So You Want A Live Steam Locomotive?
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- Опубликовано: 6 окт 2024
- Blake returns to tackle a subject many of you have asked about. In our first installment of, "So You Want A Live Steam Locomotive," we discuss the process by which one can acquire a live steam locomotive. We touch on factors to consider when building, vendors, such as Little Engines and Allen Models, who offer locomotive kits, and information regarding a straight out purchase of a completed locomotive. Enjoy and thanks for watching The Steam Channel! Keep an eye out for part two of this series later this fall.
Have a question you'd like us to answer? Let us know in the comment section below.
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I was never aware that this hobby was as popular as it is. I knew many old machinists in the 1950’s and 60’s used to build engines for fun and show off their talents, however most of these guys had backyard railways. I really assumed that the talented tradesmen who had the knowledge and know how have all disappeared into history. It really is fantastic to know that hobby is still alive and well.
I love these huge American locomotives... on another scale to anything we have here in the Uk.
I dunno, you guys have 7 1/4" big boys over in the UK so you do have some large scale models over there! Theres supposedly one floating around here in Melbourne Australia as well.Lets also not forget that your full size locomotives are by far the finest in the world, not just in design but presentation and maintenance.I was discussing locomotives with a very old driver(B.D) some years ago who drove flying Scotsman when she was here and he said that the operation and performance of the loco was so amazingly far from our local stuff it wasnt funny!
Dont get get me wrong, American stuff is impressive(if its steam, i like it) in its own way but nothing is like a long legged 3 cycl British express passenger loco in her stride! You have something to be well proud of there.
I love the different clean look of British Locos with their colors. Two different traditions.
Yes in america we built them big but in europe their trains are faster and more reliable. I personally will always think america's best train was the big boy while britain has the flying scotsman.
@@lazypizzaship8911 no lol
@@dunxy l don't think it's fair to say one is better than the other. How can you top seeing a big boy pull a heavy drag across the plains or up a mountain grade? I'm American and may be biased, but this is as good as it gets.
Thank you.
I really enjoy Blakes commentaries, Hes just a good calming teacher and willing to spread his knowledge. For all of those put off by cost or time, Remember most clubs need people to preform MOW , I enjoy the private line near my home and find my activities there just as pleasurable and actually a good source of exercise.
As an added bonus you will learn about the large scale hobby before you jump in with a loco.
Good appraisal - thank you. My venture into live steam locomotives was to build my own from castings and raw stock. I chose my favourite prototype, a British Railways 9F freight loco. Not the easiest for a first build. But I reckon that if I was to build anything else then my heart would not have been so committed to it. Since starting the project 3+ years ago, I have never been so absorbed in any other interest as I am with this one. The learning experience is fantastic and the sense of satisfaction of making something is second to none. For me if running the completed engine is half as good as the building then the job's a good un. If you wish to see my progress I have serialised it on RUclips. At first I was just taking snapshots of the work for my own reference but someone suggested I should upload it. Surprising how much interest there is around the world in live steam locomotives. Keep the videos coming. Cheers from the UK.
I not long started myself, original idea was to build a nice small tank but some research led me to looking at larger locos and i, like you, came to the realization that im probably best building what i REALLY want so i went for a VR K class 2-8-0 light mixed duties loco, the type of which i have many hours in the past repairing,maintaining and running in full size form.Probably a wee bit much for a first timer but i do have a little machining experience, know the full size version intimately and am a sheetmetal worker by trade so i should scrape through! Sure ive only just started (im about 20 hours in only) but i am enjoying it immensely,im sure when i finish it wont be long until i start another because building it really is the best part! I wont run mine a whole lot, it will spend most of its time just sitting in my bedroom (yes im clearly single!) looking good!
Saludos y congratulations from Chile South America. In these days Im dreaming with a steam loco, so I understand you and admire you. I hope that I can make something. SALUDOS HERMANO!!
I don't WANT one I NEED one. Lol
same
yeah same
Same
SAME 1000000x
Lol. No you want one.. like I did. Till I found one.. now trying to figure out how to show the wife and not give up my spot in bed too the dog. That’s how you know you need it my friend..😂 🥂
Well, yes, that's why I subscribed.
