Hi all. I just discovered live steam about four months ago. I would like to find a good accucraft dealer to order one of the Ruby1sets with the four ore cars,track,and steam oil. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks Howie
Welcome Howie!
I know nothing about live steam but plenty here do and I enjoy reading their posts.
Welcome Howie and as Rooster (aka David R) says there are lots here that can help you with your question(s).
Mornin’, Sir and welcome indeed! tac here from over the water in dank East Anglia, a fellow live steamer, too. I’ve not seen the set you are lookin for, only this one -
PKG-05F STARTER KIT - RUBY#5 w/ PRES. GAUGE, 4ft DIA BRASS 332 CURVE TRACK (12pcs), 4 SHORT FLAT CARS, 1 STEAM OIL
AccuCraft’s own e-store price for this set-up looks unbeatable to me - at $699.00. I’d be pretty much amazed if anybody could beat that.
tac
Howard,
Welcome. You should be comfortable taking the recommendation that “Tac” Foley gives you. He’s an Honorable soul.
Thank you for that endorsement, Ric - your check is in the mail…;=)
tac
First I would like to thank evey one for getting back to me, and for the warm welcome. I also would like to ask if there are any books or magazines that can help me with my live steam learning curve.
Thank You
Howie
Hi Howard - Welcome to a future member of the Brotherhood of Burnt Fingers. I’ve not read it, so I cant give an opinion, but Mark Horovitz (Garden Railroads publisher) has a book out on all manner of live steam. Check here: http://www.sidestreetbannerworks.com/railways/SteamBook/steambook.html - It’s a bit pricey at over $60, but it might help.
Feel free to just ask questions and we’ll help where we can.
Welcome.
You might want to plan on attending the East Coast Large Scale Train show later this month, March 25-26. http://www.largescaletrainshows.com/
There will be a number of vendors there, as well as a bunch of live steamers running their trains.
Oh yeah, go to the ECLSTS in York, PA and you will probably spend both days in the layout room. Some of those guys will have some good used stuff for sale that could get you started.
The magazine ‘Steam in the garden’ is THE definitive read for the US/Can and fan reader.
The only thing that stops me getting it here in UK is the ludicrous price, but you get it for peanuts in the US.
I suggest that you also get yourself over to ANY show, as well as doing a search on Youtube - I have about sixty clips there myself. Look for tac’s trains accucraft countess royal hudson main131 and so on…
In the US you get most stuff for bargainous prices, too. All you have to do is to decide what era/locale you want to model, and then get prepared to do a LOT of work. Remember that the biggest curves you can imagine are not going to be big enough, and then take it from there. Think ten foot radius to begin with…
I’d add to my pal Jon’s comment that the sidestreet bannerworks live steam website has about ten years worth of monthly write-ups on individual steam locomotives, many with accompanying movies, too. If you can’t find something there to whet your appetite you might as well take up knitting.
Best
tac
Howie, A couple good east coast dealers: 1. Quisenberry Station 2. North Jersey Gauge One 201-391-1493 Steam in the Garden Magazine My Videos on YouTube - Mostly live steam, with a couple of my grand kids. You also could join Pennsylvania Live Steamers, a great group. I live in Michigan, and I am a member. You might also visit My Website. Lots of pics and vids of trains. No advertising.
(http://www.mssls.info/TomM/Pensy%20Labor%20Day%20-%202008/slides/The%20Duchess%20at%20Speed.jpg)
[u] Pennsylvania Live Steamers Gauge 1 track[/u]
Tom, Have you dealt with Royce at Quisenberry Station lately? My Shay came from him and soon after I wanted to buy accessories and things… he was going through some family issues and just couldn’t get product out. I ended up going elsewhere. He’s a nice guy and I hope those problems are behind him now.
A live steam climax would be nice in G scale.
Although I would probably die when I would look at the sticker price.
I might trade an Aristo U25B NYC and cash for a used but good one.
I have some real steam experience, (but not trains) ships.
I wouldn’t be going in it totally blind.
I will be at off work (unpaid) for the week of the show. I told U I was a poor old man.
So I’ll see you at the show on Friday. Just look for the old fart with the Retired Navy hat.
David
Here are the importers own prices - you can bet that these will be beaten by dealers keen to make a sale - I’ve already been contacted by two stateside with substantial savings on these prices - all of which get swallowed up and then some by UK import taxes and 20% sales tax…
AC77-631 CLIMAX, Two Truck, Straight Stack Unlettered $1,889.00
AC77-632 CLIMAX, Two Truck, Michigan California #4 $1,889.00
If I lived where YOU guys do, I’d be driving one tonight.
tac
Tac; If you had my wallet you’d just look at them and drool. 