. 91, dated April-May-June 1991.
Dover was always willing to help others develop their data efforts, assisting them on what to look for, where to check, and what was needed in regard to locomotive history, not only with diesels but other types of locomotives as well. Dick Will, who remains an Associate Editor of Extra 2200 South today, said in an e-mail, "My own sentiment is that Don through Extra 2200 South made it legitimate to record, photograph, collect data, and talk technical about diesel locomotives the same way several generations had talked about steam locomotives. In his own way, he paved the road for all of today's diesel locomotive annuals and directories and books on single (locomotive) models and model families that we enjoy today."
There will be no services, and burial will be private. Don is survived by wife Dottie, daughter Diane, and son Dan.
CINCINNATI - Don Dover, 83, who as editor of the locomotive newsmagazine "Extra 2200 South," increased its coverage to national status, died from complications of Parkinson's disease and diabetes on Monday, Dec. 18. Noted diesel authority and author Jerry Pinkepank founded the magazine as a newsletter among diesel-enthusiast friends in 1961 while in college (the number came from his hometown street address in Lansing, Mich.). Dover and his family took it over in 1968 and built it into a strong magazine that tracked diesel locomotive news and histories; they produced 90 issues, beginning with No. 1 in January 1968, from their home in suburban Sharonville.
Dover, who had been in management for Ford Motor Co., insisted on high standards for the magazine, in both reporting and the photographs he and staffers chose to publish (he was assisted on-site mainly by son Dan, and friend Dick Will). Extra 2200 South was known for its extensive diesel data and regularly featured large, detailed, and often-serialized rosters of Class 1 systems. "Extra 22" had a high degree of accuracy, from items generated by its participatory subscribers, and became as much a research tool in perpetuity as a news source. It continues to serve as such today, published in British Columbia by Doug Cummings, whose first issue as editor was No. 91, dated April-May-June 1991.
Dover was always willing to help others develop their data efforts, assisting them on what to look for, where to check, and what was needed in regard to locomotive history, not only with diesels but other types of locomotives as well. Dick Will, who remains an Associate Editor of Extra 2200 South today, said in an e-mail, "My own sentiment is that Don through Extra 2200 South made it legitimate to record, photograph, collect data, and talk technical about diesel locomotives the same way several generations had talked about steam locomotives. In his own way, he paved the road for all of today's diesel locomotive annuals and directories and books on single (locomotive) models and model families that we enjoy today."
There will be no services, and burial will be private. Don is survived by wife Dottie, daughter Diane, and son Dan.
