Live Steam and diesel model railroading in a rideable large scale. Discover Live Steam is the top web site for buying and selling steam and diesel equipment, finding a supplier, playing our railroad trivia contest, entering our live steam photo contest, locating a live steam railroad club or track anywhere in the world.  We feature articles on model and full size railroading.

 

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The Editor's Desk

NEW CONTEST

Help Dewey Brunham name his new Railroad

I'm Dewey Burnham and I need a name for my new
7-1/2 inch gauge railroad

Prizes!

I'm offering a "cornucopia" of prizes for the winning suggestion valued at over $250.00 including a pair of steel couplers from Tom Bee, a 3 year subscription to Live Steam Magazine, 2 T-shirts, 2 coffee cups, a new Display Ceramic Tile, and several other imprinted items of your favorite Railroad.

Click Here to Suggest a Name

 Hurry, Contest Ends July 14, 2009

 


NEW SURVEY

Hobby Enjoyment

Which activity gives you the most enjoyment in the Live Steam hobby?

  • Pulling the public on run days

  • Building locomotives

  • Building rolling stock

  • Track work

  • Operations

  • Landscaping

  • Building scale buildings, signals and scenery

Take this Survey

This survey question comes from my friends at Southern California Live Steamers

 

see other survey results

 

Satisfaction Survey for battery and gasoline locomotives

If you purchased a locomotive (not steam) in the past 36 months, I want to hear from you.

If you're happy or even if you're not happy with your locomotive, I want to hear about it.  I'll ask you questions like:

  • Was the manufacturer easy to reach?

  • Did your locomotive arrive on time?

  • Did you have problems with it?

  • Was it worth the money?

Email me to request your "Satisfaction Survey" now (in the text of your email type the word "survey".   This survey covers completed, ready-to-run locos only.  No kits or "home built" units please.


 

Railroading Articles

 


Issue #134

Riding Scales & Gauges

by Rick Henderson  

When it comes to scales and gauges, the hobby of riding scale railroading may be difficult for newer people in the hobby to comprehend and perhaps even confusing for some of the more seasoned among us. For most of us in the hobby, our exposure to riding scale trains, which is any scale model of a train that you can actually ride, is limited to our home railroad or close-by railroads that are using the same track gauge. I recently wrote an article for the G-gauge community titled Scale, Scale & Gauge as G is One Gauge, Many Scales, Much Confusion. The Much Confusion really applies in the riding scales, where there are Multiple Gauges and Multiple Scales, frequently on the same railroad.

 continued

 

Up Coming Articles:

  • National Train Day in Portland

  • Building your Backyard Railroad (part 3)

  • Pacific Coast Railroad Round Up

  • Golden Spike Ceremony, Then and Now

  • Multi-Use Cars

 

Recent Articles

Send in an article.  It's not hard to write about something you know.  This is not my web site, It's your web site! Contribute to your site. Give something back to the hobby. 
Send in an article today.
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Upcoming Events

Jul 1-5

Montreal Live Steamers

75th Anniversary 'Heritage' Meet

Les Cèdres, Québec, Canada

Jul 3-5

Mill Creek Central RR

Independence Meet

Coshocton, Ohio

Jul 4

Prairie State Railroad Club

Independence Day Open Run

Big Rock, IL ( 1hr. W. of Chicago)

Jul 10-12

Northeastern Ohio Live Steamers

July Open Meet

Medina, Ohio

Jul 11-12

Toronto Area International Meet

International Meet

Ballantrae Ontario Canada

Jul 24-26

Stiftung Ysebaehnli-am-Rhy

15. Dampftreffen

Pratteln  Schweiz

Jul 31-Aug 2

Finger Lakes Live Steamers

40th Anniversary Meet

Marengo, New York

Jul 31-Aug 2

Mill Creek Central RR

Doran Memorial Meet

Coshocton, Ohio

More Calendar
 

More Live Steam RR events, check our
2009 Calendar


Use our easy form and have your run dates posted.

Add an event 

 

 

 

     What's New?

Use this space to promote your new product or the next big thing in this hobby.
IT'S FREE 
Send in your "What's New" product or news today.

MR-MOTION is now offering a new "F7" style shell for the popular "SHIFTER" Locomotive


The SHIFTER uses battery power to run "All Day" while pulling several loaded cars.  And at only $1,300, it's one of the most economical "Entry Level" locomotive kits available today.

Standard SHIFTER with stock locomotive shell.

Alameda Car Works of Anaheim, CA.  (888) 808-7861 introduces a new craftsman kit of a large scale Sheffield No. 1 section handcar model.  The prototype, from the turn-of-the-century, was a typical  4 wheel pump handcar.  Kits come in 1:12 (6.6" long) and 1:8 (10" long) scales.

This kit feature a laser-cut aluminum frame and platform, machined steel tire/wheels, stainless steel gears, photo-etched brass journal boxes and walking beam, brass stock to build up the axles, pump handles, etc. plus all necessary hardware.

Drilling, gluing, and painting (no machining) requred.  All metal (made in the U.S.A.). Introductory price: $295 for the 1:12 scale kit and $345 for the 1:8 kit, plus shipping.

Introducing The "Grizzly"

The Brand New Six Wheel Electric Locomotive

Just Arrived

 Civil Engineering for Outdoor Railroads vol. 2 - Bridges

by Douglas van Veelen.

An engineering guide for the most important element of a scale railroad: The Bridge. Several bridge types are mentioned but the most common railroad bridge, the truss style, is analyzed in great detail. From simple to complex, the theory and math for calculating construction is covered. This book is an "in depth" treatment of this subject. 202 pages, spiral bound. 
Bonus CD included with each book.

regular price $32.49
 Introductory Special
 $30.90

Use this space to promote your new product or the next big thing in this hobby.
E-mail me your "What's New" product or news today.

 

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Do you like Railroad Music in Dixieland, Swing, Ragtime, Blues, Jazz styles?
Download sample music: Pullman Conductors of Jazz

The Pullman Conductors of Jazz are available for hire in the Chicago area.