Hey gang
Is there enough interest for me to create a Live Steam forum here? We’ve never had anyone on the site interested enough before, but its time to take the pulse again.
So, yea, or nay?
What is the section marked “Live Steam”, that sits below “Power and Sound”?
I guess the simple answer is sure why not. Build it and they will come. But I’m not sure that is the best position to take. The more things are diluted, it seems the less participation is achieved.
For sake of discussion, I’m not sure a tightening of subjects might be more constructive than expansion. However, then when rants start you would have to wade through them to get to something you find useful. Where now you can just avoid subjects, when they are going down a strange path.
My two cents and certainly not meant to promote controversy just support of the site. Maybe 7/8ths would be better.
As I remember it there used to be a 7/8’s forum here which I had suggested.
It was about as well patronised as the Live Steam one has been. Another not so luminous suggestion of mine.
I do thank Bob for trying them.
Perhaps we should look at creating a “Critter” forum, sort of along the lines of the Light Iron Digest magazine philosophy.
That would be able to cover all sorts of things that were relatively small in real life.
Steam, diesel, gas, compressed air etc.
Anything really as long as it was minimum gauge stuff.
Like less than 3 feet between the rails.
In any of the Large Scales.
Personally I am not in the least bit interested in big time mainline RR’ing.
Give me the smaller stuff any day.
But, given that there have been some monster locos in 2’ gauge and 2½’ gauge, the scope is very broad.
If I was in Bob’s position I would approach LID to run a small ad in some sort of reciprocal arrangement to promote both media.
While I tend to agree with Ric that there already is a live steam forum on this site, I would sure hate to start having scale specific forums. (Yes, that includes the already existing On30 one 
). I like to think that I’m interested in all the large scales and the techniques that people use to build their models and operate their railroads.
You’re right, Ric. The forum is below the scroll for the main forum page for me, and, since Im not really interested in live steam myself, well, it never shows up on my radar.
Consider me stupid this morning. (goes and makes another pot of coffee)
I guess Live Steam, or any other category, gets as much response as practioners are on the forum. OTOH the more they write the more intrigued I get, perhaps one day I’ll add a Live Steamer to the “EPL” set up. 
Bob , Is this the sort of live steam you had in mind ?
Actually a railway on the site of a sandpit that used to be rail run . Leighton Buzzard , England , a little way from where I live .
Nice picture, Mike.
Bruce, I subscribe to the 7/8ths yahoo group not because I model it, but because there is some interesting stuff there. I can hardly say I model in On30, but I like the forum. I think the 7/8ths guys need a place to hang their hat and Bob can provide it. Have you noticed how many 7/8th’s pictures are in the Gallery? I think that people that are comfortable on a site look at more than one forum and can offer a new perspective.
Bob, not a problem on the “Live Steam” issue. I think since we are bad at describing a subject well enough for people to search on it, maybe we would do better just searching a correct forum. Oh wait, I guess “correct” doesn’t work with the word “forum” does it?
Ric,
I’m with you. I follow a lot of groups and enjoy other scales.
I’m just worried that we could end up with the following forums (fora?): 1:13, 1:18, 1:20, 1:22.5, 1:24, 1:25, 1:29, 1:32, 1:whateverIleftout.
Then, when someone builds a neat new 1:22.5 model, do they put it in the modeling forum? Or the 1:22.5 forum? Or, the rolling stock forum? Whoops, I digress.
Oh well…
Hey Bruce, I understand your thoughts exactly and please don’t get the idea I disagree with you. But I think in a large scale forum some of the smaller (by number of participants, not size) groups could use a place to hang their hat and feel welcome. Other forums have been very successful with nitch groups, I think if the 7/8’s guys would like a place here, what should we care? New friends, we might learn some stuff, might even create more particpants as they drag their friends along.
I’m still looking for a place to hang our hats for those that follow the scale of 1:21.4. But so far its just me and Radder, so we take care of all of the meetings by email. That’s almost exactly, but not quite, half way between 1:22.5 and 1:20.3. However, we make a point of not caring about it not being exact and you can run your stuff on our railroad. You might loose a stack if its too tall. I’m still apologizing to Harold about the stack on his shay.
The rub about 1:21.4 is that if you carry it out to 4 or 5 decimal points, it changes every time you buy something new (Using a weighted average that is).
But any who - I think both Ric and Bruce have it right. You need a few forums like On30 and 7/8 because they fall quite a bit outside of the main stream of LS. Ric and I modeling in 1:21.4 are smack dab in the middle of the stream, perhaps up to our necks. Breaking LS up any further would splinter the posts too much.
And… Since we don’t have any topic police, you can post in what ever forum you see fit. Overlap is bound to occur because certain subjects will always fit in more than one bucket.
So if you’ve done some fine 7/8’s modeling your proud of; you could post it in the 7/8’s forum and those who are interested in 7/8 would see it, or post in the modeling forum and everyone interested in modeling would see it. -OOPS- I think I just leaned toward Bruce’s point.
Having only one bucket would make it darn near impossible to browse. The best seems to be a limited number of forums.
JR
If you wish to try live steam , this is a good starter model , by Roundhouse . I posted this here rather than in Live Steam because not a lot of people look there , it seems .
