Garden Railway Forum

Probably seeing a bit of retrenching to traditional scales like 16mm. The large scale market in the states is flat with little to no new items. Prices for other brands of Asian produced live steam have risen sharply in the last couple years and models have moved in the Aster level of pricing and siz...

We had a bit of a "Changing of the Guard" here on my railway, with the Frank S being sold on and replaced with a Roundhouse Argyll second hand from a member at another forum. Long term goal is to narrow the narrow gauge from 45mm to 32mm on the garden railway. This engine will allow such c...

Yes I would buy one of my past engines back. I would love the chance to have my green Pearse Countess with RC and Whistle back I sold around 2002. I nolonger remember who bought her. Mike

Thanks for the research Graeme, I really appreciate it. I will look at the local hobby store to see what they have in spray cans as I need to respray the whole body. The engine is in black, which in my mind does not do Argyll justice. On another note, I looked at pics he sent that show the cylinder ...

With the railway now sleeping under a blanket of snow, its time to start thinking about and planning next springs changes and improvments. Frank S the live steamer has been sold on(didnt like steaming in colder weather) and replaced with a Roundhouse C&M Argyll in all black. I do plan to repaint...

Flushing the gas tank seems to help if done prior to even trying to light the burner the first time. Requires wasting some gas, but saves plugging up the jet. I have one Accucraft and my friend has 3 from that brand. All have been good engines once run in, they are much like a basic series RH as in ...

Another good way to learn how to run slowly with a stock steamer is to watch some of the "from the footplate" videos and pay close attention to how the driver operates the throttle lever when starting the train. Its not just yank it out and go like a diesel. A steam engine would just spin ...

I never noticed the difference in the valve chests till you guys brought that up. Just makes setting the travel very critical. I do want to respray mine into that color from the all black she will be in when I get her this week. She will get a full going over and RC installed before spring arrives, ...

I am buying a second hand Argyll and would like to restore him to the proper colors and lettering for the C&M. Being in the USA, does anybody know of source for the Gamboge paint that RH used? Or atleast something close. My Argyll is in black right now, so its not where I could paint match. Than...

My engines carry names from my favorite Charles Dickens book, Oliver Twist. Mike

He has several nice pieces I like, wish I had the funds. That Frank S has the Finescale gas tank in it. Looks just like the one I put in my first Frank S many years ago. Wish I could still get that tank! Mike[/i]

After getting my yards trimmed that I do for extra money, it was deemed a live steam day. Fired up Frankie and he kept stalling in the first tunnel(just ahead of the green battery engine in one of the above pics). This is the reverse curve and the highest point of the layout. Got all worked up and o...

I gave the old SL1 a test steaming on blocks, ran as smooth she did several months ago. With all the talk of crank pins coming loose, I think I will bring my loctite 603 home from work on Monday and wick it into the pin/wheel interface on the back side of each drive wheel. Starting from cold, it tak...

I made some progress on getting a solid start to building my indoor live steam 32mm gauge live steam and battery railway. I retrieved my unsold Mamod train set from the shop where I had it on consignment. I also picked up a proper TARDIS and an evil Dalek as whats a layout without the TARDIS appeari...

Not saying offer it factory installed, just as a kit that the user can install later if they want. The slip eccentric valve gear is why those basic engines are not on my want list. My nearly ground level line with its up and down grade demands RC and having reverse via RC is nice to have if not almo...

I would like to see Roundhouse, for a little extra, offer upgraded valve gear for the basic series. Millie looks great with all the upgrades that is offered, but is still a slip eccentric engine. Same with Sammie. Now if RH would develop a upgraded to thier semi walscherts valve gear, thus giving th...

I do not have a drawing of the original tank, neither does Finescale Engineering as I asked them.  I may just try to adapt a Accucraft tank into the cab if I don't trade the engine off.  Looking for a Roundhouse classic series engine or one of the 4 coupled Merlin Monarchs.  Mike

With the demise of the "made in Japan" side of Aster Hobbies, I suspect prices will rise in the short term on older Aster models. Or atleast the asking price will, doesn't mean it will sell for that. Lots of wishing going on in the model train hobby in every scale right now. Many vendors a...

I enjoy going out trainspotting at night because I am very sensitive to bright lights/sun light. I try to do most of my railway work, shopping ect at night or around dusk. If the lights are bright enough in a store I have to wear my sun glasses. Its actually painful for me without them on. If was st...

Here are some fairly recent pics of my railway. Its not very big and sports LGB R1 curves, but its a joy to watch run and helps keep most of our purchasing in check since we have a curve restriction. Buildings are mostly Pola with a couple by Aristo Craft. Track is 100% LGB, all the buildings, turno...