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Model Trains Driven by Actual Steam Engines!

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  • Member since
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Model Trains Driven by Actual Steam Engines!
Posted by Shock Control on Thursday, January 14, 2021 2:59 PM

This may be old news to the regulars around here, but I just recently stumbled upon this on the InterTubes.

I wonder if anyone makes HO steam-powered engines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M89MIJiWljo

 

  • Member since
    February 2017
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Posted by Deane Johnson on Thursday, January 14, 2021 3:16 PM

Looks like it might take a lot of attention to keep one of those running.  It looks like the smoke comes out of the wrong place.  That G scale sure was running nice and smooth.

I wonder if those engines are commercially available, or if the fellow built it himself.  He may have said on the video, I don't hear all that well any more so I mainly look at pictures and catch a few words when they talk fast like that.  Or, I hear slow, one or the other.

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  • From: Sacramento, California
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Posted by L. Zhou on Thursday, January 14, 2021 3:18 PM

I looked around and some Chinese company makes live steam HO scale locomotives and they are selling it online around $400 each, however it seems it is sold out everywhere. They look pretty nice, the tender has a kadee clone attached on the back.

I personally won't purchase one because of the potential for mess, but maybe other folks might. If I had one I would just set it up outside and watch it run around and around. 

"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow." -Lin Yutang

-

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Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, January 14, 2021 3:31 PM

When Ulrich was with us, he use to post lots of videos on whats going in Europe with live steam models.  

Non were HO, which I would think would be difficult.

Mike.

  • Member since
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  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, January 14, 2021 3:50 PM

 

When I was more active in G scale I recall the name Aster Models in the realm of live steam.

 

The general trend has been a decline in large-scale outdoor railroads. I'm sure their business has had to cope with this.

 

https://www.sunsetvalleyrailroad.com/aster-accucraft.html

 

Regards, Ed

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    September 2003
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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, January 14, 2021 4:23 PM

Have y'all forgotten the Hornby live-steam A4 model?  The Plymouth Superbird of OO? The OO Live Steam Club says over 10,000 of them were made...

Or Werner Jeggli?

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Posted by NorthBrit on Thursday, January 14, 2021 5:38 PM

A few different Hornby  models were made.   A Dwight D Eisenhower is for sale on EBay for £350.

 

David

To the world you are someone.    To someone you are the world

I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought

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  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, January 14, 2021 5:42 PM

I watched these videos quite a while ago.  I'm pretty sure it was an off the shelf steamer

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-biggest-little-railway-in-the-world/episode-guide/

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by wjstix on Friday, January 15, 2021 2:12 PM

Live steam model railroad engines pulling trains have been around a long time, predating the introduction of electric trains.

Stix
DrW
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    January 2008
  • From: Lubbock, TX
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Posted by DrW on Friday, January 15, 2021 4:28 PM

It would be more impressive to have an HO diesel locomotive with a real diesel engine...     

JW

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    November 2012
  • From: Kokomo, Indiana
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Posted by emdmike on Saturday, January 16, 2021 1:28 AM

Lutz Hischler in Germany did a few small alcohol fired HO locos, as did a couple companies.  Then you had Hornby's OO models(All UK prototypes).  Most live steam is done in O and 1/G scale.    Here is my gauge one Aster Southern Schools class(UK railway).  This was their first model they made back in 1975, around 3000 or so were made.  Later runs were much smaller with 300ish being common for many years then 100 when it came to the Challenger and Allegheny.   Beautiful models, a joy to build from a kit and lots of fun to operate.   Mike the Aspie

Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome

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Posted by ndbprr on Saturday, January 16, 2021 7:52 AM

In the 50s MR had an article about a guy who made steam engines that ran on CO2. The tender held pieces of dry ice and the vapors powered the engine. A motor operated the control valve. It was done on HO.

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