> Since my goal is to use live steam in O
> scale, This may be a reasonable first step to learn the basics of live
> steam and also provide the enjoyment of building a working model which can
> run on my O scale track.
Dale,
While the suggestion to make a 2-ft gauge engine from Charlie's
plans has merit, it may be more than you want to undertake as
your first project.
I have two suggestions: first, you might try building a kit (e.g.
Roundhouse, Argyle, etc.) to see how it all goes together to make
a working steam locomotive, albeit not necessarily a finescale
model. When you come down for a visit, I'll show you the US type
Consolidation I built from a Roundhouse Lady Anne kit.
The second suggestion is to have a look at the plans by Martin
Lewis for the 0-scale Pacific available from the Loco Works. I have
a copy of the 1/2" scale version of the book, which I'll be glad to
share with you. This is a considerably more complex engine, but
merely reading the construction procedures will give you a good
idea of what it will take to get to your finescale working steam
engine. It can certainly be done.
By the way, those CO2 engines from the 1940s weren't "jet locos",
but "cold steam" engines -- they actually used the sublimated gas
to drive the cylinders, as in a normal steam engine. I've got a copy
of an article from Model Railroader in 1949. Too bad the idea never
caught on....
regards,
-vance-
Vance Bass
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Small-scale live steam resources: http://www.nmia.com/~vrbass
