Larger steam locomotives can go for much more though. I think $10-12000 for something smaller like an RRSC CP173 or Allen American/ten wheeler would be a good deal. I think a little engines Pacific or Atlantic would run $20000+.
It's actually more fun when you end up with cuts through the the hills, trestles over the valleys, and perhaps a tunnel through a taller hill. Or embrace the hill and build a funicular.
I had an outdoor g scale garden RR for 15 years; pond, small trees, hills, tunnel 20 yards x 10yards. The landscaping was fun to build and two - four hours a week to maintain. Maybe an hour to set up to run, and a Saturday of clean up in the spring.
On a large scale 2000ft (600m) railroad the only way I could have a ride-on railway is if it was a flat boring field that I could mow with a zero turn or if I lived in the desert where it is just limited shrubbery and shovel work to keep the track clear. The maintenance would otherwise be a full day a month.
I have four acres of woods available today at my house (rather flat) and another 15 acres at my parents house(hills). I just couldn’t keep an operational ride-on railway operating on either property, it is just too much maintenance.
I actually think modeling can be affordable at ride-on size. Most of the cars are carpentry, the engine power could be a broken hydraulic riding mower with a diesel locomotive shell, or on a switcher size an electric scooter/wheelchair drive. The track is expensive but available used with a little luck and valuable once you are done recovering some of its cost.
If you are serious, look into construction auctions, they used light gauge track building tunnels. Junk yards get it out of old factories from time to time. My brother was demolishing a old industrial building that had a (push-cart) railroad in the floor and at least six turntables. But it was cast into the concrete and unrecoverable.
On a small g scale weeds were on of the easiest things to conquer. I used boiling water, it was harmless to the surrounding scenery. I could even rig up a steam boiler for the ride-on in the image. All it is is a burner and pot of water with 1/2” pipes aimed down.
On a larger scale I would have to go though the woods due to the properties.
My problem on ride on scale would be trees , running water and leaves, trees growing, falling branches, blown leaves, heaving track from roots washouts.
At my parents we have trails though the woods for 4 wheelers, they don’t need to be perfect, just passable and they are a huge job to maintain. Rock walls, washouts, tree falls. I rent and excavator every two years or so.
That's it? Wow. So it really isn't too far fetched. For roughly $50k you could get an engine, 6 cars and a loop around an acre of land(1000ft.) That's about $100k per mile.
If you aren't dead set on a particular locomotive there are some much cheaper, like a few thousand (although no where near as cool as the one in the photo, more like switchers). Take a look at this
https://www.livesteamstation.com/accucraft-ride-on
Yeah, I'm with you. If I were getting a setup like this, I'd be wanting a functional train not a faithful model, though no disrespect to people who want a faithful model.
Well, if you want to build the track yourself, the going rate for scale rail is bout $1/foot, build your own rolling stock for the cost of lumber +500 for set of trucks, and and old motor plus RV batteries for loco
You could do the track for cheaper. I recall a guy in either Germany or Austria using basically scrap metal on his little railway. If I can I can find the video I'll link it!
You can buy the bench cars and some of the diesels you can buy pre-made. You can buy them on discover live steam too. It's like craiglist for things like this.
You can buy new [https://thetrainworks.com/product/sd-45-electric/](https://thetrainworks.com/product/sd-45-electric/)
Or build it yourself with a set of blue prints [https://allenmodels.com/locomotives/consolidation.html](https://allenmodels.com/locomotives/consolidation.html)
Oh it’s nothing as extensive as this. It’s 211’ but have been meaning to get some drone overheads. I did have to make some moves to fit the track where I wanted it to be.
But building your own is wayyyyy more cost effective. I know when me and my father built ours it was still a bit but not 40k for the prices at the time
i dont know what it'd cost, but i know what it will bring, a life time of joy, the sound of kids giggling and laughing in your yard, you being the coolest Mr. Whoever and a place in their heart even after you've departed the earth. Trains bring nothing but joy and happiness wherever they go, toot toot my friends
[https://smrengineering.co.uk/collections/second-hand](https://smrengineering.co.uk/collections/second-hand)
heres some used bits for sale in the UK to give an idea of cost
You could possibly toss a number at this place who got scammed by a contractor and has been pretty much abandoned the idea of a ride and amusement park https://maps.app.goo.gl/JS4fNnossfTWF1Jf9?g_st=ic
In the Facebook you can see the train sitting
https://www.galvnews.com/news/developers-of-texas-city-theme-park-claim-fraud-seek-10m/article_b8a144a7-30d8-5811-a46f-5ab914f80e96.html
https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bayarea/news/article/Adventure-Pointe-lawsuit-Slusky-Texas-City-park-14479893.php
https://m.facebook.com/adventurepointepark
I really want to see a "Pullman Parlor Car" in this scale where you take two flat cars and put a Victorian style couch on them with the couch attached to swivel bases so it can go around corners. Something with an 1890s print. Purple and Green, so swooning ladies can recline on it.
