Pa Live Steamers - 1961
- Dave_Johnson
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Pa Live Steamers - 1961
I recently was given some slides that were taken at the Pa Live Steamers in 1961. This was when the club was located in Paoli.
- JBodenmann
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- Dave_Johnson
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- Bill Shields
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$64,000 Question
Where are those locos today?
3-1/2 on the ground.
These two look like 3-1/2" gauge on the ground - something that I have not tried.
How well does it work?
JohnS.
How well does it work?
JohnS.
Dave_Johnson wrote:I recently was given some slides that were taken at the Pa Live Steamers in 1961. This was when the club was located in Paoli.
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The PLS track in Paoli had 2 loops. The small oval has 1/2, 3/4 & 1"scale. The longer, outside loop was 1" scale. I visited and knew members at this location. One of the finest locomotives was Henry Townsend's PRR M-1 4-8-2. It now resides in the PRR museum in Strasburg, PA.
The second photo, I am sure is the late Frank Watson's 3/4 " 4-6-0 Georgia. Not sure if Frank is running it.
If you have access to Modelrailroader September 1971 there is a 4 page article in it. On page 55 I am running Guy Obrecht's 1" scale Reading camelback which I later owned. On the top of page 57 is a photo of Doug Spear's Pere Marquette Berkshire. I bought it from him in 1984 and rebuilt it. I still have it and it is a fine locomotive. It was first on the rails in 1948 built by the latr John Pugh of MI.
Sure is a grat hobby.
Bruce Saylor
The second photo, I am sure is the late Frank Watson's 3/4 " 4-6-0 Georgia. Not sure if Frank is running it.
If you have access to Modelrailroader September 1971 there is a 4 page article in it. On page 55 I am running Guy Obrecht's 1" scale Reading camelback which I later owned. On the top of page 57 is a photo of Doug Spear's Pere Marquette Berkshire. I bought it from him in 1984 and rebuilt it. I still have it and it is a fine locomotive. It was first on the rails in 1948 built by the latr John Pugh of MI.
Sure is a grat hobby.
Bruce Saylor
Pa Live Steamers
This is the RDG L7 mentioned by Bruce, about 1951 hauling cars and a caboose built by Harold Geissel, creator of Model Railroader drawings for many years. Harold was fond of fine details and many roads, so he painted (by hand) one side of his cars with one road or owner, and the other side with different graphics. The engine was built by my father in 1950 and has since passed through many hands to an owner who has abused it to the point where it is now in worse condition than the prototype was when it was scrapped ca. 1948. And so it goes . . .
This photo shows the rail arrangement on the original PLS track made from Buddy-L steel rail. Nearest is track is 3.5" gauge, then 2.5", then 4.75". It gave the rough appearance of a two-track line. In addition, as we have found with the present track with the usual common rail and aditional rails for the other three gauges, there was no problem from ballast jamming in the narrow space between rails like we have now.
Bob
This photo shows the rail arrangement on the original PLS track made from Buddy-L steel rail. Nearest is track is 3.5" gauge, then 2.5", then 4.75". It gave the rough appearance of a two-track line. In addition, as we have found with the present track with the usual common rail and aditional rails for the other three gauges, there was no problem from ballast jamming in the narrow space between rails like we have now.
Bob
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PA Live Steamers
In answer to John's question, 3.5" ground level operation is great, as shown below by Jim Stewart about 1975 with his Tich. In fact, I ride lying down behind my 2.5" Tenwheeler! The riding car is now 4.75" gauge but until my joints got stiff about five years ago I always used a 2.5" gauge riding car. Balance when running was never a problem; it was the getting on and off that caused derailment. To me nothing beats riding behind your engine, looking right over the tender into the cab or over the side to see the rods, firing on the run - OK some coal gets on the deck. I have made ten laps of our 770 ft multigauge loop without stopping, and then only for water. Incidentally, there is no doubt about improved efficiency obtained by linking-up in a trip like that.
Bob
Bob
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Pa Live Steamers
Thanks Bruce. I dug up an earlier pan shot with the old short 2.5" gauge riding car. It can be done, especially if you have been doing it all your life. Throttle open full, 15% cutoff, relax. That ain't the wind blowng the safety valve plume back!
Bob
Bob
- Dave_Johnson
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