It is normally sold without a tender , and is not this colour , but you have to admit it’s a pretty little thing . The sharp eyed among you will notice a bit of damage , caused by working in steam and hitting the scenery . It is a lovely thing to drive , the radio control is very precise , notwithstanding the statement above–it was being “run-in” at the time . If you have any questions , please ask . I will do my best to help . We have one of these bought as a kit , if anyone is interested I can post some pics of it part built . Mike
So , judging by the above post with pics of a starter steamer , nobody is interested .
Perhaps that is why nobody knows where the Live Steam forum is . Ah , well , I did try .
Mike,
I look at all postings that are marked “new”. Even in “Live Steam”. I’ve got a 2 cylinder shay and a portable live steam track that we set up today for the weekends Ops Session. I enjoy all steam engines, but sometimes I don’t know enough to comment.
Ok…so you asked…
I like live steam locomotives, BUT…
Thge idea of a locomotive, running on live steam just like the prototype is an interesting toy to own and operate. But there lies the problem for me…OPERATION.
This Saturday/Sunday, I will be in Syracuse to attend the big Model railroad show at the Fairgrounds.
Around Syracuse and Rochester there are a good number of live steam enthusiasts. All of them great people, who I consider as friends.
My problem is that after watching a Shay or any other live steamer run around in a tight circle for more than a few minutes is just plain boring. This seems to please most live steamers, but to my mind it is a big waste of a good loco’s potential.
I know that a live steamer will haul a good load and can take part in the operation of a railroad, but most live steamers seem more interested in just the operation of the loco on level track and little else.
So…I’ll drop in and socialize, but hanging around as a Shay makes it’s umpteenth trip around a 10 foot loop of track, with or without cars, would slowly cause me to drift off to sleep.
Just my observations…
I’m like Ric, I read everything marked “new”…and when it comes to live steam, I don’t know enough to ask a question. I got to see my first live steamers in operation at Marty’s in September. I still don’t know enough to know if they are viable enough to be operable on a model railroad or if they are just an expensive novelty toy.
Also understand that being an American I find colorful British locomotives to be a novelty themselves…odd looking critters. Steam locomotives are suppose to be big, black and dirty. But I look…and have an interest. I currently have no desire to own foreign outline steam locomotives, but if you present something, I’ll look, and admire…and move on to things that are closer to my own interests. By all means post away. I’ll be reading it for sure.
Warren
Interesting ,
It seems that I am not the only one to read all the “new” stuff as it gets posted .Simply because I like trains and am interested to see what others are doing with them .
But Fred’s answer is very welcome , particularly because he raises a point about steamers and their “operation”
Fred says that he loses interest in a steamer going round in circles . So do I . I also lose interest in electrics doing the same . But is this the whole story ? Do all of you think that steamers are just set up , put on the track and run until they pant to a stop from lack of steam ? Regrettably , this is the way a heck of a lot of people imagine Live Steam .
Well , I can tell you that I for one have never run a live steamer which has not got basic radio control over direction and speed .
A quick look in the cab of the red loco above should make you wonder what the heck is all the gubbery in the cab ? It’s the control system , my dears . So next time you see a steamer aimlessly circling ,ask its “driver” if that’s all it is going to do . It may encourage him/her to finish the job .
The other point , you don’t know what questions to ask .
OK , here’s a few .
Is it the model of a prototype ?
Why is it that pretty colour ?
What does Lautoka mean ? —if you don’t understand this question , you did not look at the model properly .
There , off the cuff , three relevant questions .
More ?
What scale is it ?
What guage is it ?
How does the water get boiled up ?
I think that most people are not too keen on live steam , full stop . Period .
Well , you really do not know what you are missing . I am fortunate enough to run live steam and other radio controlled stuff , the radio does as much as is required except in my case I hate the continuous noise that seems to come from every blasted loco at exhibitions , so have no whistle sounds on board . I have even strangled the whistle sounds on my Accucraft electric stuff , the baying of a howling banshee each time the loco even moves an inch is plain irritating .
Whatever , in answer to Bob’s question about a live steam forum , I think he has his answer . NFI .
And the answer to the unspoken question ----$ 1500 on the rails , boiling ,under control
I love em…just don’t have the time to post at the moment - same manufacturer as Mike’s loco…
Neil.
Ah, Mikey…you and I could really “Operate” a railway…!!!
Noise gets to me also… I’ll just have to convert you over to Highland Park, Laphroaig, and Sheep Dip…!!!
Fr.FredOne of the problems with the live steam gang is the way they promote their segment of the hobby. Their trains are rarely seen on operating layouts. Almost always they are seen on portable layouts that are nothing more than a loop. They spend an unusual amount of time fiddling with the thing, and then run it around in a loop chasing it’s tail. 
Maybe if live steamers would portray their creations as working locomotives capable of being a useful piece of machinery there would be more interest.
I guess I don’t ask some questions because I don’t care. Scale and guage don’t matter…unless I’m interested in buying one. I find the colorful ones “cute” and “interesting” but that’s about all I can say. For instance, I’ve commented about Niel Hay’s yellow locomotive before. It’s a neat looking locomotive, but it’s so far out from what I model that I can only look, admire and move on. Another more realistic problem with live steam, the locomotives that I would really like are just so far out of my affordability range that it’s useless to even think about them. But, when someone posts pictures and an article about operating an EBT live steam Mike on their fully seniced layout, they will have my absolute undivided attention 