I'm just curious. I've always been into trains and have lots lying around the house in boxes and in storage. I also want to build a 1/8th scale live steam engine one day. Is/was anyone else here into it as a hobby?

I had a pretty nice setup about 20 years ago when I was a kid, but we had cats and they messed everything up. Haven't gotten back into it since.

I started a HO setup a few years ago. Never finished laying track. I tore it up and put down my HO slotcar track. I still have a American Flyer system from when I was a teen.

My dad grew up in Iowa and had a massive collection of model trains and railroads. I'll have to ask him what he had, but I know if he still had them it would be worth thousands. Union Pacific and all the old model engines. I really wish he would get back into it. He is an Electrical Engineer and everytime we go by train tracks or see a train depot, he gets all excited. Maybe I can get him back into it.

You said 1/8th scale RotaryGod? I don't know how big that is, but about 20 minutes away from my parents house there is a track for small trains run by a group of, of course, retired engineers. You sit on top of the cars and it goes about 15 mph. It's free and it runs every third weekend of the month.

There are a few of those around the country. They are more common than most people realize. Unfortunately they are extremely expensive but very cool. Here are some pictures from our last run day last month. Here too they run free to the public every 3rd Saturday of the month. 1200+ people may show up in a 5 hour timespan to ride them. It is very well known here.

http://www.hals.org/action060819rw.html

Every once in a while, they have a program on 1/8 & 1/10 scale trains on the RFD Network. It's on the Direct TV system. I'm not sure if it's avaible on Dish.

I've been a model railroader for many years and have belonged to several clubs. I'm in HO doing mainly steam era logging & mining.

Here's a link to a 4 module set I built for a club. We recently sold the modular layout to the Winnipeg Railway Museum. All the logging equipment is mine and a couple buddies helped with a few of the scratch built buildings.
http://members.shaw.ca/therenegades/log.htm

Here's a link to a current HO club layout we're building. The club also has a Lionel layout and an N scale layout as well.
http://members.shaw.ca/selkirktrains/

Here's a link to a local 1/8 (7 1/2" scale) club. I've ridden on this road many times. This is REAL model railroading !! Live steam, too...
http://www.swedenfreezer.com/avr/

Chris...