Do train locomotive components for G scale live steam exist today?

yellow_cad · Jul 14, 2022

I now live in the US, but as a young man (in the 1970s), I lived in New Zealand and worked in machine/tool and die shops. I always had a strong interest in trains, but was not in to any train modeling at the time. While at work, I would occasionally here of someone that was building a live steam locomotive and for items such as wheels, etc, they used castings that were made to certain specifications that required machining in order to be used. It seemed like they were in G scale or close to it.
Does a source for such components exist today?

GailInNM · Jul 14, 2022

There are a lot of active scratch builders in the US building live steam in Gauge 1 -- 45mm/1-3/4 track and many parts are available in various scales. There are some 1:32 scale done, but it is used more by the elecvtric modelers. More popular are 1:20.6 and 1:13.7 scales which are used to represent 2 and 3 foot narrow gauge railroads as the larger size is mluch easier to work on.

One place to start is:
https://www.steamup.com/which is the website of "Steam in the Garden" magazine. They are unfortunatelly transitioning to online publication only after 15 years of paper publication. Lots of supplier ads and building articles.

Over the last 20 years I have scratch built 13 Gauge 1 live steamer and 10 IC Gauge 1 locomotives. Some of these were in partnership with another builder.

There are many small steamups around the country where you can talk to those with similar interest in person.

If you give me your location I may be able to help you contact some one in your general area that can help you further. If you don't want it to be public knowledge, just start a conversation with me to keep it private.
Gail

Gedeon Spilett · Jul 15, 2022

a lot of plans for small gauge model locos do exist...
you can start your own loco today, you will not be alone, amongst many active modellers.
no living in the US, I'm not aware of the small gauge live steam get together, which are certainly a good way to start.
I enjoy the steamup meeting as well as the building of little loco from scratch, last one, the 18th, is not a live steamer, she is a little shunting loco powered by a 4st engine).

if you can afford, beautiful ready made models in gauge 1 and gauge G ( Accucraft, Aster, Regner, to name a few)

abby · Jul 15, 2022

I have many parts in stock for gauge one engines , mostly based on designs by LBSC for his Dianna and Dot.
I am building a batch of British southern region Merchant Navy class and have laser cut steelwork and most other parts.
Many of the parts are interchangeable and could be used to build other non-prototypical engines.
Dan.

yellow_cad · Jul 16, 2022

GailInNM said:
There are a lot of active scratch builders in the US building live steam in Gauge 1 -- 45mm/1-3/4 track and many parts are available in various scales. There are some 1:32 scale done, but it is used more by the elecvtric modelers. More popular are 1:20.6 and 1:13.7 scales which are used to represent 2 and 3 foot narrow gauge railroads as the larger size is mluch easier to work on.

One place to start is:
https://www.steamup.com/which is the website of "Steam in the Garden" magazine. They are unfortunatelly transitioning to online publication only after 15 years of paper publication. Lots of supplier ads and building articles.

Over the last 20 years I have scratch built 13 Gauge 1 live steamer and 10 IC Gauge 1 locomotives. Some of these were in partnership with another builder.

There are many small steamups around the country where you can talk to those with similar interest in person.

If you give me your location I may be able to help you contact some one in your general area that can help you further. If you don't want it to be public knowledge, just start a conversation with me to keep it private.
Gail

Gail, I did subscribe to those last 2 printed issues of Steam in the Garden. I am located in Northern California. Jim