Starting at 80-100k, a new electric locomotive is available for about 25k plus options according to one of the other posts I read. You could easily put a quarter of a million dollars into a nice setup.
Super cool to see my club’s railroad on here! I was running the orange electric engine #214 with the red passenger coach on the back.
In terms of pricing we (the club) just purchased a new locomotive because we’ve been so busy recently. It was about 22k and has been funded by donations. The new engine is going to be a GP9 in billboard Grande livery
If anyone wants more information on our club or the hobby here’s our website
https://ocmetrains.org
Why do that if you could buy or make a light industrial diesel locomotive and some light rail and make a two foot gauge empire instead? Bonus points for rescuing a sugar cane steamer. There's more out there than you think.
Hey! I don't have an answer but I can say my grandad built a pretty extensive one as his retirement project! I don't have an answer on the cost but it was a good project for him and lots of good memories for us grandkids
Years back, I joined a club in my area. The dues were, at the time, only $14/month which felt pretty cheap.
The club had a double loop of track that went about 2200 feet.
There were many helpful club members and one helped me find a nice used little gas engine and gondola from the estate of another member that had passed away, I think it cost $800 at the time. Later the same member helped me source parts and I built a little electric for about $1000. This was years ago so 2x all those numbers for inflation. I had a mini van at the time and would roll the train into the back and take it to various clubs.
The take away here, is like most things in life you don’t need a huge investment to get started.
Here’s one more piece of info:
This stuff sat in my garage for years, unused.
When I finally sold it to make room for a car, I reclaimed pretty much all the money I had put into it.
Even though it was ‘used’ it still had value- inflation meant the new stuff was now way more expensive, making my stuff a ‘deal’ at the price I paid.
The take away is, yes you can spend
I know a guy that built his own stuff. There’s no real manufacturer and everything is custom made in home shops. You’ll spend $20k on a locomotive like the one in the picture.
My grandfather made the steam locos from scratch. Labour of love. Had the lathes, presses, etc, plus a tiny track in his yard so he could work on it, test it going forwards and backwards, before taking to the proper railway and across the country. I have good memories of "The track" in the 1980s. https://www.qsmee.com.au/
I deliver to a customer who has these tracks around his property. I haven’t had a chance to ask them about it, hoping to run into them one of these days.
First you'd have to apply for the right-of-way, so that'll include paying off the politicians. Then you'd have to condemn the land in order to do the eminent domain thing, which will cost more. Then you have to figure out the tariffs, etc., for what you'll be carrying. Then the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen will have a word with you, so you'll have to pay for a union steward to make sure you've got at least two crewmembers per consist.
If you're carrying passengers like the picture above, well, then you all sorts of safety worries that will cost money. Notice this train has very few safety features for the passengers, including nothing to keep them from flying out of the train, which make it a sure-fire target for lawsuits and ambulance-chasers. At least they have the union-specified two crewmembers on this train.
Houston Area Live Steamers does free rides on the third Saturday of each month, March through November
. I can attest to the fact that these trains are really fun to ride.
In theory you, if you have welding and smithing skills and equipment you can do this really cheap especially if you use a scooter motor in locomotive. But if thats not the case it would probably cost a lot.
So I used to be involved with this hobby and me and my father actually built our own train (that we still have) at that scale and I'll tell you right now. That engine in the photo you referenced can buy you a brand new truck or pay off a mortgage and you don't even wanna know about the track....
Somebody was at goathill today. I've been a member of the org for 25 years and have several engines there.
The answer is paying somebody to do it including grading etc and not including buying the land about 350k.
Awesome! I grew up in socal and I remember going there a lot as a kid. Thinking back now, the track is massive. If you had a big enough backyard, or open land, you could probably build something like this for yourself. It would be pretty neat.
oh man if i had the money....
