# For a few buck you make an impression



## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Anyone that would really like an engine that can impress the steam crowd, here is an announcement(G1MRA):


Aster are reproducing the Australian AD 60 Beyer Garrett type 4-8-4 +4-8-4 with a very limited run of only 30 world wide, it measures just over 1 metre long " src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/04.gif" width="18" />  that's some loco.


A picture of it can bee seen on the Aster USA site [url]http://www.asterhob byusa.com/[/url] 


Tony Guerrier


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## zephyra (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow, I was just about to post a forum entry titled "AD60 - does it really exist" when I saw this. 


Has anyone ever seen one of these in action?


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## rbednarik (Jan 2, 2008)

Robert, 

At Diamondhead, We had the pleasure of seeing Carol Paule's AD60 pulling David Morgan-Kirby's Passenger cars. Wonderful engine, two axle pumps (one on each engine) nicely sized boiler, and the ability to be coal fired! I do not remember if I sent you a dvd of Diamondhead, but I have some left if you'd like one.


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## David Rose (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm afraid to ask what "a few bucks" is.....


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## David Rose (Jan 2, 2008)

ah hah... I just went to the Aster Snobby - I mean Hobby web site and it's $11,500.. Expensive but expected for a limited 30 piece run of such complexity


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

$11,500 is the kit price (with the notation) depending on USD-to-Yen currency rates. (Southern Steam Trains website)


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## zephyra (Jan 2, 2008)

""Posted By rbednarik on 01/04/2008 1:40 PM
Robert, 

At Diamondhead, We had the pleasure of seeing Carol Paule's AD60 pulling David Morgan-Kirby's Passenger cars. Wonderful engine, two axle pumps (one on each engine) nicely sized boiler, and the ability to be coal fired! I do not remember if I sent you a dvd of Diamondhead, but I have some left if you'd like one. ""



Ryan, if would be great to get the DVD if you wouldn't mind sending it to me. My plans for an Accucraft CF just got put on the back burner - as a kid I lived in South Africa and saw Garratts at work and owe my current fascination with steam to that experience. I also visited the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry many times when I lived nearly to drool over the SAR GL class Garratt that they have on display.


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## chama (Jan 2, 2008)

I understand that there are two 1:1 K-37s available from the D&SNG for $150,000 each. Weigh about 187,000 pounds (less than $1/pound), measure about 65 feet long. 37,000 pounds TE and coal-fired (no conversion from Torry required). 

Now one of these would REALLY make an impression!


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## RP3 (Jan 5, 2008)

Even as you gasp when looking at the proposed price, remember that the Allegheny kits were originally over $17,000 and that was over five years ago. So this engine may be considered a real deal -- relatively speaking. 

Happy New Year, 

Ross Schlabach


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Scott 

You neglected to mention that the $150K doesn't include a few items typically supplied with an Aster [side rods], and a few miscellaneous essentials for proper operation. these would include incidentals like, air pumps, injectors, and other appliances pulled off to keep other D&SNG locos in operation. Not to bring up the renewal of the boilers. Let's raise the cost to $900K to have the thing operable. 

BUT, you are right, I would be an incredible lawn ornament. You could spend the price of a new 1:20.32 live steamer every year just keeping the surface rust in check and a nice coat of paint on the loco and tender. I will concede that the price is LESS than an operational K-37 in 2.5in /foot scale. 


On the TOPIC OF THIS THREAD... the AD-60 is a beautiful loco. In skilled hands it performs very well. Question for me is: Does anyone produce 1:32 rolling stock that is correct for the loco. Pulling North American coaches just doesn't seem right. 

