Largest private Live steamers Railroad in the east

All I can say is "wow"!  Congrats on the invite!

-Greg

More details here.

Notice in the first video how he blows right through the red stop signal at 7:27!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Notice in the first video how he blows right through the red stop signal at 7:27!

His head is down. Must be checking text messages on his phone. 😉

There is a large live steam group here in north Georgia, not far from Atlanta - the Canton, St. Paul and Pacific. Our O gauge club has visited up there twice now but, as the OP notes for the location in Connecticut, CStP&P is “by invitation only”.

Here is their website.

https://www.csppry.org/

Curt

Looks like 2 different scales. One 24" track and the other is 7 1/2" (inch and a half Scale). Pretty amazing.

"Largest Live steamers" - whew, for a second I thought you were talking about a New England delicacy.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

More details here.

Good find, thanks for posting.

The Adirondack Live Steamers in upstate NY are having our Spring Meet this weekend. We have 1.5 miles of mainline down, plus probably that amount in sidings and yard tracks. Don't know the mileage on the Brick Mountain Railroad, but we are one of the largest in 7.25" gauge (but not 7.50" gauge).

Wow! Have fun Gary. I know I would. Love the use of real railroad signs and signals.

@BenLMaggi posted:

The Adirondack Live Steamers in upstate NY are having our Spring Meet this weekend. We have 1.5 miles of mainline down, plus probably that amount in sidings and yard tracks. Don't know the mileage on the Brick Mountain Railroad, but we are one of the largest in 7.25" gauge (but not 7.50" gauge).

What I meant was largest private.  Many of my Brethren at the Pioneer Valley live steamers have been up your way for a visit.  I would like to someday also

I love these live steam places.  Never been to one, but always wanted to go.  The detail on some of the locomotives is incredible.  I like this guy's K4s and Pennsy passenger cars.

He has several videos on his channel about how he built it.

There is a 7 1/2"  under construction on a farm in northern Virginia.  He's named it Burnt Tree Industrial Railway.  I have volunteered there a couple times laying track.

Wonder how many South Sea Island stone money wheels THAT little "4 x 8" layout cost to build?! And l thought l liked railroads......

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Notice in the first video how he blows right through the red stop signal at 7:27!

There's also numerous active grade crossings at which no whistle was given.

I did like the nod to actual locations, however- Tehachapi Loop, Moffat Tunnel and Hellsgate Bridge.

WOW is right! Can you imagine the cost to build ONE of those trestles today with the current cost of lumber!

Amazing terrain to work with - at least THREE levels!  Thanks Gary

I really enjoyed this. Thanks for sharing. As for those complaining about stopping and blowing the whistle, if that’s what you got out of this amazing setup then that’s sad.

In my mind I was trying to imagine the track plan. Loved the **** Gate.

If you are anywhere near the St. Louis area be sure to visit the Wabash, Frisco and Pacific in Pacific, MO.  It is not a club for members to bring locos, but it is run and maintained by volunteers.  They even rebuild and maintain their locomotives.  You have to buy a ticket to ride but it's a nice ride along the Merrimack river.

Here's a "track plan" of the Brick Mountain RR (actually a satellite photo).  Construction of the railroad apparently began in 2005.  The roundhouse seen in the video is out of frame at the top.

@MartyE posted:

... As for those complaining about stopping and blowing the whistle, if that’s what you got out of this amazing setup then that’s sad.

...

There is a difference between "complaining" and "observations."  Since many of the scale modelers like to operate prototypically, it's not unusual to make these type of "observations."  One might also ask why bother to install the signaling and the "W" sign (yup, there's at least one, go back and look!) if they're not going to be observed.

If your sarcasm meter is so low that you're going to take these observations as complaining, between all the sniping and caterwauling that goes on in this forum, it might not be the place for you.  Just sayin' ...

I have been to the Connecticut location twice and a friend actually did some work there.  The videos do not do justice to the total outdoor trains.  Last time he had two powered dash 9 locomotives along with a string of stack cars.  Indoors are two 3 rail layouts  in different buildings which are huge and incredibly well done.  I was very fortunate to be able to visit.  The owner was very generous with his time, to show a few friends around the property.

Marty

@Byrdie posted:

There is a difference between "complaining" and "observations."  Since many of the scale modelers like to operate prototypically, it's not unusual to make these type of "observations."  One might also ask why bother to install the signaling and the "W" sign (yup, there's at least one, go back and look!) if they're not going to be observed.

If your sarcasm meter is so low that you're going to take these observations as complaining, between all the sniping and caterwauling that goes on in this forum, it might not be the place for you.  Just sayin' ...

Maybe complaining was a little harsh but I found it surprising the “observation “ was he didn’t blow a whistle or stop rather than what I find to be an amazing effort. Interesting that that’s what a few got out of it.

As far this forum not being for me, I certainly won’t let anyone decide that for me, just sayin’.

That's pretty amazing.

I can't imagine the dollars represented in that video. Mind boggling.

As soon as the first on-board clip started, I realized the engineer must be a retired plumber.

Andre

You need a place to place posts.  Should be a catagory for live steam.  Highly specialized modeling.  But for now, I think this is the best place.

To me, museums could use live steam to help explain this type of engine without needed a full sized locomotive with tbe costs involved.

There is one very close by in NJ around the Warren/Bernards Twp. area -  http://www.njlivesteamers.org

I believe it's a similar set-up.

There's a large club in Suffolk County, NY.

http://lilivesteamers.org/

@laming posted:

That's pretty amazing.

I can't imagine the dollars represented in that video. Mind boggling.

As soon as the first on-board clip started, I realized the engineer must be a retired plumber.

Andre

That would certainly explain how he could afford the trains.  

Looks like in the west Union Pacific will be using live steam on its "layout".... See post for info.