Hello fellow large scalers, Anyone in the St. Louis area needs to get to the Missouri History Museum at the north end of Forest Park. The LIVE steam collection of Des Lee is on RUNNING display there for the foreseeable future. [ 1 year?] It is 1/32 scale, but all live steam, and they are looking for volunteers to learn to operate and run these beauties during the daily sessions. From what I gathered, they will run 2-4 pm daily and weekends for a year. I naturally penciled in my name. I can only dream of a large scale live steamer!! Just thought all would like to know. Regards, Dan Hyde
Dan - Thanks for posting this notice. My wife and I are Missouri History Museum members and we received their mailing about the display of Des Lee's collection. We couldn't get down there this afternoon for the opening session, but will certainly do so this week. I think I'll sign up to volunteer as well. Sounds like fun! Ken
Wish I lived in St Louis. As former member of the (unfortunately) now defunct Kansas City Live Steamers, I had the pleasure of operating a number of fine 1 1/2" to the foot scale (1/8 full size), 7 1/2" gauge steam engines, including a B&0 0-4-0 oil fired switcher built by Edson Chadborn, a Southern 2-6-0 coal-fired Mogul owned by Kay Vollrath, and a very impressive UP 2-6-2 coal-fired Pacific built by Fred Shields.
Come to St Louis for a visit! During the warm months, we have the Wabash, Frisco & Pacific RR running live steam as well. Ken
I think it runs every Sunday during the warm months. See their web site: http://www.wfprr.com/ The WF&P RR is based in Glencoe, MO - close to both the Frisco (BNSF) and the MP (UP) main lines. The WF&P runs on an old MoP right-of-way. Ken
The WF&P runs every Sunday from 11am to 4pm May through October. It is 12" gauge live steam, about a mile long, point to point track, usually running at least two or three trains, radio dispatched with meets. If you are in St. Louis, it is well worth stopping by for a ride ($3 donation). They do have a genuine piece of Frisco rolling stock, a 12" gauge gondola that Frisco built for them back in the '50's IIRC. They have been in that location since the early '60's, the club has been around since 1939! But, remember, I'm partial to 12" gauge live steam... - James
I vaguely remember the WF&P as a little kid when it was across from Lambert St Louis Airport, at Natural Bridge Road and Brown Road. My grandfather took me there on a Sunday afternoon. That was long before they relocated to Glencoe. We went by there after a visit to the airport to do some airplane watching. Ken
Carefull, Ken. You are really dating ourselves! I also remember riding the old line out at the airport. Dad went for the planes, I got to see/ride the trains! Dan