I really enjoyed this, I’m your neighbor here in Indiana and I really want to visit you guys. I’ve watched your tutorials on how to use the steam engines and would love to see in person. I’ve been in love with trains all my life, especially steam engines, and seeing people still running steam engines, even if it’s just for fun, is incredible to me. I would absolutely love to start this hobby, only problem is, I’m 14 and without a source of income. But no matter, I love watching your videos as soon as I see them pop up, and I can’t wait to se more. I hope I can see you guys!
Well if i won the lottery i know what im going to spend it on but i dont have that kind of luck sadly
I say the same thing. First I’d buy is a traction engine. Then a train.
I just randomly stumbled upon this video. Its pretty cool to see.
Fantastic program. I'm looking forward to watching more. Thank you.
I’ve always thought these things were so cool. But it’s definitely one of those “if I won the lottery” scenarios.
Neat. I inherited a 7.5in gauge live steam 4-6-0, with the only knowledge being that the boiler leaks.
I clicked this video under the pretense that you were actually going to go into detail on owning and using a 1:1 train. We were discussing the idea of owning an entire full size train and thought it'd be a fascinating topic to discuss. Neat regardless.
there is no way i could really afford one of these beautiful engines. well that and I would go right for the big boy. lol. but i do enjoy watching this channel. and my dreams through your eyes." lens"
thanks for this series, will be a good starting point into understanding what people are getting into, if they are going this route.
I was thinking the same thing, right for the big boy lol
I probably go for the sp 4449
Lots of good info, especially for buying a used locomotive. I recently purchased a little engines Mogul and it's had its fair share oh work to be done to it to keep it on the tracks. Had to re build the pilot truck with new wheels and axle and suspension, Fixed a major leak in the super heater, just to get it running and tracking well. And I've still got a huge list of projects for the winter to get the engine up to snuff. It's definitely a whole lot of work.
Blake is the best presenter for this channel I think. Would like to have more videos of him talking about live steam
He shall return for more videos. Sometimes its just hard lining up our schedules.
I hope the next installment is about tools like kinds of of Mills size of Mills and how to choose the right one for yourself weather if it is buying renting borrowing or whatever the same way with lathes or any other specialties
Thinking about starting on an 0-4-0
Dont think, DO! Make sure you dont go too small, think about it its not really a whole lot more to build say an 0-6-0 to an 0-4-0, just extra couple wheels, same amount of cylinders! A lot of the smaller locos seem to barely move themselves at times.I was going to go small myself, like an 0-6-0 but i said bugger it and just started with what i wanted, a 2-8-0! Extra drive wheel and axle (ohh noes!) and a pony truck, still only 2 cylinders and 1 boiler at the end of the day.I dont know if this will be my only build(time and or money constraints in future are unknown) so if im going to do one i want it to be something i really want, not a compromise.I assume you have some basic metal work skills or you wouldnt be thinking about it,im not a machinist im just a sheetmetal worker myself,lots of it being sheeetmetal work makes those parts easy for me,the machining is just my learning curve. that i only have limited experience in,this one reason ive held of (i was "thinking" for decades and now i do regret it) until recently but in hindsight i wish i just started earlier, thats why im telling you GO FOR IT! Long as you can learn and can read drawings you will be fine.Oh and be fully prepared to drop at least 10k on tooling without even trying, but at least you have it and can build more and more and more! ;)
Well presented, thanks from Orlando.
This (series) is really what I was looking for. I've already ransacked all the backyard loco websites to figure out what type of engine I should go after. But in vain. There's not much technical details about the power, size etc. apart from the gauge measurements. As far as the price is concerned, I knew, it's gonna cost quite a bit. But, for any project like this should have a sound budget in hand. What really is a factor for me is time. One can not wait for ages to see his project come alive. Please put some light on engine specs and estimated time to lay down the tracks in a 9 square miles area having 3 different routes.
Thanks for giving me a starting point. My intention is to obtain and repair the real deal so I can travel the country in style.
