Hornby Live Steam For the USA?

[Anonymous]

Announcement in Saturday's Daily Express in UK - Hornby intend releasing live steam models for the USA and Germany in 2005. Could this be a HO Big Boy and a German 01 Pacific from the Rivarossi range out of the Lima acquisition by Hornby?

Watch this space!

[Anonymous]

Although it may well be possible to mass manufacture a live steam loco in HO, I wonder it it would be a good idea. Even 7-1/2 inch gauge steamers don't smoke and belch in prototype scale appearance. Even though they are smaller than the prototype, the emissions produced are stil in 12 inches to the foot. Last year I saw a G scale live steam loco running by radio control. I was not impressed. Electrically operated minature locomotives equiped with electronic sound run VERY well and sound authentic, though lacking smoke and steam emissions. The smoke and waste steam from the G engine did not look or smell like a real locomotive, and it certainly did not sound right either.

I for one consider a very tiny live steam loco a whimsy, interesting in its own right, but NOT a good platform for either a very detailed loco minature, or as a loco for 'operating' a model RR with.

You get into 1-1/2 inches or 2-1.2 inches to the foot, the equation is 100% the other way. If modeling a steam loco in this " ride on it scale" you must model it in REAL STEAM. I have had the pleasure of riding at several 7-1/2 inch gauge railroads in our area. It is sure a LOT OF FUN!

My husband used to have a small tabletop live steam stationary engine. You couldn't do much with it. At least an HO loco will pull a train on a layout.

Anyway, that is my 2 cents worth.
Jennifer

[Anonymous]

Agreed - each to their own.

However, I have seen Hornby OO scale live steamers in a garden setting, pulling rakes of 12 coaches and they look rather good, emitting whisps of smoke as they go.

Also, there is the skill of driving them, they do not respond instantly to the controller like the electrically powered models, they react more like the real article.

By the way - the Dwight D Eisenhower A4 model is out and about.

Bob

[Anonymous]

I hadn't even thought of OUTDOOR running, but what a great idea for outdoors!!!!! You just changed my mind about the whole thing. Building HO or O scale outdoor track would ony by a bit fussier than the bigger G size, and in that setting, an HO LICE STEAM loco would be a sight to behold.

See, I CAN change my mind!
Jennifer.

[Anonymous]

I should check my spelling better. I just read over the post I just made and I see a LOT of missed keystrokes...........Sorry! Its dark in here and my laptop has black keys that are hard to see, AND i'm just rushing along and not looking back at my screen too closely.

'track would ony by a bit fussier' should be "only a but fussier"
HO 'LICE' STEAM should be "LIVE" steam
Jennifer

[Anonymous]

Did it again....

Only a BIT fussier

why in the heck did they put the I so close to the U?

[cacole]

That Hornby live steam is advertised on page 29 of the December 2004 Model Railroader Magazine, and has also appeared several times previously. It is a LNER Mallard, a British engine, and is actually OO scale, which is not quite the same as HO. It comes with an oval of track and a special power pack. You cannot run this locomotive on anything but the Hornby track and power pack because it uses electrical power to boil the water. They don't say exactly what the voltage is, but it must be more than 12 Volts, and might even be AC instead of DC.

[Anonymous]

This loco is ok on other track brands - I've seen it run on Peco trackwork with no obvious problems. The power pack is a dedicated unit however - no other locos can be run with it and the loco can't be powered by anything else. It's a shame they couldn't make it run under DCC as it would probably have been a far bigger seller then. I've heard talk of people bringing out replacement circuitry to make it DCC compatible but haven't seen anything as yet.

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jennifer RR

I should check my spelling better. I just read over the post I just made and I see a LOT of missed keystrokes...........Sorry! Its dark in here and my laptop has black keys that are hard to see, AND i'm just rushing along and not looking back at my screen too closely.

'track would ony by a bit fussier' should be "only a but fussier"
HO 'LICE' STEAM should be "LIVE" steam
Jennifer

Jennifer,

Sure appreciate you comments and insights, especially on the recent "whistle signals" post. (Ever use any of those on your husband?) Apparently, you know your stuff and your papa taught you well. [:)]

FYI: You can save yourself having to write corrections by clicking the EDIT box on your post. (It's located on the upper right corner of the post, in between DELETE and QUOTE.) Edit your post, as necessary, then click POST CHANGES at the bottom to repost it.

Tom

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jennifer RR

I should check my spelling better. I just read over the post I just made and I see a LOT of missed keystrokes...........Sorry! Its dark in here and my laptop has black keys that are hard to see, AND i'm just rushing along and not looking back at my screen too closely.

'track would ony by a bit fussier' should be "only a but fussier"
HO 'LICE' STEAM should be "LIVE" steam
Jennifer

You can go back and edit your posts at any time. Been there, done that!

Bob Boudreau

[M636C]

I've looked at the Hornby Mallard, and the live steam cylinders are maybe twice the scale length of the real cylinders, and need to be hidden by the streamlined casing. This would prevent a model of "Dwight D Eisenhower" being made, because it was not so named until the casing was removed.

The only likely models for the USA would be streamlined, and the original Loewy K4s sounds likely. The DB class 10 Pacific sounds likely, since it too has fully enclosed cylinders. These would allow the use of an only slightly modifed chassis.

The Hornby bodies are die cast metal, and no existing plastic moulding would be of much use. The Rivarrossi DB class 10 might serve as a basis for a new die casting.

Peter

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the edit hints.....I am obviously still learing how to 'run' the forum. I have seen the ocassional notation about so-and-so having edited a post on such-and-such a date, now I know how it is done. Thanks!!
Jennifer

[Anonymous]

The current live steam Gresley A4 pacifics from Hornby are plastic bodied, the plastic being specially heat resistant.

There may be confusion with Hornby Dublo locos from the 1930's to 1960's that were metal bodied.

Not all the steam versions issued to date have valances covering the cylinders. In fact, Dwight D Eisenhower is in the shops now, in the later British Rail green with the valances removed.

Bob

[Anonymous]

Have a look at

www.sdharris.com/livesteam/

for an individuals first impressions of live steam and

www.hornby.com

for the manufacturer's information.

Bob

[ondrek]

nitpick all you want about the engine and its detail issues, its still wicked cool.

Only drawback for me is that its a European style engine, It will look odd with my US fleet. maybe they will come out with an american engine version.

Kevin

[cacole]

I never noticed a comment in Hornby's latest advertisement in the December issue of Model Railroader Magazine that was in previous versions of their advertising: "For Discriminating Collectors Only." Meaning: If you have to ask how much this puppy is going to cost, you obviously can't afford it.

[Anonymous]

The U.S. list price is close to $800. There is a fellow selling them regularly on E-Bay (NIB) for, I think, $689. If it weren't for this price I'd love to have one especially since I use conventional DC. From a market perspective I think the incompatibility with DCC is a very serious issue to their potential sales volume. I would be interested in hearing how powerful they are (or aren't) compared with similar electric-powered locos.

[orsonroy]

I've read a rumor that someone (Lenz or Hornby) is working on a DCC receiver for these engines. If that happens, the acceptance of these sort of engines will be much larger. Heck, I'd buy one of they weren't so friggin expensive!

For us real steam nutbags, there'd be nothing like 2-3 ready tracks with these engines simmering away waiting for an assignment. Imagine an N&W layout with six A's and a J or two, all in HO live steam, running around doing their jobs!