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| Read other articles |  Send in an article |                 Excerpts from the new book: Peter's Railway and the Moonlight Express by Christopher Vine

An introduction by Jim O'Connor When I heard that someone had written a kids' book about the live steam hobby, I was very excited.  It's about time that someone found a way to share this wonderful hobby with the little ones that will some day inherit it from us - something that would really spark the imagination.  Kids love our miniature railroads, we all know that.  In this new book, kids can learn about building a miniature railroad and share in the excitement through the eyes of Peter, an English boy who discovers large scale railroading with his grandfather. In Christopher Vine's first book, Peter's Railway, Peter and his grandfather look for a fun way to get from Peter's house on one side of the farm to his grandfather's house on the other.  After they decide on building a miniature railway, the grandfather finds a live steamer who's looking for a place to run his 4-6-0.  It turns out to be a perfect match and they plan and lay track between the two houses.  Along the way, Peter learns how tracks and turnouts work and the proper way to build a railroad.  It's written so kids, early readers and pre-teens, can really understand how we build our railroads and, at the same time, it's technical enough that a beginner live steamer could just about build a track from reading only this book.  As we look in on Peter and his grandfather, they have completed the beginnings of their miniature railroad and are now looking at ways to improve it.  Peter will get the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a live steam locomotive.  Soon, he'll be given a turn at the throttle to see what he's learned.   Excerpt from the book:  Join me as we pick up Peter's story in the beginning of the second book in this exciting new series.   Note:  Peter's Railway and Peter's Railway and the Moonlight Express are protected by  international law.  Do not reproduce, copy, or in any other way share the text and images from this book.

The books Peter's Railway and Peter's Railway and the Moonlight Express are available in our Book Store Coming October, 2009 Peter’s Railway and the Forgotten Engine

A review of "Peter's Railway and the Moonlight Express" from the British magazine "Steam Railway".  (click to enlarge) (click to enlarge) (click to enlarge)

Post a comment or question here. Write to jim@discoverlivesteam.com (the subject line must contain the word discover)   Have an idea for an article?  We need your article on .... Technical Issues such as problems and solutions associated with steam locos, hydraulic drives, electric drives, track laying and maintenance, signal systems. Construction Projects, mostly looking for car projects (let's leave the steamer building to the print magazines). How about scenery construction or building a hand car? Full scale railroads and museums.  If you work for or volunteer for a railroad, if you've visited one recently and have a few photos and can write up a half dozen paragraphs on it, we'll be happy to put it up on the web. Live Steam Railroads. How about a little background and a tour of your railroad or one you've visited. Please share what you know with us.   The On-Line Magazine of Ridable Model Railroading Read Other Articles | Live Steam Railroads | Suppliers | Postings | For Sale  |  | Events Calendar | Books | Magazines | Videos  | Photo Contest |