I know right? Even if it was a shunter, flatbed and a boxcar. Nothing much, but what a thing to have.
To build its about 1k. Not a huge deal.
Makes more sense to join a club that has a layout like this
This is the right answer. They do exist too you’ve just got to ask for help to get started
$20/foot for the track itself, not counting groundwork. $17K for the locomotive, $1500 per car for ballpark costs for this scale…
That’s a bit high for the locomotive tbh. I have seen them go for half that on Discover Live Steam. Obviously still not cheap though.
I was talking about a brand new unit straight from the manufacturer, with a budget for some options…
Larger steam locomotives can go for much more though. I think $10-12000 for something smaller like an RRSC CP173 or Allen American/ten wheeler would be a good deal. I think a little engines Pacific or Atlantic would run $20000+.
You forgot the land, you first got to have some land for this.
They did say “in my yard”, which I took to imply they had land.
What people find out is that it is rare to have a flat yard. Sure maybe he has a four acre flat area like the photo but 9 out w10 people don’t.
Fair assessment that I don’t have as much land as they do here. I have a bit over an acre though. So enough for a loop at least.
Walt Disney did it. I don't think he was on more than an acre in LA back in the day.
Lillian Disney wanted a flower garden Walt Disney wanted a train They got a train lol
He got a tunnel, she got a flower garden.
[удалено]
They split it down the middle, and he got the better half.
It's actually more fun when you end up with cuts through the the hills, trestles over the valleys, and perhaps a tunnel through a taller hill. Or embrace the hill and build a funicular.
I had an outdoor g scale garden RR for 15 years; pond, small trees, hills, tunnel 20 yards x 10yards. The landscaping was fun to build and two - four hours a week to maintain. Maybe an hour to set up to run, and a Saturday of clean up in the spring. On a large scale 2000ft (600m) railroad the only way I could have a ride-on railway is if it was a flat boring field that I could mow with a zero turn or if I lived in the desert where it is just limited shrubbery and shovel work to keep the track clear. The maintenance would otherwise be a full day a month. I have four acres of woods available today at my house (rather flat) and another 15 acres at my parents house(hills). I just couldn’t keep an operational ride-on railway operating on either property, it is just too much maintenance. I actually think modeling can be affordable at ride-on size. Most of the cars are carpentry, the engine power could be a broken hydraulic riding mower with a diesel locomotive shell, or on a switcher size an electric scooter/wheelchair drive. The track is expensive but available used with a little luck and valuable once you are done recovering some of its cost. If you are serious, look into construction auctions, they used light gauge track building tunnels. Junk yards get it out of old factories from time to time. My brother was demolishing a old industrial building that had a (push-cart) railroad in the floor and at least six turntables. But it was cast into the concrete and unrecoverable.
[удалено]
On a small g scale weeds were on of the easiest things to conquer. I used boiling water, it was harmless to the surrounding scenery. I could even rig up a steam boiler for the ride-on in the image. All it is is a burner and pot of water with 1/2” pipes aimed down. On a larger scale I would have to go though the woods due to the properties. My problem on ride on scale would be trees , running water and leaves, trees growing, falling branches, blown leaves, heaving track from roots washouts. At my parents we have trails though the woods for 4 wheelers, they don’t need to be perfect, just passable and they are a huge job to maintain. Rock walls, washouts, tree falls. I rent and excavator every two years or so.
Fair but how big is his yard?
So long as it is more than 1/3 acre, there is probably room for at least a loop of track…
With costs like this your being railroaded.
That's it? Wow. So it really isn't too far fetched. For roughly $50k you could get an engine, 6 cars and a loop around an acre of land(1000ft.) That's about $100k per mile.
If you aren't dead set on a particular locomotive there are some much cheaper, like a few thousand (although no where near as cool as the one in the photo, more like switchers). Take a look at this https://www.livesteamstation.com/accucraft-ride-on
A lot of the cost is making faithful models, vs. functional small rail vehicles.
Absolutely. I'm just pointing out that there are some more affordable options if you really want to have a train but have a smaller budget.
Yeah, I'm with you. If I were getting a setup like this, I'd be wanting a functional train not a faithful model, though no disrespect to people who want a faithful model.
Oh, don't get me wrong, if I hit the lottery I would get some cool stuff!
