[Doug]

The Royal Hudson, the first model for the new "Accucraft Live Steam Limited" line of high end live steam locomotives has been announced! The pilot model is full featured, with all the accessories we have come to expect, including; Tender pump, axle pump, throttle valve, blower valve, (alcohol version) quadrant reverser, pressure gauge, water glass, whistle & valve, cylinder drain cocks & a choice of alcohol or gas firing!

ONLY 150 WILL BE PRODUCED

There will be 3 versions, each with the choice of alcohol or gas.

1. Royal Hudson #2850 in Royal Blue with stainless steel boiler jacket, cylinder covers and proper aluminum & gold lined livery, as it ran hauling the Royal train in 1939. Pilot model in blue, livery details, King George V crests on front & tender sides to be applied.

2. Royal Hudson #2860 in Canadian Pacific Maroon with stainless steel jacket, covers and proper livery, (British Columbia on tender sides) as it is today. Prototype photo by Greg Chadwick & West Coast Railway Association.

3. Royal Hudson #2860 in Canadian Pacific Maroon with CP steam locomotive gray jacket, covers and proper livery (Canadian Pacific on tender sides) as it ran in service from it's construction in 1940 - on. In 1978, After it went into excursion service, stainless steel jackets and covers were applied. Prototype photo by Grant Ferguson & West Coast Railway Association

Accucraft is making every effort to provide a timely delivery, estimated to begin SUMMER 2007 for the Royal Hudsons

YOUR FAVORITE ACCUCRAFT DEALER IS TAKING RESERVATIONS NOW.

Locomotives will be delivered by serial number, that is, delivered in the order that the orders were placed.

SRP $3,895 + $50 for drop shipping & insurance, for a total of $3,945.

(There will be a 10% price increase after January 31, 2007)

*** They are just finishing up the rebuild on 2860 and getting ready to steam it. It will be up and running again and cross country trips are planned for it! ***

 

[60134]

Not that I'm ever going to afford one of these beauties! I saw the prototype in Vancouver in 2000, then awaiting the overhaul it is currently getting. Am I right in thinking that Steam Railway magazine is arranging a tour with this loco later in the year?

Accucraft do choose some tasty prototypes such as the Daylights and all those lovely D&RGW 3' C and K series. If you want the ultimate 45mm gauge live steamers they have to be the company of choice.

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[Dennis David]

I just attended the National Garden Railway Convention in Santa Clara and the vote was unanimous, Accucraft is the brand to get both live steam and electric.

 

[neil_s_wood]

Looks fantastic.

Don't know if I would almost $4000 for it though. Maybe one day.

 

[60134]

Dennis, I didn't realise you were interested in garden railways - do you have one of your own?

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[Dennis David]

I'm only interested in the mannner that I like all trains even British OO.

Each has something to offer. If I were to get an Accucraft it would probably be a live steam that I would only run on a test track. We have a wonderful garden but my hands are quite full with my N-Scale layout. It sucks up enough of my money.

I just attended a Garden Railway Convention that just so happened in Santa Clara and one observation I made was that radio control is the way many of these people are now headed, that along with battery power. So much easier than wiring track. Also you won't see any Hornby out here, just not popular though LGB is.

 

[neil_s_wood]

I guess thats the thing, you have to choose what your priority is and do that. I toyed with the idea of a garden layout but I can't do that and other expansion plans I have for my OO/HO layout. So I guess I wont be having a garden railway this year.

 

[Dennis David]

It would be nice but I really want to have at least one "finished" layout. After that I'll probably settle on collecting HO, O and 1.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (Dennis David @ 11 Jul 2006, 14:43) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It would be nice but I really want to have at least one "finished" layout. After that I'll probably settle on collecting HO, O and 1.
I've always wanted that too. Still haven't got there.

 

[60134]

It is proving to be a good summer for UKers in the garden, plenty of fine, dry weather (which is frustrating when you are stuck in an office!), ideal for concreting and laying track. As a matter of interest, what do the garden railway fiends on this forum do during the "closed" season in the winter? I tend to build an item or two of rolling stock (although the new Accucraft wagon range is reducing my desire to do so) but the neddies take up a much larger part of my "free" time!

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[Dennis David]

60134,

Take a look at my Garden Railway Convention post.

 

[60134]

Clocked it Dennis - very illuminating.

Stateside garden rail tends to be on a different scale to the UK (and I don't mean gauge here!) and your climate throws up some unusual challenges. I loved the guy who built a working rotary snowplough - just fantastic! I would love to build a steam powered version with R/C but I think that will be a long term project.

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[Dennis David]

Tell me what you mean about our climate? I think the people in the Mid-West that you may be refering to just keep their railroads indoors during the winter. The snowplough was more of a case of modeling the real prototype. The experience that I have in California and Florida it's pretty much a year round activity.

Now what I will say is that the roadbed is constructed in such a way that it's as permanent as a real railroad. The big thing I thought was in getting away from track power and moving to RC. It's amazing hearing some of these people speak DCC that before yesterday didn't even own a computer. A clear case of technology meeting a need. (Cab Control).

Another thing I noted was that there seemed to be more freedom in Garden Railroading with regards to un-protypical operation, and a lot more free lancing.

 

[60134]

Being a continent you "benefit" from both very moderate climates and those which suffer extremes of heat and frost. Frost heave is just not something we usually have to worry about here and we don't often get hurricanes or tornadoes (there he goes again, plug, plug!

). I agree that California and Florida allow year round operation which would not be possible in, say, New York state.

R/C for live steam or battery operation obviates the problems of power supply and track cleaning.

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[Dennis David]

Seems like everybody is moving to battery power that's not already live steam.