Regner Lumberjack or RH Sammie

artfull dodger

artfull dodger

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I am contemplating my next purchase, I have a Regner Willi right now. Its going to be between a Lumberjack from Regner or a Roundhouse Sammie. The biggest pro's for the Regner in my mind is that it comes with a proper site glass, RH its an option. Its gear drive which helps on my hill and dale garden line, the RH I would have to put RC on the throttle to control it. And the Regner can have also have directional control, Sammie cannot as built. Going for a standard line RH engine such as a Billy or Lady Anne isnt in the budget, atleast a new one. I would be looking at spending under $1000 US dollers. There are also some options I would add, eventualy to the Lumberjack if I go that route, whistle and water refeed. My friends Lumberjack was just over 1200 with all options, headlight, rooster coupler bar, water refeed and whistle. I really wish RH would option out their basic series better for the price, then offer the extras like Regner does. A sammie with either fixed valve gear and a reversing block ala accucraft or RH's own semi walscherts motion to allow reversing, making the water glass and pressure gauge standard and keep the price under 1K US dollers after exchange rate. As you can see I am leaning toward the Regner as it is reversable via RC. I am watching the used market as I save my pennies. I should be in a position to put a sizable down payment shortly as I sell off 99% of my HO scale stuff. Obvoiusly if someone over on the UK side of the pond has a second hand RH or Regner of any model, please shoot me a PM. I would love to give a good home to a second hand loco. Mike
 
Mike, The Sammie is priced about 1100 with everything you are talking about. I just had one for a customer just as you describe.

Jay
 
What whistle did he use, the Regner one? I knew Sammie could have a water glass, gauge and refeed kit. I realy like Steve's Lumberjack, but I need to see how it runs on my line. That will happen as soon as I get the gas tank back for you. Thanks Jay. Mike
 
Mike I have the Lumberjack and I love it. Works well on my garden line. I also had the same problem on what engine I should get (Sammie or Lumberjack). In the end Im very happy with my choice. What helped in my decision is that it is geared so it will handle grades well without adding R/C. With the water feed you can get a long run time of over 1/2 hour. If your looking for a logging type engine the Lumberjack fits that best. Jay is coming out with a real nice wooden kit for the Lumberjack that really changes the appearance. Look at the article John Robinson did on his Lumberjack in Garden Rail. Might help in your decision.
I did get a chance to see the Sammie in person at the York show and really liked it but did not fit the logging look I was after. Since I dont own a Roundhouse engine yet I might get the Sammie as my next engine.
 
Thanks Shawn. My friend Steve's Lumberjack is residing at my place right now till the new gas tank arrives and she completes her trials. So she is growing on me to say the least. I cant wait to see her run. Now off to get this faulty gas tank sent off to Jay. Mike
 
The Roundhouse Sammie looks pretty good--with a proper paint job...
Will%27s%20Sammie.jpg
 
The Sammie does look great but something about the Lumberjack that gives it an edge over the Sammie. Must be the logging look for me. :) Whatever one he chooses, he will be happy with it. Of course the sammie is one of the ones on my list to get someday.
Mike I wonder if it would be faster to have the tank re-soldered. Doesnt sound like a hard job for someone who knows how.

Mike ask Jay for a picture of the Lumberjack with the Bronson and Tate kit. It really looks nice.
 
The Regner Lumber Jack, as Shawn eluded too, is my choice too. :bigsmile: I've fitted both Regner's the water top up valve and whistle to mine. The water top up I feel is essential as the Lumber Jack will run out of water long before it runs out of gas unless you top up the water durning a run. The whistle is nice but not as effective as some others unless your running at full pressure (40PSI) and as the Lumber Jack is happy at 20 to 30PSI the whistle is rather soft at that pressure. The Lumber Jack is perfect for customising. Mine is RC on the reverser, regulator and whistle - great fun to drive!
IMG_8034.JPG
 
Hi Mike
Just a word about water gauges - they are notoriously unreliable on many of these small locos. The accuracy can be improved by inserting a piece of fine wire, but on the Roundhouse Sammy they are not really necessary as the gas runs out before the water and there is no top up anyway. I guess the one on Lumberjack must be one of the good ones and if the water runs out before the gas, it is pretty important.

A few years back, when I got my first "modern" 16mm live steamer, I chose an Accucraft Wrekin (raher than a cheaper Caradoc) because of its water gauge. I have never used the gauge as it is always misleading. My RH Millie has a water gauge and top up system which I never use, so when I bought my Bertie, I didn't bother to fit them and didn't even fit a pressure gauge. As you may have seen in my videos, it is a superb loco and just works beautifully. It blows off when steam is raised and then it is just a matter of turning down the burner until it stops blowing off (OK I forgot in the last video :)).