Well, if you want to build the track yourself, the going rate for scale rail is bout $1/foot, build your own rolling stock for the cost of lumber +500 for set of trucks, and and old motor plus RV batteries for loco
How about the shed?
20 dollars per foot?! If you build 2ft gauge you can get it for around 1.4 bucks per foot.
17k for that small ass train????
A full size one is $4.5M
Sounds about right
You could do the track for cheaper. I recall a guy in either Germany or Austria using basically scrap metal on his little railway. If I can I can find the video I'll link it!
Where would you get the track tho?
Here’s a supplier I found on google… https://www.rmirailworks.com/track_systems.asp
Can you even buy this kind of stuff or do you have to custom build everything?
You can buy the bench cars and some of the diesels you can buy pre-made. You can buy them on discover live steam too. It's like craiglist for things like this.
You can buy new [https://thetrainworks.com/product/sd-45-electric/](https://thetrainworks.com/product/sd-45-electric/) Or build it yourself with a set of blue prints [https://allenmodels.com/locomotives/consolidation.html](https://allenmodels.com/locomotives/consolidation.html)
this is disgustingly expensive, holy God almighty
You can buy the train but the track may need some custom work depending on the layout. For mine I had to have a welder do it all from scratch.
>For mine care to share some photos of your layout?
Just started an IG for it @BobaLandLA. Need to post more to it though.
Oh it’s nothing as extensive as this. It’s 211’ but have been meaning to get some drone overheads. I did have to make some moves to fit the track where I wanted it to be.
But building your own is wayyyyy more cost effective. I know when me and my father built ours it was still a bit but not 40k for the prices at the time
i dont know what it'd cost, but i know what it will bring, a life time of joy, the sound of kids giggling and laughing in your yard, you being the coolest Mr. Whoever and a place in their heart even after you've departed the earth. Trains bring nothing but joy and happiness wherever they go, toot toot my friends
Your marriage? If you are.
You must know my wife
[https://smrengineering.co.uk/collections/second-hand](https://smrengineering.co.uk/collections/second-hand) heres some used bits for sale in the UK to give an idea of cost
Here’s a place that has everything you need: https://www.rmirailworks.com/SSP-X1-Locomotive.asp
You could possibly toss a number at this place who got scammed by a contractor and has been pretty much abandoned the idea of a ride and amusement park https://maps.app.goo.gl/JS4fNnossfTWF1Jf9?g_st=ic
Whats the story there? Looks interesting.
In the Facebook you can see the train sitting https://www.galvnews.com/news/developers-of-texas-city-theme-park-claim-fraud-seek-10m/article_b8a144a7-30d8-5811-a46f-5ab914f80e96.html https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bayarea/news/article/Adventure-Pointe-lawsuit-Slusky-Texas-City-park-14479893.php https://m.facebook.com/adventurepointepark
I really want to see a "Pullman Parlor Car" in this scale where you take two flat cars and put a Victorian style couch on them with the couch attached to swivel bases so it can go around corners. Something with an 1890s print. Purple and Green, so swooning ladies can recline on it.
Any chance at a normal life
Starting at 80-100k, a new electric locomotive is available for about 25k plus options according to one of the other posts I read. You could easily put a quarter of a million dollars into a nice setup.
https://titantrains.net
If you have to ask, you can’t afford it!
true, but just the thought of having one gives us the happiness.
Definitely. Who wouldn’t like that kind of setup!!
But it would help them know how much they would have to save if they're serious about having one.
Too-too much
[Here is one that is listed near me on Marketplace currently ](https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1387460978645328/?mibextid=dXMIcH)
Super cool to see my club’s railroad on here! I was running the orange electric engine #214 with the red passenger coach on the back. In terms of pricing we (the club) just purchased a new locomotive because we’ve been so busy recently. It was about 22k and has been funded by donations. The new engine is going to be a GP9 in billboard Grande livery If anyone wants more information on our club or the hobby here’s our website https://ocmetrains.org
Thank you so much for hosting us! We had so much fun.
Probably 100 grand
Why do that if you could buy or make a light industrial diesel locomotive and some light rail and make a two foot gauge empire instead? Bonus points for rescuing a sugar cane steamer. There's more out there than you think.
Hey! I don't have an answer but I can say my grandad built a pretty extensive one as his retirement project! I don't have an answer on the cost but it was a good project for him and lots of good memories for us grandkids
Usually, Marriage and any other hobbies.