Cheers 

Jim


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## Rob Meadows (Jan 6, 2008)

Jim,


         As a matter of fact there is someone making 1/32 scale (NSWGR) New South Wales Govt. Railway Goods wagons which would be correct for the AD60.


http://www.tootleng.com/


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## rusty1219 (Jan 17, 2009)

*G'day all from OZ*
*I live in NSW and the AD60 is a massive loco in any gauge, I haven't seen it in g scale but i have in 3 1/2 and 5" gauge also 1:1* *its BIG!*








*There's a group currently restoring 6029 to working condition the website is: http://project6029.blogspot.com/ for anyone interested.*
*I was going to buy one of these loco's as a kit to put together but $16,500AU made me re think what would have been my first live steamer ha ha
instead i bought an aristo mikado (much easier) with the view to **turn it into a D59 class im still going to do it but there are going to be some 
comprimises on the scale, i also want to make a coal fired boiler for it but that'll be for another thread any suggestions would be welcome*

*Rusty*


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## thespottedcat (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Rusty,
I told ya live steam is addictive. The AD60 would of been a **** of a learning curve, and I don't think it would track well on the lumpy track at Luddenham.

Drop me a line if you want to come over and Play


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Aster are reproducing the Australian AD 60 Beyer Garrett type 4-8-4 +4-8-4 with a very limited run of only 30 world wide


Their website says 70 units - but they were all reserved as of June 08. Why don't they wait and see how many get 'reserved' before they decide how many to make? Carrolwood started with 50 FWRR locos and eventually got orders for 175. Strange way to do business - there's clearly a demand for the locos. It doesn't do Aster any good to keep them scarce.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Pete Thornton on 01/20/2009 8:53 AM
Aster are reproducing the Australian AD 60 Beyer Garrett type 4-8-4 +4-8-4 with a very limited run of only 30 world wide


Their website says 70 units - but they were all reserved as of June 08. Why don't they wait and see how many get 'reserved' before they decide how many to make? Carrolwood started with 50 FWRR locos and eventually got orders for 175. Strange way to do business - there's clearly a demand for the locos. It doesn't do Aster any good to keep them scarce.



I do tend to agree with you, but then it ain't MY money invested in the manufacture of the engine. There is something to be said for the "collectability" of the model and the smaller the run of units the more the value of each unit.

The PBS TV station here in Iowa, during one of their annual begging seasons, had a guest star that brought 10 CD's of her music that she said she would autograph for the first 10 people that pledged a certain amount of money to the stations. Unautographed CDs were being given in response to lessor pledges. Her autographs for this purpose on this CD would be limited to just 10 which would make them rare and I wanted one so I bit and pledged the higher amount. Apparenly, the response was overwhelming and she promised to autograph more. Oops, that reduces the value of the autograph as it is no longer as rare.


In addition, if Aster were expecting to sell 1000's of units, then the manufacturing scheme would be different... namely, continuous runs of components, but since this market is limited... not everyone wants a live steam locomotive, no matter what the price... the manufacturing setup is to do batches of components. The size of the batches has to be determined somehow and somebody has to put up the cash to do so. That person has to decide how much cash to put up and that determines the size of the batch.

The value of a "one-off" engine would be much higher than one of a thousand, but somewhere inbetween is a break point as to number of units and return on investment and the number that can actually be sold and how brave the investor(s) is/are.

Being as I am a live steam enthusiast, I think the number could have been a bit higher, but, then, like I said earlier, it ain't MY money on the line. If somebody said to put my money where my mouth is, my mouth would clamp shut quite quickly.

On the other hand, I have given serious thought to sponsoring a run of a 1:32 scale model of the "General" (4-4-0 of American Civil War fame)... not so serious as to start making enquiries to Aster, but serious "thought" none-the-less. What would it cost to batch produce, say, 100 of them? How large should the batch be to cover the necessary spare parts for those that are actually built and sold? What price would have to be charged to recoup the expense (at enough profit to make mine "free"







)? How much trouble would I be willing to put up with if there are problems? What kind of problems should I expect? What kind of long term expenses are there in investing in this sort of thing? (Aster pretty much guarantees to have spare parts for any unit you have!!!... but for how long?) Could I put up with the on-line complaints (on MLS and elsewhere) that some part or other does not meet the expectation of some idiot that purchased one and used it as a football or because some compromise had to be made in the design? I think I could afford to sponsor ONE run of units, but ONE single stupid mistake in manufacturing anywhere along the line would totally bankrupt me and ruin what little reputation I have as a "semi-nice guy"... I'd just be some idiot, or a fast talking scam artist, that tried to foist off on the unsuspecting Live Steam cadre a folly of stupidity.


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