Another addition is the 1:32 scale NYC Hudson 4-6-4.  Butane fired with a tender pump, axle pump, sight glass and whistle, this engine came ready to go.  The only thing is, this engine has not been built in over 25 years.  Yes she was built in 1983, and I purchased her from the original owner.  Engine and tender are over 36" in length.  All updates and modifications have been made and she is a great looking and running engine.

The latest addition to the collection is what I call the "Plastic Live Steamer"  This locomotive is manufactured by Aristo-Craft.  It is a 1:29 scale Mikado 2-8-2 (like the 1:32 Aster shown above), but sold for about a quarter of the price.  The reason for this is that the body of this engine is the same body used by this company for their electric engines. Plastic!!!  In doing so, they were able to save a lot of money not making metal bodies, and passed the savings on to the customer.  The boiler, frame and mechanical parts of this engine are like the other live steamers.  Copper boiler, steel wheels and brass frame and cylinders.  The engine is butane fired and came with remote control, electronic ignition, pressure gauge, sight glass, goodall valve and working lights.

"Old Faithful"  I've owned this live steam engine since 1995.  She was built in England by Pearse Locomotive Works Ltd.  It is butane fired, and radio controlled.  A typical run will last forty minutes.  Pulling a large load, twenty five minutes would be about the norm.  

The Aster Grasshopper was a purchased "kit".  She is modeled after the original Baltimore works engine produced in 1832 and was named the ATLANTIC.  It features a vertical boiler and two vertical cylinders driving an overhead beam which powers a crank geared to the front axle.  She is alcohol fired and has a run time of about 15-18 minutes.  She is very pretty to watch running, pulling her "coach" style passenger cars.

This is my second Ruby. The original engine just had too many hours on her and wore out.  She is about one year old now and was built in China.  She's really an entry level engine that's had a lot of modifications done to her.  I've added a wooden cab, diamond smokestack, working headlight, pilot (cow catcher), a pressure gauge and radio control.  This engine will pull at least 15 smaller cars.  Average run time is about fifteen minutes and  runs on butane gas.  She is a great runner now and I really enjoy putting her through the paces.

The Rocket was designed and built by George Stephenson with the help of his son, Robert, and Henry Booth, for the 1829 Rainhill Trials in England.  During the race, the Rocket reached speeds of 24mph.  This model was made in Switzerland in the early 1970's.  It is alcohol fired and only has a run time of a couple of minutes due to the speed the unregulated engine achieves.  It really is a Rocket on the rails.  Nice collection piece that I plan on running from time to time with the stagecoach style passenger cars like the Grasshopper shown above.

50th anniversary Mamod Locomotive with tender. 

The first live steam engine that I purchased.  Really an entry level engine that just didn't run very well.  Mamod's have been known to have many problems, and this one was no exception.  Spent some time last year rebuilding the cylinders and this old girl is now running better than new.