Live Steam and Large Scale Railroading

[bigboy4010]

My whole family loves trains. For me, my brother, and my dad, it's genetic. For my Mom... well, she came to love them too after seeing my dad's giddiness about them. As a result of all this train love, we collect HO trains... and something bigger. My Dad owns a 2.5 inch scale, 7.5 inch gauge working Mich-Cal Shay. It runs on steam, it has incredible pulling power, and it isn't alone. We go to a club in Riverside, California with tons of 7.5 inch gauge locomotives, ranging from 1.5 inch scale to 3.75 inch scale.

I'm curious as to how many other people own a large scale engine, whether it be diesel, electric, or steam. Where do you run your engine? How did you get it? What is it? What gauge is it? What scale is it? Include any info. about your train you'd like to include please.

 

[bigboy4010]

Visit to the Ridgecrest Live Steamers (Sagebrush Shortline RR)

Out in Ridgecrest, California is a little 7.5 inch gauge railroad called the Sagebrush Shortline RR. It is privately owned and encircles the owner's house. The owner has several meets throughout the year and he was just holding a meet specifically for RLS (Riverside Live Steamers) members. So, my Dad and a few other members of the RLS went out to Ridgecrest and enjoyed a couple of days of playing trains. The owner has finished repairing a 1.5" scale Heisler and it was running around the track. Along with that was the owner's diesel, my Dad's shay, another member's coal-fired Mogul and oil-burning ten-wheeler, an upright boiler 0-4-0 prototype brought by another member, and another member's coal-fired 4-4-0.

 

[cjlear]

That's my 5" gauge Springbok, back in 2000. I sold it to a guy in Kentucky about five years ago. Major regrets.

 

[Ferrous]

I own an ex-Amtrak Thrall Material Handling car (thisun, but it's been painted in PHIV high-stipe since then...) and an ex-ATSF (nee-CMSt.P&P) Fairmont MT19-A speeder.

My FAMILY, on the other hand, owns 4 passenger cars (our private car, since repainted) and has a part (majority) ownership in a 5th. Plus, my dad is treasurer for a passenger railcar restoration facility and private railcar park/servicing facility outside St. Louis.

Yeah, I'm pretty deep in 1:1-scale railroading.

 

[bigboy4010]

That engine is beautiful cjlear, I have to admit. And the fact that you own all those passenger cars is amazing Ferrous. I have to admit to quite a bit of envy.

Oh, cjlear, how did you get the picture on here? I can't get my own on.

 

[Kiwi_Rail]

May i ask where that pic was taken?

 

[sethmcs]

That looks like fun.

 

[Jimmyp4]

we HAD two 7.5" trains, however after the cost of gas and mecanical problems put us back we decieded to sell. Keep an eye on this thread, if one of the guys decides not to buy the set (one engine, flatcar, gondola, cabbose and trailer) we may sell it to a forum member.

 

[Veristek]

How does someone go about buying an actual 1:1 train car, particularly a passenger car? Its a dream of mine to buy and own a full passenger consist with my favorite loco, the F40PH.

 

[0099]

How does someone go about buying an actual 1:1 train car, particularly a passenger car? Its a dream of mine to buy and own a full passenger consist with my favorite loco, the F40PH.

1:1 Is a real life carriage right?
Not sure if you could find any in america but there should be some websites around which sell them.

 

[Veristek]

1:1 Is a real life carriage right?
Not sure if you could find any in america but there should be some websites around which sell them.

Ya, like the ones your family owns.

 

[Kiwi_Rail]

start here...

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/products.htm

rugrat:hehe:

EDIT:
http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/f40-418.htm
now just pick a coach

 

[Veristek]

start here...

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/products.htm

rugrat:hehe:

EDIT:
http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/f40-418.htm
now just pick a coach

Wow... I don't get it. Why are some train coaches and stuff as cheap as $10,000 while others go as high as $800,000? What's up with that?

Thanks for the linky to the F40 loco. I need to go con some people out of money on E-Bay, rob a bank, or pretend to be a Scientologist to milk unsuspecting people of money. (chuckle)

 

[Ferrous]

Wow... I don't get it. Why are some train coaches and stuff as cheap as $10,000 while others go as high as $800,000? What's up with that?

Thanks for the linky to the F40 loco. I need to go con some people out of money on E-Bay, rob a bank, or pretend to be a Scientologist to milk unsuspecting people of money. (chuckle)

Darnit Rugrat, you beat me to it!

The reason for the price difference is due to what state of repair the car is in. For example, a car that has been "tunneled" in a fire (ie all interior has been removed) and has a rust-damaged center-sill (the main I-beam looking thing that basically supports the car) will generally sell for less than a ready-to-run Amtrak-compatible car. There are buys that will put more than a million into their private cars after buying them for scrap value.

 

[Jimmyp4]

Ok, the old deal went bad.

FOR SALE

ENGINE: 5HP Lawn Mower type engine, hydrostatic Transmission, Pull Start. The horn dosn't work at the time (it died last runday at the rocky mountain rails) but it can be fixed. Has a new battery and headlight.
Price: $350

FLAT CAR: designed to carry a crate and engineers seat as a riding car. Might need a bit of lube on the bearings.
Price: $150

GONDOLA: Comes with two seats, also needs a bit of lube on the bearings.
Price: $150

CABOOSE: RARE! this one is Superdetailed! Needs a bit of lube on the bearings.

Price: $200

Trailer: Designed to hook onto either a 1 3/4" or 2" ball (i don't remeber which so i'll go check), licensed in the state of colorado.
$500

Whole set
$1250

We do not deliver, pick up in Colorado Springs, Colorado only.
For the information there are only two clubs in Colorado in 7 1/2" scale, The Rocky Mountain Rails which is near Littleton Below the Lockheed Martin Plant, and the Colorado Live Steamers East of DIA.

Anybody wanna buy?

 

[Jimmyp4]

bump, this HAS to be sold BEFORE the beginning of June!

 

[bigboy4010]

My Shay

I guess it doesn't really make sense for me to talk about my family's shay and not even give you guys a picture. Problem is that I couldn't figure out how to put them on this (URL? What am I supposed to put?) However, I'll just give a link to the website of my train club, the Riverside Live Steamers.

www.steamonly.org

This is a picture of my Dad running the engine

http://www.steamonly.org/pics/08/rd02100826.jpg

And this picture has me being the brakeman... (I'm the zoned out guy on the back of the train)

http://www.steamonly.org/pics/07/fm10280722.jpg

 

[flathog]

Please refer to the following thread for other Miniature Live Steam discussion:

http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=13168

Tom
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Daihatsu Applause history

 

[bigboy4010]

Well I'm sorry I didn't know about your thread. I didn't find it in the first few pages when I created this one:hehe:.
Cheers.

 

[flathog]

Oh, no probs, I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, just referring everyone to the old thread in-case they are interested, the more threads the merrier, we can never have to much talk about Live Steam

Tom
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