# How many of us have Ride-On size trains?



## ChaoticRambo (Nov 20, 2010)

I have seen many posts in which people have discussed or at least mentioned their ride-on or "live steam" sized trains. Some of these were simply photos of a specific car, or detailed posts regarding the building process.

So, how many of you guys have ride-on sized trains. What gauge/scale are they, and photos never hurt (everyone likes pictures!). Also, which came first for you; g-scale, or ride-on?



My response:

My dad started into 7.5" gauge before I was born, which means that these predated our g-scale trains. Around the time I was born, we got our first g-scale electric trains. These were used more as toys than model trains, and over the years got less and less use while we got more into 7.5" gauge. It actually wasn't until last year that I found out about g-scale live steam locomotives and got me thinking of g-scale again.

My dads first engine was a 7.5" gauge 1.5" scale electric box cab dubbed "The Little Pumpkin" . A company called CannonBall (http://www.cannonballltd.com/) now produces manufactured versions of this engine. The reason it was shortened from the real locomotive was to make it able to fit into the back of a station wagon for transportation along with two gondolas that would stack inside each other.


This is a photo at the Mid-South Live Steamers of this engine with the smaller of the two gondolas:











Later down the road my dad purchased a 7.5" gauge 1.5" scale rail systems gas-hydraulic FA. This is a photo at the Rail Fest in Owosso Michigan with our standard gauge train and our two narrow gauge riding cars:













And finally we currently have under construction a 7.5" gauge 2.5" scale 4-6-0 RGS #20. It should run early next year, the photo bellow is when the cab was being test fit for hole placement:













So, lets see yours!


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

I have inherited my father's engines which he has built. Two were completed and have been run. Both are ¾" scale 3½" gauge coal fired engines. Due to their size, one really needs to ride on an elevated track so the legs can dangle over the sides of the track. Both are LBSC designs. The first is a _Julliet_ that has been modified to have a _Tich_ profile and is affectionately named "Black Bart." The second is a very early locomotive design called _Invicta._ 

Here is my father back in 1989 running "Black Bart":


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## ChaoticRambo (Nov 20, 2010)

Steve, the club I am a member of has an elevated track for 3.5" and 4.25" gauges, and the engines always impress me. I was actually seriously considering purchasing one, but I don't know if I could get used to balancing while firing an locomotive


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Wow, that 2.5" scale Ten-wheeler must be huge!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Not a train, but...









Got it before I got sick. I sure couldn't afford to buy it today!

Oh, and my grandpa and dad built a 15" gauge gas mechanical and train set.


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## ChaoticRambo (Nov 20, 2010)

Ray,

Actually, for 7.5" scale it is going to be about the perfect size. It is light enough to be moved around and put back onto the track without to much trouble, yet it is large enough that it should pull a good size train. The locomotive alone weighs around 800-1000 lbs dry. 



Mik,

That is really cool! Unfortunately, the train club I am in is just outside of Medina Ohio which had a steam tractor explosion a few years ago that killed some people, so there is a bad stigma around here with steam tractors - its still cool though! One of our club members has a miniature steam traction engine, not exactly sure what scale it is.


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## benny2.0 (Jan 12, 2010)

4 ¾ gauge 1.5 scale 
7 ½ gauge 3. scale


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I wish I had the room, but if I did I wouldnt bother with ride-on, I'd do full-size estate railroad using 1:1 Feldbahn or Field railway equipment. Feldbahn trains used guages as small as 15" and could often use tighter curves than your downsized standard gauge ride-on stuff requires, and were real working trains. The track was often sectional peices, just like LGB only bigger, including switches, so that you could rlay temporary track wherever you needed to do work. Sure be alot more fun using real trains to do real work around the place, like haul firewood, move stone for paving projects, or taking plants and supplies to the garden, think about it. 



















Typical Feldbahn equipment


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By ChaoticRambo on 23 Dec 2011 06:15 AM .... so there is a bad stigma around here with steam tractors - 

One of the big problems with steam is it's cost. Many folks who really love, know and respect steam, especially the historic kind are unable to get in the hobby due to the $$$ involved.... but folks with more money than brains, and no common sense, can buy one just 'cause they want to.... and then proceed to treat it like a toy. (Then when something bad happens, everyone else gets painted with the same brush!)

Every engine, and every owner, deserves to be judged on their own merits. And any person considering a real steam boiler of any size larger than a soda can really ought to- AT THE VERY LEAST - read and thoroughly understand this book first:

http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=1479579


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## ChaoticRambo (Nov 20, 2010)

Posted By Mik on 23 Dec 2011 10:37 AM 
Posted By ChaoticRambo on 23 Dec 2011 06:15 AM .... so there is a bad stigma around here with steam tractors - 

One of the big problems with steam is it's cost. Many folks who really love, know and respect steam, especially the historic kind are unable to get in the hobby due to the $$$ involved.... but folks with more money than brains, and no common sense, can buy one just 'cause they want to.... and then proceed to treat it like a toy. (Then when something bad happens, everyone else gets painted with the same brush!)