I should have watched this video before I went out and spent 10.000$ for a locomotive
ten dollars is a steal
Very good advice and a well done video.
Thank You!
Every project is an adventure and going into it as such is the only way to get out alive! I've made every mistake in the book. Someday I'll learn. Every engine I bought I bought without inspecting it first, for some reason that stuck with me.
The Marvel type intro made me giggle
Great intro graphic
Good to know this information, thank you!!
Love the video. Are you going do the same thing for getting into a Diesel engine too?
Wow, love the Batman-esque starting graphics and music :D
i remember being four or five years old and seeing one of these things at some sort of fairground, the owner was a extremally nice man and was actually letting kids play with the passenger cars like a dollhouse, i was carrying my batman action figure so i put him in the front and the guy let him ride
I got several questions related to this:
1. What about trying to start up a miniature RR club if its hard to find or join one in your area?
2. Even if I had an engine, would I have to run it every chance I got, or would I be able to help out my RR club in other ways (ie, administrative work)?
Osage Orange All clubs need volunteers. In Live Steam I read a letter by a woman who was divorced and a young son. The boy fell in love with these trains and wanted to join the club. She was poor and didn’t have the extra money. She offered to volunteer and found that the word volunteer was the magic word. After her divorce she had tried to find a boyfriend but had struck out everywhere. But within six months she was married.
this is a question for blake. how did you get into the world of steam and what was your first experience with a steam loco like these
Well said video!
This is going to be a great series of videos
Nice
GENIUS.
John Candy? You're alive!!
Also, one should check to see if there’s a “live steam” club near you. If there is, what gauge (or gauges) of track do they have? You’ll need to know this before purchasing a locomotive, or building one from a kit! Otherwise, you’re looking at additional expenditure of time and money to lay down track! 🚂
An excellent video - my only suggestion would be a bit more info on pricing. Thanks!!!
Thank you. Can’t really get any more specific- the price will change with every engine type, the level of detail being put on the engine, whether you want working or decorative pumps, the kind of fittings being used, who’s doing the machining work, who’s building the boiler, who’s suppling the castings, etc.
@@TheSteamChannel agreed, i just meant a range. Such as....the average, bare bones 4.8.4 costs 10k. A replacement whostle can be 50 to 2k, etc etc. Just to give us an idea
An average 4-8-4 is going to start at 40k and climb RTR.
@@TheSteamChannel well that puts my dream of owning an operational Reading T1 a little out of my reach. I'll just have to settle for watching them here
@@mikeggg5671 Really? I know 40k seems like a lot BUT it really Isn't if you spread it out over say a 5 years, thats 8k per year and around only 670 doll hairs per month.I know lots of people that spend way more than that eating out per month,id rather stay home and build a steam loco than eat out all the time! Just build one, you wont notice the money by the time you have a steam locomotive of your own.Some people spend even up to 10 years building one, aside from time and tooling up the cost to build is less and spread out of 10 years should be easy to justify to all but the most non financial person.I am not about to lay my financial situation out for all to see on the net but i am FAR from a wealthy person, its all about getting ones priorities in order.Really as long as you have some kind of job and arent an unemployed kid you should be able to afford it.Not at all saying it is the case with you buy many people winge about finances while wasting money on crap that dont at all need and dont realize how fast all that crap they buy adds up.This is a hobby and hobbies do infact cost money, all of them! Some people race cars or motorbikes, some people have boats,some people collect fine guns and others spend thousands going fishing or buying golf clubs, this is no different or even really any more expensive.A decent 4wd build to go offroading is going to cost at easy 50k USED(here in Australia, yes you can buy a jeep but i did say decent...) and new even a crappy Thailand built toyota Hilux with alloy bar and canopy is over 70k!Fake cruisers (Prado or FJ) often run into high 80-90's and real cruisers nearly always over 100k! You here for a good time not a long time,dont worry about the cost or spend the rest of your life regretting what you COULD have done but chose not to do...
I've always wanted to build one, but the problem is that the one engine I'm most interested in building is the same engine that is almost non-existent in the live steam sphere - a 3-Truck Pacific Coast Climax geared steam locomotive.
