Steam Locomotive Kits Are Not For Kids

2018 - Volume #42, Issue #1, Page #20

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For more than 50 years Allen Models has been making authentic 1/8-scale model steam locomotives you can sit on and ride. Buying the kit is the easy part. Taking the project from kit to completion can take a couple of years and be a major investment.
  “You start with a kit that costs $3,200 to $5,800,” says Steve Alley, Allen Models. “We supply the castings, but there is a lot you have to fabricate yourself.”
  The castings, boiler and other components add up in weight, too. Alley estimates a 3 3/4 scale locomotive with its 16-in. boiler will weigh close to 3,000 lbs.
  Alley warns that costs can climb quickly. If you start with a $5,000 kit, you have to add a boiler (not part of the kit) from another supplier for an additional $5,000. Plumbing can run $1,000. Other materials and paint can run another $1,000.
  “Once you have an engine, you’ll want cars to ride on, and they can run from $3,000 to $5,000 each,” says Alley. “Then if you go to a club where there is an elevation change of 2 1/2 to 3 percent, you’ll need brakes, which can run another $1,000.”
  Alley suggests that a dedicated hobbyist might be able to build an engine in a year, doing one part a night. He personally has built 2 in a year to the exclusion of all else. If a customer chooses, they can buy individual sets of parts instead of an entire kit at one time.
  He notes that while he offers detailed plans, a lot of hobbyists make changes as they go. “There is a lot of kit bashing,” says Alley. “They buy parts they need from me and build their own individualized engine.”
  While there are a few hobbyists who build engines to sell, most see it as a labor of love. If you choose to sell at some point, there may be a market.
  “I’ve seen engines sell for $250,000,” says Alley.
  If the cost and labor seem extreme, for the hard-core railroad hobbyist it’s all worth it. There are more than 400 clubs around the country with track (mostly 7 1/2 in. wide) waiting to be used by members. Join one and you can access most others. He notes that there are 24 in California alone.
  Most clubs welcome visitors to see and experience the live steam locomotives. None of them are as impressive as Train Mountain, Chiloquin, Ore. It has 36 miles of 7 1/2-in. gauge track winding through 2,200 acres of land near Crater Lake.
  “Once every 3 years, from June 25th through July 1st, they hold a meet,” says Alley. “They expect more than 800 engines and 3,000 to 4,000 attendees.”
  Not all the engines will be live steam. Alley estimates 1/8-scale hobbyists are broken out with 1/3 gas/hydraulic, 1/3 electric and 1/3 live steam.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Allen Models of Nevada, P.O. Box 848, Gardnerville, Nevada 89410 (ph 775 782-3800; steve@allenmodels.com; www.allenmodels.com).

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Steam Locomotive Kits Are Not For Kids AG WORLD For more than 50 years Allen Models has been making authentic 1/8-scale model steam locomotives you can sit on and ride Buying the kit is the easy part Taking the project from kit to completion can take a couple of years and be a major investment “You start with a kit that costs $3 200 to $5 800 ” says Steve Alley Allen Models “We supply the castings but there is a lot you have to fabricate yourself ” The castings boiler and other components add up in weight too Alley estimates a 3 3/4 scale locomotive with its 16-in boiler will weigh close to 3 000 lbs Alley warns that costs can climb quickly If you start with a $5 000 kit you have to add a boiler not part of the kit from another supplier for an additional $5 000 Plumbing can run $1 000 Other materials and paint can run another $1 000 “Once you have an engine you’ll want cars to ride on and they can run from $3 000 to $5 000 each ” says Alley “Then if you go to a club where there is an elevation change of 2 1/2 to 3 percent you’ll need brakes which can run another $1 000 ” Alley suggests that a dedicated hobbyist might be able to build an engine in a year doing one part a night He personally has built 2 in a year to the exclusion of all else If a customer chooses they can buy individual sets of parts instead of an entire kit at one time He notes that while he offers detailed plans a lot of hobbyists make changes as they go “There is a lot of kit bashing ” says Alley “They buy parts they need from me and build their own individualized engine ” While there are a few hobbyists who build engines to sell most see it as a labor of love If you choose to sell at some point there may be a market “I’ve seen engines sell for $250 000 ” says Alley If the cost and labor seem extreme for the hard-core railroad hobbyist it’s all worth it There are more than 400 clubs around the country with track mostly 7 1/2 in wide waiting to be used by members Join one and you can access most others He notes that there are 24 in California alone Most clubs welcome visitors to see and experience the live steam locomotives None of them are as impressive as Train Mountain Chiloquin Ore It has 36 miles of 7 1/2-in gauge track winding through 2 200 acres of land near Crater Lake “Once every 3 years from June 25th through July 1st they hold a meet ” says Alley “They expect more than 800 engines and 3 000 to 4 000 attendees ” Not all the engines will be live steam Alley estimates 1/8-scale hobbyists are broken out with 1/3 gas/hydraulic 1/3 electric and 1/3 live steam Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Allen Models of Nevada P O Box 848 Gardnerville Nevada 89410 ph 775 782-3800; steve@allenmodels com; www allenmodels com

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