Regner’s new “Paul” the live steam tram loco is a great new model this year in my opinion. All metal/brass with non of the fragile wood bits such as the Henry or other past models with lots of wood in their construction. Body work is beautifully done. This is a screwdriver assembly kit, mostly done with the supplied nut runner and some VERY careful bending and aligning of steam lines. The twin cylinder steam os-motor from the Lumberjack and Chaloner loco is used in this tram. With the gear reduction, its a slow and powerful engine. Even comes with all the servo mounts and rods to put RC in this. Space and mounts for the Regner whistle are also predrilled and threaded. You can made this a full outfitted model with RC(not really needed but cool) with even the Whistle being RC controlled. Directions are in German but come with an English translation that is well done. The kit version that you get from The Train Department comes with an additional heat shield to protect the cylinder tension springs from boiler heat. I also opted to put a piece of ceramic insulation over the slotted opening in the boiler face to help send the the heat up or down. This makes her a bit more tricky to light but protects things. I may remove this and see if it makes lighting up easier. Regners are notoriously tricky to light sometimes. I also got the replacement Ronson style gas filler valve that Jay offers for these. The Regner style works, but takes some learning how to use compared to the Ronson self venting style we are more used to. Here are a couple pics of the model and a video of the initial run of the power chassis part of the model before the rain moved in today.

I’ve been converting my Regners to music wire to hold the cylinders like the Accucraft Dora and many more. The cylinder springs are trouble especially the Lumberjack where you have to take half the loco apart to get to them.

Regner themselves put a copper cover over the spring, then Jay adds a brass deflector plate that shields that whole area. Not overfiring the model is the key to not cooking the springs on Regners. The brand is prone to smoke box fires. But its a quick glance down the chimney to see if the flame is burning in the smokebox instead of the flue tube. The boiler on this model has 2 angled water tubes that cross thru the burner tube between the burner and the smokebox, so one it flashes back, that helps a bit over the tubes that are totally open all the way thru. My friends Lumberjack, built from a kit by myself, still has its original springs, and has had no issues. But then again, I am careful to make sure the flame has popped back into the flue tube when I run it for that very reason(he isnt able to run them himself anymore). But I do agree its a weakness in the design. Especially on Lumberjack where they are right under the smoke box opening. Thats another model that just needs a shield made to keep the heat away from them.

This little beauty is the same prototype as the LGB 2050, and is the same size (1:22.5) unlike the UK trams that are 1:19. Here it is next to me Regner Otto and Roundhouse Stanley. I was told the Stanley is smaller than 1:19th to fit with LGB coaches.

I also looked for a driver - this LGB guy seems the right type?

Naw - I found a better one from Just Plain Folk:

Nice pair of “headlights” on that engine drivers helper! Its no wonder why he is smiling so much while keeping that boiler hot and running.