Doing a bit of returning to my roots with my raised garden railway. When I started in G scale around 12 or 13 yrs old, it was with a LGB starter set that my aunt and uncle got for me on a trip to Germany to visit my uncle's side of his family. This grew from under the Christmas tree to in a neighbors garden(mom wouldn't let me remodel her garden!). The neighbor lady loved it and would sit on the patio while I ran trains.(I also mowed and took care of her yard/bushes). My first live steam locomotive that I was able to actually run was a Frank S. I had taken 2 year's worth of mowing income and bought an Aster Pannier Tank engine kit, only to find it would not go around my curves and that I needed a suction fan. Why I got that engine, I don't remember if it was the fun of building a kit(which it was fun to build). I didn't know what to get till I was down at Watt's Train Shop, which was less than an hour from my house. Dad took me down there after the gentleman paid me for the Pannier tank. I had become good friends with the owner Dave and his mom/dad that ran the shop in Zionsville, Indiana (A really magical place to visit back in those pre internet days!). I mentioned to Dave the issues I had with my failed attempt at adding live steam, that I had sold that engine and had XX amount of dollers to spend. He took me over to a room off the main show room and pulled out a dark red box like the one in the first picture below. I had seen this engine at the Indy convention in 1989 but had totally forgotten about it when I bought the Pannier. Dave took it out of the box, it was filthy dirty from being run, but free of damage or any wear. He told me it was in my budget and I could use the shop's repair bench to clean it up before my dad saw it! That was many years ago and several other live steamers have came and gone since then. So, today a new to me Frank S arrived on my railway to join the Pearse Switcher which is being redecaled for Rio Grande to pull my USA style LGB stuff. Frank the tank will handle my Euro cars or anything else I want to pull. I also did some changes on the railway to get my covered bridge back in use and install a siding at my Becks Brewery so I have a reason to get some LGB Becks Bier wagons now! I was good friends with the Watts family till the shop closed up, I was privilaged to buy many items that were a bit to dirty or worn to go to the main show room at really keen prices from Dave, this really helped me stay in G scale back when prices were sky high for LGB and my income was a fraction of what I make now. Enjoy the pics and short video! Mike
Here is the box that lit up my eyes way back in my late teens, my old 2073d is peaking in, I have had that engine for decades.
And what hides in that box
View from the north end of my railway
South end and the Brewery
Covered bridge with the harder jog in the track, this will be reworked with Piko R5 curves and a LGB R1 switch into the lumber mill. (other end has the smoother curves)
And video of Frank S running earlier today.
Here is the box that lit up my eyes way back in my late teens, my old 2073d is peaking in, I have had that engine for decades.
And what hides in that box
View from the north end of my railway
South end and the Brewery
Covered bridge with the harder jog in the track, this will be reworked with Piko R5 curves and a LGB R1 switch into the lumber mill. (other end has the smoother curves)
And video of Frank S running earlier today.
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