Every engine, and every owner, deserves to be judged on their own merits. And any person considering a real steam boiler of any size larger than a soda can really ought to- AT THE VERY LEAST - read and thoroughly understand this book first:

http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=1479579

Most definitely, I completely understand where you are coming from. Luckily - with the 7.5" gauge crowd, flues are typically copper, so they will collapse before a boiler would actually explode. Plus, most of our stuff is so ridiculously over built, that someone would have to purposely cause a problem. I know our boiler was pressure tested to like 600 psi, and our running pressure is around 80-100.


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## JPCaputo (Jul 26, 2009)

Live steam, especially ride on size has been on my bucket list, or whenever I can afford to get a 7.5 gauge set for the yard since i was about 3 years old.. So that dreams been around 25 years..


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Oooo Oooo OOO me!!!!!!! 4 3/4gauge 1" all the way. modern mainline. 
The TABLE CREEK 1" SCALE RAILROAD.


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## ChaoticRambo (Nov 20, 2010)

Posted By JPCaputo on 23 Dec 2011 10:56 AM 
Live steam, especially ride on size has been on my bucket list, or whenever I can afford to get a 7.5 gauge set for the yard since i was about 3 years old.. So that dreams been around 25 years.. 
I can tell you from a lot of experience that many people are much older than 28 when they get into 7.5" gauge. I constantly see people in their late thirties, early forties joining our club and other clubs around us. 

Just remember, the only way it is going to stay a dream is if you keep dreaming about it. Materials are relatively cheap, only costly parts can be the trucks and coupler. If scratch building is not your thing though, pay attention to the sale pages on discoverlivesteam.com and you just might find a good deal.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

I can tell you from a lot of experience that many people are much older than 28 when they get into 7.5" gauge. ****, I was 57.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Got started on this project last summer. Been on hold for a while due to "honey-do's" and some other things. Will get started back up after first of the year. Motor unit is next. Boiler is under construction. Hopefully running this fall.

Type "A" Climax


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## JPCaputo (Jul 26, 2009)

I've been looking at discover live steam, lots look great on there wish I could afford any of it. Id like to build what I can't afford just gotta get the $$ for materials, need to start hitting up metal recycling places to pick up scraps for cheap.


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## ChaoticRambo (Nov 20, 2010)

Posted By JPCaputo on 26 Dec 2011 11:20 AM 
I've been looking at discover live steam, lots look great on there wish I could afford any of it. Id like to build what I can't afford just gotta get the $$ for materials, need to start hitting up metal recycling places to pick up scraps for cheap. 
I know a lot of people who have scratch built steam locomotives with great success, if you know what you are doing, it can be done much cheaper than buying a RTR locomotive.

Discoverlivesteam.com is a site that is best looked at once a day, because the good locomotives that are priced correctly tend to go quickly, the ones that you see up there now have been priced way to high (for the most part).

The one I saw that I am surprised has not sold was the small European 0-4-0 tank locomotive for $6,000


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By JPCaputo on 26 Dec 2011 11:20 AM 
need to start hitting up metal recycling places to pick up scraps for cheap. 
Please either buy a boiler (if you don't know about pressure vessel welding), or use new ASME accepted materials (SA series), WITH the proper paperwork (if you do... ) The extra $$ is worth it because you not only know that it's 'right', but have physical proof in case a a club or state inspector ever squawks...
No, it won't be "cheap", the materials for my 10" dia 1/3 scale steam roller boiler were about $1100 in '97, but I can prove it's safe --- if you really want cheap, put rail wheels on a lawn tractor or look into something like a Maxitrak battery powered one..


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## JPCaputo (Jul 26, 2009)

Definitely the boiler, steam fittings, cylinders and pistons have to be top quality. I wouldn't have it otherwise since it would be extremely dangerous if it couldn't hold. 

I wouldn't cheap out on the Side rods either. 

I'd start with a riding car, track and gas or electric engine till I can afford a proper boiler. 

For cheap I'd go for track, frame material, wheel and axel material, stuff that does not need full stock lengths of material. If I can get pieces that are leftovers or bad cuts that someone else doesn't need and are big enough to fit the bill is what I'd go for. 

Deffinetly have to watch out for material that was stressed till it yielded or cracked, or bent. The recycling places should have a way to tell different alloys apart.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Well I have been into the 7 1/2 gage for quite some time and for now we are using diesels but have a steam loco under construction.. Later RJD


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I have been in 7.5" gauge since 1978, when I built a caboose for my daughter born in 1977. Then it was "all downhill from there! Purchased a Gene Allen ten-wheeler kit in 1980. Completed in 2000! During those years I built rolling stock for my next daughter, a MA&PA wood gondola in 1981 and then for my son, born 1984, a wood refrigerator car, in 1986. Then I got caught-up in a Pacific Electric project at LALS. Had to build that!










My son and I with our PE electric and my son in his sister's red caboose, probably taken about 1987 or 1988.










My first piece of 7.5" gauge rolling stock Built in 1979 for my first child.










MA & PA wood gondola for my second daughter, built in 1981.










Wood refrigerator car for my son, built in 1986.


My first small ride-on 1" scale locomotive was a Little Engines, side tank 0-4-0. I started this one in 1956. My Dad and Grand-dad owned a forging plant in L.A. and it had a small machine shop. They figured I better start learning to do some machining and that started it all!


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## Charles M (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a 3/4 inch scale , 3 and 1/2 inch gauge " Tich " by LBSC . Have run it once, right now it is a shelf queen as no place to run it. 

Charles M SA # 74


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