As Shawn says, the geared loco is much easier to run on an undulating track, and John's superb "Manawanui" shows what can be done to make it look the business. On the plus side for the Sammie - it will give a more distinctive chuff (if you like that sort of thing!), and has the superb Roundhouse quality. The slip eccentric is not a problem unless you do a lot of shunting (switching?) or keep having to do re-takes when making videos.......

You can find a series of guides to Bertie (the same mechanicals as Sammy) here:
http://www.summerlands-chuffer.co.uk/#/roundhouse-bertie/4557753715 < Link To http://www.summerlands-ch...ouse-bertie/4557753715

In the end it is what you like that matters. Good luck!
Cheers
Chris
 
The Lumberjack is a good loco in but could benefit from cosmetic improvements . Mine has had some and the next batch of modifications are under considoration at the moment, but I am trying to make mine a little more British. I bought mine second hand , she had some quartering issues but once someone showed me how to resolve these she has behaved impecably. I also have a Regner Wilma which I'm sure could be made to look more North American as could the other Easy Line Engines. They are excellent , reliable perfomers and lend themselves to change well in my experience.
 
garrymartin said:
The Lumberjack is a good loco in but could benefit from cosmetic improvements . Mine has had some and the next batch of modifications are under considoration at the moment, but I am trying to make mine a little more British. I bought mine second hand , she had some quartering issues but once someone showed me how to resolve these she has behaved impecably. I also have a Regner Wilma which I'm sure could be made to look more North American as could the other Easy Line Engines. They are excellent , reliable perfomers and lend themselves to change well in my experience.
Click to expand...

Garry when you say it had quartering issues what did you do to fix it? On my motor the discs that are attached to the rod/gear (not sure of the proper name) The set screws that hold the discs were loose so the timing was off. I figured it out eventually that those discs had to be 90 degrees from each other. It runs good. Is that what you refere to quartering?
 
Adding the wire to the site glass was one of the first mods I did to my Willi as well as the shay and Lumberjack kits I just built for my friend. I have a second hand Regner Vincent with whistle fitted offered for just a hair over 700 that I am considering. Lumberjack is 955 in kit form before adding the extras I would want. My buddies has the water refeed, whistle, headlight on it. Vincent would probably look more in line with my Willi on my peat hauling light railway. My friend does the logging, he got the last Regner shay kit in the states and just got the Lumberjack. I have a feeling that Jay will be fixing the tank, I sent it to him today. Mike
 
The Lumberjack is loosely based on a real loco, Sammy is not and quite plain as standard although can easily be made to look better with some work. Although the Roundhouse is a tested and quality assured item I don't know if it is work the extra over the new improved Accucraft Ruby / Ida which looks similar and now has similar sized cylinders and also has the benefit of a reverser. Having a Lumberjack and variants of the basic Roundhouse and Accucraft locos I would say they all have good and bad points but personally I think Lumberjack is the best and most realistic looking, the only bad point is the annoying lift off roof.
 
I dont mind the metal lift off roof on my friends Lumberjack. Easier to deal with than the wood lift off roof and supports on his shay. Now that is fragile. I do like that the Lumberjack is more fully fitted right from the factory. That Regner offers a whistle, every steamer should have a whistle. RH needs to get with the program on that one. I also have considered a Millie or building a Katie from a kit, thus spreading the cost over a longer duration. I also have a second hand Regner Vincent with whistle offered that I am seriously considering as its more inline with my Willi in size. Atleast I have some time to decide whilest I sell off my HO stuff to pay for a new engine. Mike
 
Mike to confuse you some more check these two out. I really like the De Winton and the Janet. Chris posted the link on another forum. The De Winton would be a great engine as well as the Jaqnet with a cab added to it. So many choices and not enough money
 
I am seriously considering getting the Lady Anne chassis kit, then the body kit and possibly selling my Willi to finiance the final boiler kit to built the Lady Anne. The draw to 16mm narrow gauge UK style slate hauling line is super strong. My garden area with its all day shade lends itself to the English style of gardening. Mike
 
Going the RH kit route is a very good idea Mike. I built the RH Billy kit and it was a lot of fun--in fact I was a little sad when it was complete. A big advantage of going that way is that you learn the ins and outs of your locomotive and aren't afraid of it after that. If something goes out of whack you won't be afraid to tackle it yourself. The support from RH is excellent too so you don't have to worry if you have a question.

Keith
 
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