Model Railroading > Live Steam "Backyard Division"

Much has been written about the late Vic Shattock's 1/2 inch scale, Live Steam basement railroad in Oakland, CA. You might say that he also had a "backyard division" ! He built a long piece of portable track in 2 1/2-inch gauge and had it running the length of his long driveway from the back end of his garage all the way out to the sidewalk of 38th Avenue in East Oakland.

The 110-lb. SP Common Standard "brass" rail was supplied specially by Rollin J. Lobaugh of O-gauge model fame. He also supplied all of the rail inside the basement.
This way, he could not only demonstrate the pulling power of his locomotives, but he could give neighbors and visitors rides behind his trains.
Let's take a look back in time to see how this was done !

1. An SP 2-8-2 "Mike" rests on the backyard awaiting departure.

2. Vic Shattock and passenger highballing down the driveway.

3. A guest engineer and three passengers out for a spin.

Photos from KRK Archives.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/11 09:38 by KeyRouteKen.

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4. Vic Shattock instructing his youngest daughter "Elsie" in the art of steam locomotive operation.

5. Miss Elsie taking care of a Dining Car full of "brass hats" .

6. The SP Dining Car was made of polished brass by Harold Collins of Burlingame, CA.
It was the most beautiful, detailed model you ever saw. It even had "napkins"
on the tables.

Photos courtesy of KRK Archives.

KRK

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Fantastic!

Wonderful! As one who rues the demise of the hat, I welcome this series of photos as much for the hats as the steamers!

I remember attending a funeral in Utopia, Texas (of course Texas has a Utopia!) where we all doffed out hats at the appropriate moment. On another occasion at the British restaurant on South Main in Houston (the Red Lion), an uncle was asked by the maitre'd for his Stetson. "Hell, boy, I ain't given up my hat to eat no British steak". He didn't, neither!

Great fun! Your grandmother must have been a saint. wag216

Focalplane Wrote:
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> Wonderful! As one who rues the demise of the hat,
> I welcome this series of photos as much for the
> hats as the steamers!

I agree. That's why I just bought a nice Gorrin Bros hat for live steam meets. I always get positive comments when wearing my hats.

Matt Mason
Editor
The Home Railway Journal
www.homerailwayjournal.com

I can't get over running live steam with a suit and tie on even with the protective overcoat.

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

Hi Ken,

I know that Harold Collins' diner was built to 17/32" scale so that it would be in correct proportion the the 2-1/2" gauge track, as where many models of that era, but they were nominally called 1/2" scale. I was wondering which scale your grandfather actually used.

Warren Weiss

warrenpweiss Wrote:
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> Hi Ken,
>
> I know that Harold Collins' diner was built to
> 17/32" scale so that it would be in correct
> proportion the the 2-1/2" gauge track, as where
> many models of that era, but they were nominally
> called 1/2" scale. I was wondering which scale
> your grandfather actually used.
>
> Warren Weiss

Hi Warren-- Would you believe you asked that same question on October 9, 2008 ?
Sorry I didn't get back to you until now. To be perfectly honest with you, Warren, I have no idea if my grandfather stayed with 1/2 or 17/32 inch scale !
You know, the Golden Gate Live Steamers has their big 75th Anniversary Meet coming up on July 8, 9 and 10 in Berkeley's Tilden Regional Park. It would be great if that private collector would bring that Dining Car to the Meet for exhibit.

Ken Shattock

Ken, It would indeed be nice to see that diner! I'll come up to the meet for sure (I live in Southern California). I have a 2-1/2" gauge backyard layout and am also a member of LALS.

By the way, there is a movie on the Internet that I'm sure you would love called "The March of Progress" from 1945. Here's a link to it if you haven't already seen it: http://www.archive.org/details/MarchofP1945

Warren