You may have been wondering where I have been, I left Sunday left for Chiloquin, Oregon. I went to see Train Mountain, the largest miniature railroad in the world. It is
7 1/2 gauge live steam, with 24 miles of track 14 of it main line. I only rode 2 miles of the track operated by the Over the Hill live steamers; it was a great ride. I went armed with my 35mm, the most powerful camera in the world it will blow your head clean off, or at least take a mighty good picture of it. I am still getting the film processed so no pictures yet. I got to talk with the founder of Train Mountain. I even road behind a
UP 4-8-4, but alas it ran out of fuel on the trip after mine, too bad I couldn’t get to follow it to Train Mountain’s fuel dock, only members can do that. It is very impressive up there. I hope to get a train of my own and become a member of Train Mountain. This is it, the biggest model railroad in the world.
So, when talking with a few of the guys there, I discovered what I feared to be true, you need a lathe and a milling machine to build a steam locomotive. Doesn’t anyone make a easy to build steam locomotive, I would prefer American design?
Two or three months ago, after watching Grand Scale Trains on RFD TV, I sent filled out the form for a free Mountain Car Company catalogue, I have yet to receive one. Has anybody else had this problem?
Where is a good place to look for used live steamers, and diesels?
James when you find a spare $10,000, you can start shopping for used live steam engines. If you can only scrape up $5,000, you can get a decent battery powered or gasoline powered diesel.
I’m waiting for someone to come out with a “Ready To Roll” live steam locomotive. Imagine the uproar in the live steam community if Athearn or somebody decided to tap into that market.
James, I spent a little over a year as a member of the local grand scale club. You don’t need to be a metalergist, you need to be a machinist. Having access to the tools and the skills to use them is what it takes to be into live steam. I didn’t have the money or the skills to to do it seriously, and considered anything less to be a tease, so I went back to my basement. Maybe some day, maybe not.
Live steam is the coolest. [:D]
That said, I just don’t see myself having the time and/or money in the near future. You can start off and build a nice steamer for $10k if you have the time, the skill, and access to a good mill and lathe. I have the access and skill, but not the time or money right now. My dream is to have a live steam Berkshire in Pere Marquette paint. See http://www.realtrains.com/lococ.html. I did call the company, and all of the pieces, less assembly and machining would be around $18k. Fully assembled with all the bells and whistles (pun intended[:D] ) would be around $80k. Maybe after retirement many moons from now. For now my garden and basement empire will have to do.
I used to live in Michigan about 15 miles from the second largest 7 1/2 inch gauge railroad in North America. http://www.whitecreekrr.com/ I had the opportunity to operate there several times and really enjoyed it. I even had the chance to take a live steamer for a spin. Oh the wonderful smell of soot and ash in your face!
How about this it will only need final asembly and should be ready in a year. How many people could one of these pull.http://www.realtrains.com/locob.html
It’s interesting you should post this now. I just found out the new company I work for has a customer that buys his steel from us and has us do some machining for him. He builds 7+ live steam loco’s. If you refer to my web page, in the Lynnville Train Museum section, the live steam 7+ gauge loco pic there was built by him.I told the bosses to introduce me to this guy the next time he comes in.Maybe I can get you more info after meeting him.That Train Mountain special on RFD was FANTASTIC. I wish I had a half Mil$ to do somthing like that.
I was looking at that. That model turns out to be a narrow gauge engine at that scale on that gauge of track. Proportionally it is more than double the size, meaning that cars would most likely need to be scratch built from the trucks up. It will certainly have more power than an inch and a half version. I’m not sure how much that one could pull, maybe 4 or 5 cars with one adult each. Grade is going to make all the difference.
The more interesting question is, how do you ride it? It is almost too large to straddle. Does the engineer have his feet in the tender with a seat toward the back? Perhaps he rides in a car behind, and uses a long handeled shovel to stoke it. One other potential problem I see is it may be a little unstable because of it’s high center of gravity and relatively narrow wheel base.
I didn’t see a price list, I wonder how much?
I just read the description more carefully and saw that it is a 2 foot gauge model. Looking at that front view drawing, it would have to be about 9 or 10 scale feet wide. That is around 36", meaning cars would be open top, ride inside. Engineer would probably sit on the tender’s water tank, leaving nice leg space, and room for a coal bucket. Maybe extended controls. Some club layouts may have clearence problems for this engine, widthwise.
This still doesn’t answer the scale question. Is 1 1/2 = to 1/8 scale, just a guess? If not what scale is it and how can you tell? Thanks for the warning on the size I will check this out before making any plans to get one. I too would like to see a price list, but the model won’t be available for about a year. Perhaps it would look similar to one of these, it is much wider than you would expect, and this picture came from the mystery
Train Mountain is increditable. As a member there are three or four organized operating weekends, preceeded by two or three work days (better known as knee time) About 3,000 feet of track is laid during a the work days. Talk about sectional track, panels of preassembled each about 12ft long are lain on professionally graded roadbed. Fantastic fun with some HARD work. Check out these links.
Thanks! Of course I already have the Train Mountain website book marked. Thanks for the links. Since you are a member, maybe could you tell me? Do you only run on the weekends or could you take a vacation up there for a week and run trains? Also where do you store your equipment, and is there a charge? I heard something about old shipping containers.
As I have been checking out the locomotives, thanks to the links listed on Train Mountains website, how exactly do you fire a coal powered steam locomotive? Do you need to break you coal down really small? How do you get it in the firebox?
James, that engine in the link looks about right for the size. Just a different wheel arrangement. The scale is an odd one, between quarter size and third size, closer to third which would be 4" to the foot. It’s kind of like what happens in G, where the models are proportioned all over the place to fit the common track. In this case it turns out to be 3-3/4" to make the 7-1/2" track 2 foot gauge.
You might have to break up the coal, but if I remember correctly, clubs buy it by the bag in pretty small chunks to start with. That firebox is going to be a decent size, busting coal should be the least of your troubles. Each engine is a little different, but there should be a door on the firebox that you open and a small shovel to stoke it with. You will also have a poker to use to tend the fire, which often doubles as your means of opening the door.
Of course if you don’t want to stoke it, there’s always propane. A lot less messy, and less maintenance too. Almost instant on fire, but you don’t get that smell of burning coal. You also don’t get cinders in your eyes, and come home covered in soot. That may be half the fun.
Remember they don’t call it live steam for nothing. It really is alive, it breathes, and you have to feed and water it.
My suggestion is that you hang around the club, and see if you can find a mentor. At your age they may not let you be a full member. Each club is different.
This is as expensive as this hobby gets, so learn all you can first. I’m by no means an expert at this type of train. I’m just sharing with you what I picked up in a little over a year’s time at the local club.
