This weekend my dad, another member of the live steam group and I were in Arizona. We were here for the Maricopa Live Steamers fall meet over by the adobe dam, and ventured the 17 mile layout with a Virginian HL16-44 (baby trainmaster; trainmaster body with 2 axle trucks). While we escaped the sun today and wanted to relax from the traffic on the one of 5 division lines that MLS has, we ventured to McCormick- Stillman park in Scottsdale.
For those who haven't been to this park, it is worth the visit. The park is owned by the city and is a very nice park. With a full size mogul and passenger cars on display, 15 inch Gauge, 7 1/2 Gauge, various Museum like exhibits and the jewel of the park has to be the interactive model train room. This room has an overhead G-Scale layout, N scale layout, HO Scale layout and a O Scale layout. This layout is a unique layout, lots of things that kids can do such as operating accessories running trains around one of the main lines. I was great ful that CM-1 of the San Diego 3-Railers, Dallas (Mountain Mover) who is the president of this O Gauge group the name of Paradise and Pacific invited me to run trains on their layout. So I one of the few members in my club to run trains in another state, so I took this opportunity to run RGS Galloping Goose #7 around the layout for four hours. I talked to (Bill) aznjbill for a little bit after meeting him 2 moths ago in San Diego and other members of the club that were there. They have an extremely impressive lift bridge, pictures are provided. And pictures of the Goose running around on the layout.
If you are ever in the Arizona you must visit the group in Yuma, Maricopa Live Steamers (Running season is September to June) Sundays are public runs, and McCormick-Stillman great places to visit. Also MLS has 3 next door neighbors, the Arizona Model Railroad Society, Arizona Garden Railway Society, and I thin it is called the Sahauro Rail Museum. AMRS and AGRS have a Garden Railway, HO layout, N Scale Layout, and a O-27 post war layout. The Sahauro Museum has a has MTH, Lionel, GGD and 3rd rail/sunset models and a layout setup to run on certain days. They have 15 inch gauge trains on display and acquired a beautiful American made by the late Ben Hammer, it is a nice piece.
Sorry if this post is long, hope you enjoy the pics.
