I have decided to go ahead and post the final paper. I have recieved a few msgs asking about the paper. I was waiting until I got a final grade before posting the result, however I've since found out this instructor is notoriously late on all grades. And when I thought about it, it doesn't change the paper I submitted.
So, here it is.
My intent for this paper was to take something I have a passion for, and bend and twist it in such a way that I could "sneak" it in as an academic assisgnment. Perhaps even get a good grade on it. And if nothing else, I'll write it up as public education and outreach.
Enjoy!
Live Steam, Discussion Groups and the Internet
Kent Killam
November 19, 2008
The focus of this paper is to show how the internet has made it possible for rather small groups, who share similar interests, to use the internet to communicate and promote their work.
My idea was to use my experience over the past five years, and document how through the use of computers and the internet this very small group has actually expanded. Having always been a “train guy”, I have a special spot for the old steam locomotives.
Live Steam is described as: Steam from the boiler, used for any purpose, in distinction from exhaust steam. (Webster)
I came face to face with live steam by discovering the Washakum Live Steamers of Holliston, MA. After watching these miniature beasts spew and growl around the track, I was sold. The incredible craftsmanship going into these living models was second to none. A majority of the members were older, being sixty years of age or greater. Of the senior members, perhaps half were former employees of one railroad or another. For some, the phasing out of Steam Powered Locomotives for Diesel Electric was their inspiration to keep steam alive, only in a slightly smaller scale.
Having found a place to run a steam train, the next task is to locate a locomotive. The first place I visited was e-Bay and found a very active live steam category. I spent the next six months checking every few days to see what was available and further educate myself as much as possible on the hobby.
Quickly I came to the realization that to purchase any locomotive capable of running at the track in Holliston would be unwise. Due to the size and weight, transporting and working on an engine of this size would be difficult at best, if not impossible from a wheelchair. Once I accepted this, I discussed options with a few WLS members and was told about Cabin Fever.
Cabin Fever is a scale model exposition held in York, Pennsylvania every January. The participants are all hobby machinists who create some of the most highly detailed scale models ever seen. The majority of the projects incorporate Live Steam Applications (Stationary, Marine, Locomotives and Tractors); there are also excellent examples of cars, airplanes, internal combustion engines and other machining feats.
The locomotives are mostly designed to run on 45mm track, commonly referred to as LGB, G gauge or large scale (being the largest scale track commercially available). Railroads of this size are popular in gardens all over the world, with most hobbyists running on electrical track power or with rechargeable batteries in a separate car placed behind the locomotive. The most informative site I found was My Large Scale.com, or MLS for short. With a friendly, supportive and educated membership, I found myself reading articles and asking many questions. The wealth of information available and the dedication of the volunteer moderators were second to none.
MLS operates using a program called Active Forums, produced by Active Modules L.L.C. The Forums module works under DotNetNuke, a program environment developed by Microsoft. Individuals who might be new to a discussion forum tend to make the adjustment easily with this user friendly software.
I spent the next eighteen months learning as much as possible on all things live steam. Some of the topics included bench work and track laying, locomotives and rolling stock available, connecting with live steamers from New England, as well as numerous tales of what not to do, from those who had gone before.
Two different companies produce the majority of ready to run locomotives, Accucraft and Aster. Accucraft is a fairly new American company which designs locomotives and builds them using Chinese labor. The product quality is very good while costs are relatively reasonable. An Accucraft locomotive can cost anywhere from $1500 to $6000, depending on the model.
Aster on the other hand has an established machining history, starting with mechanical cash registers in the 1950s. In 1974, when the seventies saw electronic cash registers taking over the market, the company reinvented itself by machining quality live steam locomotive kits. While the costs are more considerable than Accucraft, the quality, level of detail and investment potential are also much greater. The most recent US offering starts at about $7500 for a kit, and almost $10k for a ready to run locomotive.
The topic of this assignment was posted in the live steam section of MLS (Killam), which produced a variety of suggestions from members. I wanted to hear from a few moderators and find out their motivation for tackling what can be a thankless job at times. Dwight Ennis from California replied,
All of us were members of, and participants on, MLS before we became mods. At some point, Shad (the site’s owner) asked each of us to become mods to help keep the site going in the direction he desired. While I don't claim to speak for the others, I myself do it out of a love of the hobby and an appreciation of all that MLS adds to my (and others') enjoyment of it. I've learned far more here than by any other source of information, and I've made acquaintances all over the country via this site, and in other countries as well - many of them have become good friends. There aren't many other venues that provide such opportunities.
Live steam hobbyists have organized themselves and become proactive. Working side by side with manufacturers to improve existing models and develop future offerings, the quality and selection increases. Small Scale Steam clubs across the country use discussion groups to organize, promote and seek volunteers to assist with event planning. A well thought out event can draw hundreds of spectators and allow the general public to come and experience this lost mode of transportation.
In closing, the principal of live steam is being incorporated in the design of treatment module for adolescents with emotional/anger issues. While in the initial planning stage at the moment, a residential facility in Western Massachusetts is optimistic.
The premise is to compare a steam boiler to a student’s stress level. As the boiler builds pressure the steam is diverted into cylinders, creating motion. The students are then asked to think of themselves in the light of a steam boiler, and consider positive ways they may or may not release pressure.
Works Cited
Accucraft Train Company. 2008 17 Nov. 2008
www.accucraft.com
Aster Hobby USA L.L.C. 10 Nov 2008. Aster Hobby Company Inc. Japan. 17 Nov. 2008.
http://www.asterhobbyusa.com/
Cabin Fever Expositions. 2008. Cabin Fever Expo. 17 Nov. 2008
http://www.cabinfeverexpo.com/index.html
DotNukeNet Corporation. 2008. 17 Nov. 2008
http://www.dotnetnuke.com/
eBay. 2008. Bay Inc. 17 Nov. 2008.
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1311&_nkw=live+steam&_sacat=See-All-Categories
Killam, Kent. My Large Scale.Com. 17 Nov 2008. Model Railroads Online L.L.C. 17 Nov. 2008.
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/11/postid/60180/view/topic/Default.aspx
My Large Scale.Com. 17 Nov 2008. Model Railroads Online L.L.C. 17 Nov. 2008
http://www.mylargescale.com/
Washakum Live Steamers. 2007. Father Jay Finelli. 17 Nov, 2008
http://wls.steamingpriest.com/wls/Welcome.html
Webster’s On-line Dictionary. 2008. Interapple, Inc. 17, Nov. 2008
http://www.webster-dictionary.net/d.aspx?w=live+steam
