IndianaRog and the Temple of Steam

I was almost 10 years old and for months I had ridden my bike past the "Handy Shop" in Rumford, RI, USA, near where I grew up.  For my upcoming birthday I wanted this "thing" in the shop's window so bad I could picture it on the nitestand beside my bed  !

That "thing" turned out to be a German made Fleischmann stationary steam engine.  The year was 1961 and for my 10th birthday what a lucky boy I was.

1961 Fleischmann Stationary Steam Engine, Model 122/3
         (my childhood engine 47 years later, still looking good and running well)


NO other kid I knew had such a thing and this was custom made for show and tell day at school.  Can you imagine the euphoria of a 10 year old given permission to light a fire and send hot spits of steam all about the classroom?  

It just didn't get any better for this boy.   Little did I know then that 47 years later I would still have my Fleischmann, it's box and funnel included, and a "few" more of these strange and wonderful contraptions will have found their way home with me since.

       Box End Showing 1961 Cost
      ($16.52 USD in 1961 was a princely sum)             

But what happened in the interim??  I grew up the rest of the way I suppose, met the lady of my life, married, worked, raised 3 kids and retired in 2004.  

On Thanksgiving weekend in Nov. 2002, I was in the basement and spotted my old Fleischmann up on a shelf.  I couldn't remember when I had run it last, so with a bit of time on my hands I got it down for a family "show and tell".

The engine was soon fired up again, but I got a rude surprise and a flashback of why it hadn't been touched in years. It must have gotten bumped in one of many household moves, such that the steamline was slightly detached from the point where it entered the oscillator.  Steam spewed in such a fury I yanked the fuel tray out and threw a towel over it...so much for show and tell round one.

When it cooled down I stared at a botched soldering job done by a much younger me trying to mend nickeled brass pipe work with a wood burning tool or something just as crude...it was blobbed with solder hanging on by force of habit alone.  But, now I was a bonafide adult and I could wield a torch and plumbers solder with finesse.  

It took some time, but I soon had the Fleischmann repaired properly and it was singing along like that birthday in 1961.  I likewise stunk up the house with what little Esbit was still in the box, irritated my young adult kids and dogs by tooting the whistle countless times and watched my lovely wife shake her head and figure I was regressing into childhood, which I was.  Then again, what's wrong with a steam up that brings back fond memories and creates more?  Show and tell round two was a smashing success

Does my old Fleischmann still run today???
Click below to see an instant video via YouTube:

And then I discovered there were more out there !

Following that Nov. 2002 holiday, I quietly began searching on this thing called eBay which was relatively new to me.  I was looking to see if there were more of these little engines out there for grown up boys.  There were plenty to choose from, but I searched several months to buy my second toy steam engine, a Jensen Model #25, of early 1960's vintage.  A check of the Jensen Steam Engine tab to the left, will show that this single engine spawned a "few" more and a love for Jensens in all shapes and sizes !

Once I got that "fixer upper" Jensen looking good and running well, I had the bug, the rest has been a wonderful journey of discovery, learning what I like and don't like in toy steam engines, learning how to restore them properly without butchering a piece and basically finding a marvelous hobby to pursue in my retirement.  My philosophy in all this?  ALL engines in my collection eventually get run, then run regularly...they are toys and meant to be enjoyed.  Although I will hesitate to dry clean the Shroud of Turin, I usually take an incoming "rough" looking engine and strip it down to bare metal and wood from top to bottom and restore it to "like new" appearance and functionality.

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Why did I make this website ?

For me this is an online place to organize and showcase my collection, share tips and tricks learned in the restoration of these little engines, enjoy the challenge of making this darn website stuff work and lastly a means to communicate to and fro with fellow toy steam collectors.  My hope is this website will inspire more folks interested in toy steam to jump in and try it out.  There are engines to meet all price ranges and more than half the fun for me has been resurrecting the most decrepit ones rescued from eBay.

I launched a pilot version of a website in early 2006 and got serious with this version begun in June, 2006.  I heartily recommend making a website of your own collection if the spirit moves you...it only cost me $3.50 USD/month, less than a Starbucks Latte, though this cheapskate wouldn't spend THAT for a cup of foofed up coffee!

I've included more than 50 video clips with sound of engines under steam power as of June 2008 and they can be accessed almost instantly by built in YouTube links.  Have a look, especially if you are shopping for an engine and want an idea of how it runs and sounds.   I haven't filmed all my engines yet, but I plan to as time permits.  So check back once in awhile if you are curious.

A bit of credit where credit is due...

My coach in all things website related has been Odilon Marcenaro, a marvelous young man and fellow toy steam collector from the UK.  He coaches me more like a younger brother than someone 4,000 miles away whom I have never met.  We've become the best of friends sharing our hobby.  Odilon's website with the moniker "Mooseman" has been an inspiration both for the content of the collection and it's excellent website layout.

Two other sources of inspiration and comraderie have been an online forum founded in July 2006 with the unlikely name of the UNOFFICIAL MAMOD AND OTHER STEAM FORUM sporting almost 350 members representing a wide array of engine brands and countries of origin.  A Yahoo Group formed in 2005 by the name of TOY_STEAM, has about the same number of members representing very deep experience.   Both these groups are a great source of info for the budding collector or experienced hand looking for identification or restoration help.  We BS a bit as well, but it's all part of the fun.

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And what's with the name IndianaRog ?

Well, it seemed like a natural for use on eBay and other online endeavors since I do live in Indiana, the name is Rog and I have a great fondness for Indiana Jones movies. 

Would you believe I "almost" got the part



Oh well, I can dream...meanwhile here's me cheering you for joining the world of toy steam collectors, from the Temple of Steam that is my basement workshop.





 

Click below for an instant video tour of the Temple of Steam via YouTube:

If you wish to email me with a question or comment...use the following email address:  templeofsteam@yahoo.com (cut & paste it into your email program).  I check email regularly and I promise to reply.

If you wish to leave your thoughts for posterity use the Guestbook ,  but DON'T leave your email address there where spammers can find it...email me directly at the address above.

Cheers,




Since startup June 16, 2006: