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American  Railroads
Live  Steam  Miniature  Trains  Page

Scale Model & Toy Trains Page top of page model railroad links reading material about scales & gauges garden RRs image gallery

links reading material & videos live steamer groups - by state image gallery

'Large Scale' live steam-powered model railroad locomotives big enough for humans to ride on are very popular in the U.S.A, in the U.K.. and in Australia. The most popular track gauges are 3½‑inch, 5‑inch, 7¼‑inch, and 7½‑inch; the 'Grand Scale' amusement park train rides are usually 10-inch, 12-inch, or 15-inch gauge. Owners and builders tend to closely-matching the scale of the equipment with the gauge of the track. Coal- and oil-fired locomotives carry more prestige, but internal-combustion and electric motors power many larger-scale model locomotives that represent steam-era engines; models of diesel and electric locomotives usually have matching power sources.
'Live Steam' entry at Wikipedia
'15-inch gauge railways' entry at Wikipedia
'ridable miniature railways' entry at Wikipedia

L i n k s
Discover Live Steam [est. 1998]
Live Steam and Outdoor Railroading Magazine [est. 1966]
National Summer Steamup [July 2016 = #20] in McClellan (Sacramento), CA
International Brotherhood of Live Steamers [est. 1932]
TH's Live Steaming info site [est. 1995]

  Backyard Train Company, 5650 Washington Street in Denver, Colorado
  Goodshall's Custom Machining & Model Steam Locomotives [est. 1984?] in Shermans Dale, PA
  The Great American Train Company [est. 2008] of Plymouth, MN
  Little Engines [est. 1934], 173A Business Park Loop in Sequim, WA
RG's Live Steam Locomotives Supplies of Santa Paula, CA
Mason's Trains live steam products of Canada {website given up 2013}
Miracle Graphics - for the large scale modeler [est.2000] in Shady Dale, Georgia
  Jim Humphrey's Mountain Car Company [] in Salem, Virginia
Plum Cove Studios 1.5"-scale (7¼/7½-inch gauge) rolling stock in Gloucester, MA
  Rio Grande Associates outdoor railroad equipment [est. 2002] in Wichita, Kansas
R.M.I. {Roll Models Industries) Railworks [est. 2000], 174 Lambert Street in Oxnard, CA 93036
Silver State Trains [est. 2013], 2523 Vintage Rose Avenue in Henderson, Nevada
Facebook page for The 10Ό-Inch Gauge Society [est. 5/2010] of U.K. {last update 2014}

listing of public & private live steam railroads (by S.C.L.S., needs an update)
listing of U.S.A. public & private live steam railroads on the Discover Livesteam website

Reading  Material  &  Videos

Steam In The Garden Magazine (USA) [est. 1981] direct subscription 6 issues/year for $35 magazine website

Live Steam and Outdoor Railroading Magazine (USA) [est. 1967] magazine website Wikipedia

The Miniature Locomotive Magazine [1953-54] single issues not found on Amazon, try eBay etc.

Miniature Railway Magazine of U.K. [est. 2006] someway connected to The Miniature Railway Museum Trust magazine website

"Model Steam Locomotives" [1954, rev 1979] by Henry Greenly, revised in 1979 by Ernest A. Steel Littlehampton Book Services, Ltd. 9¾x7¾ hardcover [rev 1979] out of print/used Littlehampton Book Services, Ltd. 9¾x7¾ hardcover [rev 1979] out of print/used Cassell & Company, Ltd. hardcover [1962] out of print/used Cassell & Company, Ltd. hardcover [1954] out of print/used

"Winton Engineering Co Catalog Live Steam Diesel Locomotives [1970] by Winton Engineering and William C. Fitt Spiral-bound Currently unavailable.
http://www.amazon.com/Winton-Engineering-Catalog-Diesel-Locomotives/dp/B00BHHNEA8/

"Railroad Supply Corporation Large Scale Live Steam and Diesel Locomotives Catalog: Fifth Edition [1973]
http://www.amazon.com/Railroad-Supply-Corporation-Locomotives-Catalog/dp/B0019II96E/

"So You Want to Build a Live Steam Locomotive [1974] by Joseph F. Nelson
http://www.amazon.com/Want-Build-Live-Steam-Locomotive/dp/0914104012/

"Building the Raritan by William H. MOREWOOD [1977]
http://www.amazon.com/Building-Raritan-William-H-MOREWOOD/dp/B001R66RZI/

"The Sutton Coldfield Fifteen Inch Guage Railway [1990] by J.G. Tidmarsh
http://www.amazon.com/Sutton-Coldfield-Fifteen-inch-Gauge-Railway/dp/1871980054/