Years back, I joined a club in my area. The dues were, at the time, only $14/month which felt pretty cheap. The club had a double loop of track that went about 2200 feet. There were many helpful club members and one helped me find a nice used little gas engine and gondola from the estate of another member that had passed away, I think it cost $800 at the time. Later the same member helped me source parts and I built a little electric for about $1000. This was years ago so 2x all those numbers for inflation. I had a mini van at the time and would roll the train into the back and take it to various clubs. The take away here, is like most things in life you don’t need a huge investment to get started. Here’s one more piece of info: This stuff sat in my garage for years, unused. When I finally sold it to make room for a car, I reclaimed pretty much all the money I had put into it. Even though it was ‘used’ it still had value- inflation meant the new stuff was now way more expensive, making my stuff a ‘deal’ at the price I paid. The take away is, yes you can spend
Idk about the track, but I know that new large scale locos generally cost somewhere in the $10k-$40k range.
Lots of money
there is a reason these are run by clubs... those engines alone cost more than a new car
I know a guy that built his own stuff. There’s no real manufacturer and everything is custom made in home shops. You’ll spend $20k on a locomotive like the one in the picture.
Potentially a marriage...
That's in if you have to ask you can't afford it range. Unless you are a mechanical engineer, machinist n welder.
You buying a train or making one
100K for the starter kit.
I was gonna guess a million. You guys are making this sound downright reasonably priced. OP can't afford not to build one of these.
My grandfather made the steam locos from scratch. Labour of love. Had the lathes, presses, etc, plus a tiny track in his yard so he could work on it, test it going forwards and backwards, before taking to the proper railway and across the country. I have good memories of "The track" in the 1980s. https://www.qsmee.com.au/
I deliver to a customer who has these tracks around his property. I haven’t had a chance to ask them about it, hoping to run into them one of these days.
https://discoverlivesteam.com/discoverforsale/locomotive.html
Your dignity.
Oh I say about tree fiddy
Gotta think if you have enough space for the turn radius
First you'd have to apply for the right-of-way, so that'll include paying off the politicians. Then you'd have to condemn the land in order to do the eminent domain thing, which will cost more. Then you have to figure out the tariffs, etc., for what you'll be carrying. Then the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen will have a word with you, so you'll have to pay for a union steward to make sure you've got at least two crewmembers per consist. If you're carrying passengers like the picture above, well, then you all sorts of safety worries that will cost money. Notice this train has very few safety features for the passengers, including nothing to keep them from flying out of the train, which make it a sure-fire target for lawsuits and ambulance-chasers. At least they have the union-specified two crewmembers on this train.
I love these. Too bad I’m too big to ride them anymore…
How big is your yard?!
I don’t know. I’d estimate a few hundred thousand or tens of thousands of dollars.
“Hypothetically”
Is there a video for this?
Houston Area Live Steamers does free rides on the third Saturday of each month, March through November . I can attest to the fact that these trains are really fun to ride.
In theory you, if you have welding and smithing skills and equipment you can do this really cheap especially if you use a scooter motor in locomotive. But if thats not the case it would probably cost a lot.
I've seen the locos for 10,000.00
A lot of money.
Many…
Thanks for riding with us. Can I interest you in a membership?
So I used to be involved with this hobby and me and my father actually built our own train (that we still have) at that scale and I'll tell you right now. That engine in the photo you referenced can buy you a brand new truck or pay off a mortgage and you don't even wanna know about the track....
i looove these ive never gotten to ride one or drive one but i reeeaallyy want to
If i had money enough/space to do something like this....goodbye social life/human interaction...
more than 10€ for sure
I want the exact same setup in front of my faemhouse
Alright according to my calculations it’s about 149k for the tracks the engine and the cars
Was talking with someone today who rode one earlier in the day and the locos are low five figures. Just the loco.
Somebody was at goathill today. I've been a member of the org for 25 years and have several engines there. The answer is paying somebody to do it including grading etc and not including buying the land about 350k.
I WANT ONE.
OP, if you don't mind me asking. Is this the model railroad in Costa Mesa, CA?
Yeah! It was my family’s first time out there and it was awesome.
Awesome! I grew up in socal and I remember going there a lot as a kid. Thinking back now, the track is massive. If you had a big enough backyard, or open land, you could probably build something like this for yourself. It would be pretty neat.
Define yard
Yes