Building a Live Steam Backyard Railroad: Episode 6

[@Roboticus_Prime_RC]

I absolutely love when these little engines get used for actual work, and not just for rides. :)

[@fanatichighdesertrailroader]

When you get finished you'll be able to run when ever you want. Nice to see a backyard railroad come to fruition.

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

Thanks very much!! 🙌🏻

[@OceanViewLocomotiveMachineCo]

Excellent work gentlemen. This captures the higher quality aspects of the hobby well. Doesn't matter that you don't have a dump car/track geometry car/XYZ tools/gadgets, you have each other and a plan and you'll enjoy doing it the whole way.

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

@@OceanViewLocomotiveMachineCo Thank you brother!!! Really appreciate this and your last comment as well. Definitely trying to just keep it simple and enjoy the process for sure. Figure if our forefathers built beautiful tracks with a shovel and a tamping bar, we can too!! Cheers and hope I can get out for a visit to burn some rocks in your neck of the woods one of these days!! 🔥

[@richardboucher6904]

Buddy better get on down the line, buddy better get on down the line here comes number 5 and she's running right on time. Got a ton of coal poured down the stack Colt is pulling the throttle back, Here comes number 5 running down the track ( with apologies to Jane Bowers & Dave Guard.) thanks for video Jimmie Dick B. P.S. talking to Colt and Russ the other evening I think I know what the big surprise is.

[@sandwichman8u]

Coming along nicely. I just got recommended this, you've got a new subscriber.

[@KniteTime]

Got recommended your channel from a Mill Brook RR video, wish I'd seen it sooner! What you're doing here is something of a dream of mine. Instant sub, and I look forward to watching the progress.

[@MikeinUt]

I love the narrow gauge feel that you are going for.

[@lillywho]

Meanwhile I'm struggling to afford even just an H0 gauge engine... I hope you know how good you have it!

[@le_iac2522]

The work you have done on this property is amazing! This series is both highly entertaining and informative to watch! Watching this makes me impatient for my backyard railroad endeavors which will hopefully begin soon!

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

Thank you so much!! Really appreciate the kind words, and definitely look forward to following your backyard railroad build as well!! 🔥

[@Vetskarieurotruckplayer]

It great to watch this because im trying to build one in Finland you know the happiest country

[@captiy9676]

lmaooooooooo why mention that its the happiest country

[@danius_huganius]

the Today's Heywood, loved this :)

[@Wis.Steamjunkie]

Hi Jimmy, Great progress! Love the side dump car. Greetings from "up north". OPRR

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

Thanks, Lee!!! The side-dump sure does make side-filling easy, and takes the work out of cleaning the car out after a work day!! Hope you’re well and hope to see you guys soon! 🔥

[@rockyridgeshops7109]

Wow, a new video already - great stuff as always! I could have used a 'Colt Stewart' around when I was building my little RR. (By the way, I think he is the same fellow I bought a few bags of Welsh coal from several years ago. I mix it with Pokey...) Love the bloopers - the whistle toot instead of the usual "bleep" - pure genius...

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

@@rockyridgeshops7109 Haha, thank you Dave!!! Yes, that was Colt, I was lucky enough to grab a few bags of Welsh from him at that time as well. 311 loves that stuff, it’s magic. I’ve been slowly chipping away at my supply, will be devastated when we’re out of it!! Appreciate the kind words as always. 🙌🏻🔥

[@MrRailroadrunner]

My lovely lazy way to move ballast and dirt is large boxes on flat cars. When you get wherever you want to be, you just throw the box / bucket whatever off the end of the car. Ballast cars are nice, but they don't really work for areas in front of your right of way or next to it as well.

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

@@MrRailroadrunner I really love the idea of large boxes for flatcars!! Our former home club always used buckets, which I’ll admit, I quickly grew to despise (then continued that way for over a decade, as it was our only option). The only way to fill the buckets was by hand, then they had to be carried to flatcars which wasn’t ideal. I’m excited to finally have track reach the ballast pile so I can worry less about spilling rock upon loading, in that case I may start using buckets and flatcars again for larger loads (loaded in place with the tractor loader this time). But I love your Box idea- I think this might be the ticket!!! Thanks for taking the time to drop a comment and getting the brain-wheels turning about this again.

[@vettebecker1]

Looks great!! Is the overall plan to do a point to point or a loop on the property? I’m only in 1 acre and in the process of joining my loop with a 420 ft trestle. My property is on a incline, so to keep the grade as little as possible the trestle will be 7-8 foot in places

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

Thank you!! That sounds like quite an incredible trestle project and definitely look forward to seeing your progress as well!! Eventually we will have options of either a “main loop” or “turnaround loops” so you can run the whole length of the line bi-directionally. This will also require quite a large trestle project, but that will still be a few years away I’m sure. Thanks again & best of luck on completing your RR!!! 🔥

[@tonydeleo3642]

Have you thought about building a belly dump hopper car for spreading ballast??

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

Thanks for the comment, great question!! Yes I have definitely pondered the possibility of building a belly dump hopper of similar, however every belly-dump hopper I’ve ever seen in 1.5” scale has always taken a one-way trip to derailment city. Hard to get the spreaders right. That being said, we’re now in 3” (1/4) scale, which would make me think with significantly more weight derailments are less likely… but if it does derail with a full load, I’m definitely never picking it up!!! This Gon has been tried and true for me and holds enough for what I need, so for now I’ve decided to focus efforts pretty much exclusively on railroad construction. However, I have already drawn plans for a 3” end-dump Gondola, which would make direct ballasting significantly easier, and I do plan to build at least one eventually.

[@theplumber33]

I subscribed. I did fast forward through all the music parts. Rather, hear the work or hear you talk. But it's awesome what you're doing.🫵👍✌🏻

[@shaqtus3365]

I don’t know if you’ll ever see this but I was looking at the Bring a Trailer socials and saw they had a post about the first train being sold on the site and saw you bought the porter steam locomotive. What are your plans for it, will we see anything about it’s possible restoration on KZbin?

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

@@shaqtus3365 Thanks very much for the comment, absolutely. Stay tuned! 🤓🔥

[@robertrandall8418]

Love it! Jimmy, how big of a loop are you projecting this to be? Fantastic video. Love all the clips you put it. 😂

[@hbissonnette2577]

Do you still have more track sections/rail leftover, or do you need to source more?

[@davidgekler]

Hey, I think ya need a Electric or Gas engine to haul gravel around?

[@squarebodycasewademckenney6190]

Always wanted to do this but with like a slightly bigger engine and track size just so my fat @$$ fits more comfortable LOL

[@Mr_Camo]

What gauge is this narrow gauge line? I've seen many different videos of little railroads that can fit in backyards, but have no clue on the gauge. I mostly want to know so I could possibly make my own little railroad, train cars, and locomotive.

[@FoxIslandRailroadCo]

Thanks for the comment!! This railroad is 7.5” gauge, but 3” to the foot (1/4) scale. Feel free to check out our other videos as well, I have several smaller locomotives in 3.5” and 4.75” gauges (1:16 and 1:12 scales) which require much smaller turn radii yet are still strong enough to pull passengers. There are some great books for first-time builders by Kozo Hiraoka if you’re interested in building a smaller locomotive for yourself. Joining your local Live Steam club is also a great start for learning techniques, tricks, and what size equipment fits you best. If you’re in the US, DiscoverLiveSteam.com is a great resource to find local clubs and fellow hobbyists, as well as equipment for sale. Best of luck and welcome to the hobby!! 🔥