"Beginner's Guide to Model Steam Locomotives [1994] by Tim Coles
http://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Guide-Model-Steam-Locomotives/dp/1857610369/

"Walt Disney's Railroad Story: The Small-Scale Fascination That Led To A Full-Scale Kingdom" [1997] by Michael Broggie Pentrex 2nd edition 9x6½ hardcover [10/98] out of print/used Pentrex 1st edition 12½x10 hardcover [9/97] out of print/used "Walt Disney's Backyard Railroad" 3/2009 video with narration [7:37] at YouTube

"Build Your Own Steam Locomotive - "Sweet Pea" [1998] by Jack Buckler
http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Steam-Locomotive/dp/1857611020/

"Making Simple Model Steam Engines [Dec 1, 2005] by Stan Bray
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Simple-Model-Steam-Engines/dp/1861267738/

"A Climax Class A Live Steam Locomotive Model [May 3, 2017] by Edward C. Hume III
http://www.amazon.com/Climax-Class-Steam-Locomotive-Model/dp/1545404895/

"The Backyard Railroader: Building and Operating a Miniature Steam Locomotive [December 2018] by Jeff Frost
http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Railroader-Operating-Miniature-Locomotive-ebook/dp/B07KQDWFMN/

	"Adventures In Backyard Railroading: Waushakum and Pioneer Valley Live Steamers" [2010] 65-minute video of visits to two live steamers clubs in Massachusetts: Waushakum Live Steamers in Holliston and Pioneer Valley Live Steamers in Southwick Black5Video widescreen color DVD [2010] out of prodn/SOLD OUT !
	"Grand Scale Steam: Three Miniature Railways" [2013] 81-minute video showing the 16"-gauge Whiskey River Railway [est. 1991] located in Marshall, Wisconsin - four steam locomotives, including 4-6-2 Pacific #1919; the 15"-gauge Redwood Valley Rail-way [est. 1952] near Berkeley, California; and the 15"-gauge Milwaukee County Zoo Train [est. 1958] - two steam locomotives, including fast-moving 4-6-2 #1924, also Milwaukee Road diesel #1958 • Directed by Steve Mitchell Yard Goat Images color DVD [2013] for $22.03 watch 9/2013 official promo [4:53] online at YouTube
	"The Chippewa Valley Railroad" [2015] 16"-guage Ό-scale live steam group operating on a half mile of track in the woods near Eau Claire, Wisconsin since 1973 • Directed by Steve Mitchell 60-minute Yard Goat Images color DVD [2015] for $11.99 watch 8/2015 official promo [2:09] online at YouTube
	"The Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad" on DVD [2015] Ό-scale miniature railroad operating on 16-inch track; featuring twin set of F-7 diesels and an oil-fired 4-6-4 live steam locomotive 45-minute Yard Goat Images color DVD [6/2015] out of prodn/used watch 6/2015 official DVD promo [2:26] online at YouTube watch color DVD promo [1/2017 download; 2:21] online at YouTube
	"Jim Sabin's Amazing Live Steam Backyard Railroad" [2016] Home-built 1.6"-scale narrow-guage railroad on 4Ύ-inch-guage (narrow guage) track on a circle around the house in Paso Robles, CA and a loop across a canyon farther back; locomotive is a live steam C-19 2-8-0 replica pulling a boxcar, a rideable bench car (for Penny), and a Silverton cupola caboose. Directed by Mike Massee, featuring Jim & Penny Sabin DVD/Blu-ray not available • Amazon Instant Video [2016] offered as FREE with Prime watch short film [1/2016 upload; 16:34] online at YouTube

Live  Steam  Miniature  Railroading  Groups
International Brotherhood of Live Steamers [est. 1932]
international organisation The 7Ό-Inch Gauge Society [est. 1973] based in Harrow (London), U.K.

active live steamer groups - by state
AZ • CA • CO • FL • MA • MI • MO •
OR • PA • TN • TX • VA • WA • WI
Canada & other foreign groups

Arizona

Arizona & Pacific Railroad [est. 2002] 16-inch gauge live steamers in Peoria, Arizona
Flagstaff & Middle Verde RR of Malcolm & Martha Mackey [1988-2012] in Camp Verde, Arizona - sold equipment to A&PRR in Peoria
  Maricopa Live Steamers [] is north of Phoenix in Glendale, AZ
  The Redlake Junction Railroad [est. 2008] in Williams, Arizona
Yuma Territory Live Steamers [est. 2008] in Yuma, Arizona

California

                                              
  privately-owned Bitter Creek Western Railroad [est. 1984] 7½-inch gauge railroad near Arroyo Grande, California
Chula Vista Live Steamers (Sweetwater & Rohr Park RR) [est. 1974]
  Flintridge & Portola Valley Railroad [est. 1991] is a 7½" gauge backyard railway in California
watch Mike Massee's 2014 "Flintridge and Portola Valley Live Steam" movie [26:52] online at YouTube
  Golden Gate Live Steamers [est. 1936] at Tilden Park in the hills above Berkeley, California
  Joshua Tree & Southern Railway and Museum [est. 1986?] in Joshua Tree, California
Kern County Live Steamers [] operates on portable track in Bakersfield, California
Los Angeles Live Steamers [est. 1956] at Travel Town in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California
privately-owned Mesa Grande Western RR 'High Desert Scenic Line' [est. 1961] 9"-gauge railroad in the Mojave Desert near Valyermo, California
  Orange County Model Engineers (Mackeral Flats & Goat Hill Junction RR) [est. 1977] in Costa Mesa, California
Redwood Empire Live Steamers Interactive Museum [est. 2003] in Santa Rosa, California
Redwood Valley Railway [] 15"-gauge miniature steam railroad at Tilden Park in the hills above Berkeley, California
  Riverside Live Steamers [est. 1966] in Riverside, California
  Sacramento Valley Live Steamers Railroad Museum [est. 1968, Golden Spike 1973] in Rancho Cordova, California
Southern California Live Steamers [est. 1942] in Torrance, CA
  Swanton Pacific Railroad [est. 1980s] in Davenport (Santa Cruz County), California
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swanton_Pacific_Ranch#Swanton_Pacific_Railroad
  privately-owned Trinity Alps Mountain Railroad [] near Trinity Center in Northern California
Ventura County Live Steamers [est. ??] in Ventura, California {website parked 2015}

Colorado

Colorado Live Steamers (Bijou Creek & Western RR) [est. 1998] is located 40 miles east of Denver
  Tiny Town Railroad [est. 1915; open May-Sept] 7 miles south & west of Morrison, Colorado

Florida

  Ridge Live Steamers [est. 1996] in Dundee, Florida

Massachusetts

           
  Waushakum Live Steamers [est. 1955, moved 1995] in Holliston {west of Boston}, Massachusetts  
5,864 feet of mainline track on three gauges, plus a large new electrified G-scale loop
over a mile of track on three gauges, with a tunnel, a covered bridge, and a truss bridge

Pioneer Valley Live Steamers [est. 1951] in Southwick {west of Springfield}, Massachusetts  
5720 feet of track on three gauges, plus a large new electrified G-scale loop

Michigan

  Great Lakes Live Steamers [est. 2002] in Michigan

Junction Valley Railroad [1982-2016] in Bridgeport, Michigan - 'The World's Largest Quarter Scale Railroad'  
closed 10/2016 'due to the new insurance rule'; 9 engines and 70+ cars, 4½ miles of track, a tunnel, and many bridges & trestles; billed as
'a 2-mile train ride' and 'a wonderful family experience' with a well-kept playground and picnic area
watch 8/2016 'Final Visit to Junction Valley Railroad' video [26:36] online at YouTube

   Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad [est. 1994] in Fairview, Michigan
Ό-scale railroad operating on 16-inch track featuring custom-built oil-fired 4-6-4 Hudson, an F-7 diesel set constructed in 1997
by Custom Locomotive of Chicago, a 115-foot long tunnel, and two large wooden trestles.

  The White Creek Line Railroad [est. 1994] north of Grand Rapids in western Michigan

Missouri

Arborway, T.T. & Northwestern Miniature Railroad [built 2005?, suspended 1/2018]
private 15"-gauge railroad located in South Central Missouri, between Steelville and St. James; not open to the public prior to suspension; motive power includes 4-8-4 Northern #801, other locomotives, saved from amusement parks: F-7 diesel #216 (battery-powered), F-7 diesel #325 (diesel-powered), SW1200 switcher #17, Davenport 0-6-0 yard switcher #28, electric trolley set #1911 (battery-powered), yellow & black 4-seater speeder #86 (lawnmower engine-powered), GP-9 style diesel #452; also S.P. cupola caboose & cupola combine caboose #0306; facilities include 5 miles of track, two tunnels, main train station, 4-track car barn, 40-foot armstrong turntable for 10-stall engine house
watch "Backyard Railroading On A Grand Scale" ATT&NW video [upload 11/2017; 24:09] at YouTube

  St. Louis Live Steamers (Flat Creek & Eureka RR) [est. 2005] in the City of Eureka, Missouri

Long Island Live Steamers [est. 1966] in Brookhaven, L.I., N.Y.

Northeastern Ohio Live Steamers [est. 1969] in Medina, Ohio + older Homestead site

Oregon

  Pacific Northwest Live Steamers at Molalla Train Park [est. 1954] in Molalla, Oregon
Southern Oregon Live Steamers [est. 1981] in Medford, Oregon
  Willow Creek Railroad Museum [est. 1975] in Brooks (Salem), Oregon

  Train Mountain Railroad [est. 1987], 36941 So. Chiloquin Road in Chiloquin, Oregon
8/2012 video of Train Mountain Railroad [2:42] on YouTube
Friends of Train Mountain [est. 2007?]
Klamath & Western Railroad, Inc. [] located at Train Mountain

Pennsylvania

  Pennsylvania Live Steamers [est. 1946] in Rahns/Collegeville, PA

Tennessee

  Chattanooga [TN] Society of Model Engineers [est. 1998]
  privately-owned Eagle Point Railroad [est. 2000] near Dunlap, TN
  Mid-South Live Steamers [est. 1966] in Columbia, TN

Texas

Houston [TX] Area Live Steamers [est. 1992] in Hockley, Texas
Houston [TX] Small Scale Live Steamers []

Virginia

  Blue Ridge Live Steamers (Blue Ridge Railway) [est. 1977] in Franklin County, VA 24184

Washington State

  Great Northern & Cascade Live Steamers [est. 12/2012] in Skykomish, WA
  Kitsap Live Steamers [est. 1990] in Port Orchard, WA
privately-owned Pacific Beach & Summit live steam railroad [est. 2004] on Whidbey Island, WA

Wisconsin

Chippewa Valley Railroad Assn. [est. 1974], 811 Carson Park Drive in Eau Claire, Wisconsin  
miniature railway meandering along a half mile of 16-inch track at Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, high above Half Moon Lake;
offers train rides in 1880-era coaches pulled by live steam locomotives and a diesel engine.

Whiskey River Railway [est. 1991], 700 E. Main Street in Marshall, Wisconsin  
the 16"-gauge Whiskey River Railway locomotives include: #12 R.G.S. green 4-4-2 "Gracey"; #12 smaller D&RGW wood-cab 4-6-2 Pacific 'Oakland Acorn';
#1919 4-6-2 Pacific 'Lee W. Merrick'; #1956 4-6-2 S.P. Daylight 'Melody Ranch Special'; #1996 & #1997 GP diesels
watch 8/2019 Steam Channel video [9:25] online at YouTube
watch 4/2015 Steam Channel video [12:26] online at YouTube

Whiskey River Railway is located at Little Amerricka Amusement Park, 700 E. Main Street in Marshall, Wisconsin
operates the classic 1950s wooden roller coaster 'The Meteor', many other retro-style rides, and the Whiskey River Railway

Zoofari Express Train [est. 1958] at the Milwaukee Zoo [new zoo opened 1958]
15"-gauge steam or diesel train ride operates from Memorial Day through Labor Day 'weather permitting'; motive power includes 1959 Milwaukee Road diesel locomotive #1958; 1961 4-4-2 steam locomotive #1916; 1977 4-6-2 steam locomotive #1924 'Irwin Maier'; diesel #1992 from Riverside & Great Northern Railway in 1990s; the 1957 4-4-0 steam locomotive #82, built by Sandley Light Railway Works of Wisconsin Dells, was traded off circa 1990s

Canada & Other Foreign Locations

2-foot gauge Port Elgin & North Shore Railroad {status unknown} in Southern Ontario, Canada
official website • entry at Wikipedia
PE&NS 15"-gauge locomotive #1 [restored 2001] website
watch 2004 video [7/2009 upload; 2:08] online at YouTube
watch 2015 video [8/2015 upload; 19:07] online at YouTube

United  Kingdom
list of miniature railways in U.K.
Wikipedia's list of British heritage & private railways

Cleethorpes Coast LightRailway [est. 1948] at seaside Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, NE England
official website • entry at Wikipedia

The Craigtoun Park Railway 15-inch gauge tourist line [est. 1976] in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
primary locomotive imitates a D&RGW steam locomotive and runs on diesel-electric power
official website • entry at Wikipedia

Ferry Meadows Railway [est. 1978] at Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England
official website • there is no Ferry Meadows Railway entry at Wikipedia

Image  Gallery

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