This 1960s silent color 16mm home movie depicts a meeting of the Los Angeles Live Steamers, as “live steam” enthusiasts demonstrate rideable, large-scale model railroad engines at the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum (TRT 27:01).
Title card: “Wonderful World of Live Steam” (0:08). A “Los Angeles” passenger train car with a banner: “Welcome N.B. of L.S.” or National Brotherhood of Live Steamers. A wide shot of adult men standing around and sitting astride 1:8 scale model steam locomotive engines on short segments of track in a staging area near Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California (0:24). A medium shot shows teenage boys in conversation around an engine, caboose, and track segments marked “LALS” (0:40). An engine backs up in closeup. A man in flannel and overalls rides the “Little Engines R.R.” (0:53). A group of passengers ride a live steamer on a 7½” gauge miniature railway (1:06). Closeup on a smaller-scale early locomotive model (1:17). A teenage boy in denim and a railroader’s hat mounts a live steamer (1:36). An elderly man stirs the fuel supply of his small-scale live steam engine, labeled “SAR” (1:55). A scale model of a “Colorado & Southern” locomotive. Men watch as steam billows from an engine. Inside an engine (2:06). Two elderly men ride together across an elevated track. Carrying young passengers on the narrow gauge rails (2:59). A low angle shot. Loads of families (3:25). Passing a scale water tower. A plume of steam is emitted from a scale locomotive. A Southern Pacific engine and passengers (4:00). POV a rider behind a “conductor” wearing a “Los Angeles Live Steamers” jacket (4:26). Two engines are coupled together (5:01). Crowds of spectators (5:17). A man puffs on a cigarette while driving his train (6:08). An engine stenciled “Shay No. 5” and a parade of others (7:39). A colorfully painted Central Pacific-style live steamer and a crude homemade engine side by side. A couple ride in a “boxcar” together. In the background, a police officer directs traffic near a 1957 Chevy. A father and son. An elder riding solo. Men wear ribbons and badges (9:03). Live steamers stenciled “Yazoo,” “Castaic Brick Co.” and “Fruit Growers Supply Co.” (10:41). A young man holds a can of soda nonchalantly. Another man puffs a cigar (11:20). A man lying on his belly rides a very small, homemade steamer (12:20). Another man holds a 16mm film camera. Closeup on a “Colorado Midland” engine (12:27). Wider shots show the scale of the gathering (12:46). A logo for “Golden Gate Live Steamers Inc.” A “Castro Valley” engine takes its time (13:36). An engine driver’s POV (14:33). An early model engine moves at a crawl (15:31). Children ride wooden passenger cars (16:40). The “Colorado & Southern” and “Saratoga & Montal” lines (17:14). A polished engine with gold-colored plating waves tiny Confederate flags. Smaller, modest engines with one or two riders move more quickly (19:03). A green steamer is reversed onto a section of track (2:39). A man wears a “Pennsylvania Live Steamers” shirt. A Reading Railroad engine #1152. A young boy watches his father at work. Later, he drives a train himself. The “Phantom,” and its young driver gather speed. Driving in reverse, then forward again (21:06). A building labeled “White Hall” and “Railway Express Agency” (23:02). Engine 1173 of the “Ozark” line. The “Southern” pulls passengers. A small boy rides a red caboose (23:23). A train ride passes through a shady wooded area. A young man with a mustache and a girl in yellow sunglasses. More riders in the green woods (24:09). The “Cinder Sniffers” of Cincinnati (25:50). Light leaks as the film reel runs out. Title card: “A Mac Owen Production” (26:36).
The Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum was founded in 1956 by live steam enthusiasts to showcase scale model railroad technology. The hobby was especially popular in Los Angeles during the 1950 and 60s, when it attracted the attention of animator Ward Kimball and studio boss Walt Disney.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