CarNutz A friend of mine recently finished restoring a 7.5in gauge 3 truck climax. It's a lovely engine and pulls a lot for it's size.
Don’t know if you’ve made any progress since you first posted this comment, but have you seen Kozo Hiraoka’s book Building the Climax? It describes building an earlier two truck design which would be a good first locomotive and then you can run that while building your 3 truck Pacific Coast Climax, using the same book as a basis.
I sympathize as what I want to build is a 3 truck Willamette.
I would like a live steam locomotive and a few diesels
But if you want to build something complex like the Erie triplex
Or the big boy
Which most people want to buy the big boy
You either have to be really good at building them from scratch
Have $100,000 of spare cash to spend
Or be given the talent of building things
I would start from like smaller 19th century steam locomotives
And slowly build up and slowly make a bit more complex locomotives
Thank you, great video.
As LOW as $20 thousand.....OR the cost of a low range NEW CAR.
There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into a build. A gentleman at our club put 5,000 hours into his GS4 Daylight and tender- and that was not including the boiler which he farmed out. If you paid yourself just $10.00 an hour, that's $50,000 in labor- not including castings or material. And general shop time is between $60-$100 an hour.
Yep, I'm a self employed machinist. I've been wanting to build one for many years. In the last 20 years, I've managed to get about 40 hours into some cylinder castings and that's it. It's a time/money thing. You may have one, but seldom both. By the time I get the time, I'll be to old to want or care.
Much kudos to those that find the time and money at the same time to be able to complete such a project.
Yea,i can see why there so expensive with the labor involved.I was pricing HO live steam locos,and with all the bells and whistles,no fun intended,can run over 2 k.
You can find completed locomotives below $10k, join a club, build a couple of cars, and wait for a deal
But you buy a $20k car, all you got is a boring car. By a steam engine, then you got something special.
Does this channel have a video on how these engines are moved and transported for shows?
Good morning from St John Parish, Louisiana 03 Oct 20.
I’m actually looking into getting the Berkshire you showed at 4:29
I can help you
I know that this is the steam channel, but you might consider doing a project series in the future on building a diesel/electric unit, too. Something to help start you on your way!
Gregory Awarski There is too much on the docket right now to make a series which would break with the theme of the channel. Especially with the 844 series ongoing- getting that finished is the top priority.
That's understandable. Maybe that would be a good project for someone else :) I'd do it, but I haven't a clue what I'm doing - I'm one of the people who needs to learn from these videos. Anyway, thanks for the response!
No problem. Not to say it wouldn’t happen far down the line.
Great info. Thanks for posting!!
I never knew this was a hobby. I thought the railroads were private and have invited people with experience to run them
Yes I want a live steam locomotive. But one that pulls real trains such as a Hudson and a Texas type
Holy cow so expensive but I already knew that because I have asked that question before
So this video covers riding scale equipment well, but what about garden scale, like gauge 1?
I like the intro
In your opinion Is building a steam locomotive that you can ride no matter the size more rewarding than building a model railroad at home?
Good question.
I really love these but don't have access to a machine shop to build one. I wish I could just buy one and go have fun.
Do some of these for tracks and rolling stock
Outstanding commentary. 🐢🚂🐢🚂🐢🚂
Dis was extremely helpful.
What would be the advantages/disadvantages of building a 7.5" 0-4-0 from castings (LE or RRSC) or from the Kozo design?
I have always had a dream of operating a 1.5" scale mikado.
the 4-8-4 and 4-6-4 from little engines are really magnificent, but their cataloge shows just parts for each own ,I haven't found a "complete kit cost" yet and I don't know what I'm going to need (parts wise) if i want to build one. Serveral others who would supply also show no price tag on a full kit and I definetly not buy a fully build engine that somebody build (that happent way to often in H0 and G) you never knew what the do unless you take it apart.
G Seitl there is a separate price document with pricing on the website. You have to match the part codes up with the catalog PDF. That is, however, just for the chassis. You’d have to supply your own boiler, fittings, valves, injectors, pumps, etc.
Love the video! I currently have G scale in my living room a round the top. Any live steam clubs or people in Minnesota that I could connect with?
Someday I want to own a large estate, with sprawling lengths of narrow gauge track.
Yes. I mean full-sized on narrow gauge.
Man I would love to do this but my town doesn’t have a mini railroad. : (
Just build one in your backyard that’s what I would do
This video is useful, but I'd like to know if some kind of "prop" can be made (3d printed non motorized)
Sir your steam locomotive is very good how can I by this locomotive
I wanna start a fleet of live steamers myself.
I just want to make it an actual company.
FLNY Mike wish you luck! Start out small with 1 engine and a couple of cars, then work your way up
What I'd like to know is how do you transport these locomotives, as well as how to find a local club.
We’ll cover transportation in a future installment. You can find a railroad listing on TheSteamChannel.com under the live steam section
@@TheSteamChannel thankyou! I doubt theres anything near me. But I am incredibly fascinated by live steam.
Nice work.
I am in new Jersey, do you know if there are any clubs in Jersey or close by?
Yes, I would but I have no tools for metal work, no property on which to build, nor do I have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on one. What do you suggest?
go with more standard model trains like G scale or HO scale
If I'm going to start small, I'd choose some British tank engines or American tank engines
I wanna build an small locomotive with rubber wheels and left'n right steering system, the locomotive is gonna be 1,5meters wide 3meters long , just an cute locomotive to drive on an bicycle road and go on adventures and just having fun
Marvel Styled Intro?? NICE
if you are brittish you can use station road steam.
I would like take this opportunity. 🙂
is it the opening of marvel studios? but with steam locomotives?
great video
My 6-year-old me seeing that I will never have one like these:
These things are gorgeous, but I’ll stick with N scale
where to get the book ?? thanks...
Ok I got questions.. I picked up a small steam traction engine. Never fired. And unfinished.. about 3/4 done…. It’s all welded… no rivets.. is this normal? I have played with smaller factory built models.. but this is a first for me.. the tractor is the size of a Barbie jeep. Rear wheels are middle of your shin .. what scale is it?? How do I tell?? Lol It was free and I had too have it.
I like the timken 1111 and the naigras😅
Would a 0-4-4 Forney be a descent start for a beginner?
I need one too.
my recommendation is a British loco. There simple, they have low levels of detail in real life and there smaller so you spend less time on them
Edit, should of said has a starter loco. That’s what I meant
Though I wonder if you build a live steam engine how will you run it
Ima see if I could buy a Sierra no3 live steam locomotive if it exists
Bravo!!
Can you do a 15 inch gauge?
Oh they have kits.
muy interesante soy de Bolivia me fascinan los trenes a vapor y estoy fabricando uno, necesito saber a cuanto de presión se mueve la locomotora
I think I prefer to commission a train because it's faster and it's expensive the good thing is that my father is a rich delivery man who delivers copiers and other machines and technology
SO im basicly making a live steam Locomotive not those big ones that you can sit on a small scale at of scrap metals im using a Lego Train wheels and custiom Bogie
I want to build one, but I have no experience when it comes to welding or metal machinery stuff. Where can I go to perhaps ask for help building parts for a steam engine?
Nick & Ally my recommendation would be to take classes at a community college to familiarize yourself with the machines and how to use them. Then, after you develop the groundwork-find a live steam club in your area and join it. Get involved and you will learn more...the experienced folks in the club would then be the people to ask specific machining questions to. But I wouldn’t approach those people until you’ve gotten serious and have already started learning and picking up the techniques or they may not take you very seriously. Many people say they want to start a build....until they get into it and realize how much time, labor, and money it will cost.
I live in new jersey. I primarily want to learn how to make a live steam O gauge engine but would also consider buying one I have no machining skill but am eager to learn. I would appreciate any suggestions.
i am curiuos; what are the normal metainences you do on one you got?
Maybe ones in my life i can own one.
Great intro lol
Thats..why I’m here
I'd like to have one, but it'll have to wait until I win the lottery, lol.