2025 Japanese Narrow Gauge and Light Railway Models Festival

The video is good, but the real reason I uploaded this post was for the picture of the cool storage tank. Watch the video to find out how they are handeled. By the way, I also thought the locomotive was rad.

Narrow Gauge Around the World, Part 6

Narrow gauge railways from the United States and Chili.

Narrow Gauge Around the World, Part 5

The 5th installment of Peter Crook's Narrow Gauge Around the World. In this installment Peter introduces us to Narrow Gauge railways in the United Kingdom.

Narrow Gauge Around the World, Part 4

Lst us visit the narrow gauge railways in Java, China and Eritrea with Peter Crook.

Narrow Guage Around the World, Part 3

This is the third in Peter Crook's series, Narrow Guage Around the World. In this episode: Narrow Gauge Railways in Germany, Poland and Romania.

Narrow Gauge Around the World Part 2

This the second in Peter Crook's Narrow Gauge Around the World series: "Indian narrow gauge railways, The Nepal railway, Tipong Colliery, Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway, Riga Sugar Mill."

Narrow Gauge Around the World Part 1

"South Africa (Some preserved steam and SAR) and Australia (Queensland Rail). Part 1 of a series of 7 on narrow gauge railways around the world.", by Peter Crook

A Few Random Screenshots from "A Series of Unfortunate Events"

I wouldn't get too close to this. I am sure he already has an eye on you. Do not try to lisk this one!

A picturesque picture of trolly going somewhere.

A vehicles left on the train tracks. What was the driver thinking? (Hint: $$$$)

Screenshots from Lemony Shicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

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I added a new label here: 'frogs and toads'. I hope to populate this with worth while specimans.

Another Steam Locomotive Rolls Through Town

She sure is a beautiful. This steam engine is heading south to collect its passengers for their excursion north.

Small Wagons

Screenshot is from "All Quiet on the Eastern Front".

I am assuming this tank car is of WWI French Design, but it could be from Germany. It might have been used to carry mustard or some other type of gas to the front.

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My other "Small Wagons"

Short and Narrow Rails

My recent queries have not turned-up any refference to the Short and Narrow Rails periodical.. Illustrated above is my small collection of S&NR magazines. I believe they were published four times a year. They are not dated, however judging from some of the events listed within they five consective copies I own were printed sometime in the early nineties.

Featured content changed and every volumne had a collection of images of mostly narrow gauge steam, but also featured small industrial locomotives. There are maps, drawings, and articles on various topics.

In this particular volumne are the following features:

Mini Layout Winner
18th Nat. NG Convention
Deslanso Alpine & Pacific
Three Little Critters
Fireless Cookers

I am reading through the small stack and am being inspired.

Other Books by Charles S. Small

Far Wheels (Narrow gauge around the world)
Rails to the Rising Sun (Private narrow gauge railroads of Japan)
Rails to the Setting Sun (More narrow gauge railroads around the world)
Rails to the Mines (Taiwan’s very narrow lines to the coal mines)
Rails to Doomsday (The tragic story of Corregidor’s three-footers)
Rails to the Diggings (The five gauges used to build the Panama Canal)
Military Railroads of the Panama Canal Zone (The rial lines for the guns)
California's Railway Guns (The Army’s 365 ton railway guns)
Rails to the Front (World War I’s two foot trench railroads)
Far Wheels II (Partial reprint with much new material)
The Summer of 1941 (Denver, Rio Grande & Western with John Maxwell)
Brazilian Steam Album I (Plus and minus two-footers)
Brazilian Steam Album II (Premier Brazilian lines with C. Hahmann)
Brazilian Steam Album III (Ready 1987)
Brazilian Steam Album IV (Ready 1987)

Far Wheels II

Front cover of Far Wheels II, Charles S. Small, A Railroad Monograph Book, (c) 1986

It was this book and the many railways listed within its covers perked my interest in narrow gauge railroading.

Far Wheels II is an updated edition of Charles S. Small’s Far Wheels I. Small has traveled world and visited the many narrow gauge railways that once trans-versed many localities around the world. Far Wheels II is a 102 page collection of text, maps, and images on many of these narrow gauge railways.

Small gives us a glimpse into the workings, equipment types, geographical features, history, and even some thoughts on the accommodations available at some of these locations. Here is one of my favorites:

“In British Africa one finds clean rooms, comfortable beds, water-borne sanitation and the worst food ever prepared by human hands. In French Africa the beds are stuffed with hay, old railways ties and scrap iron. The water and showers are unreliable, but you can eat in the most miserable hamlet like a civilized man and in larger towns like a king.”

Below is the table of contents and the many railways, their gauge, and locations of these narrow gauge railways:

1. Japan 2’ – 6” gauge

Kiso Forest Railway
Japan Sulphur Company
Kosaka Copper Company
Kusakaru Electric Railway

2. Eritrea 950mm gauge

Ferrovia Eritree

3. Madagascar 1000mm gauge

Chemin De Fer Madagascar

4. Fiji, 2’ – 0 gauge

Colonial Sugar Company

5. Portuguese East Africa, 2’ – 5.1/2 “, 3’ 6” gauges

Caminho DeFerri Mozambique

6. Australia, Tasmania, 3’6” gauge, AbtRack

7. Jamaica, 4’ 8 ½ gauge

Jamaican Government Railway

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Other books by Charles S. Small

Reading & Northern Railroad Steam Engine and Passenger Car

It was another fine day for rail watching, I don't know how many more we will see of these mild sunny days. I caught this and the passenger car chugging by, The Reading & Northern Railroad has several steam engines and their arrival is closely watched by many.

An International Diesel

This is another image from that trip to Potter County. I found this International Diesel stuck away in another shed away from the main structure.

Potter County Logging Museum

Between the mill and the loco sheds was much to see at the logging museum.

I should have posted some images from the mill, perhaps another time.

A log disconect sits on a side rail. What's awaiting us in those sheds?

I see something sticking its self out there.

It was a shay locomotive. I haven't seen one of these before.

I knew the Shay was used by logging companies, but I didn't know the particulars for this engine. I am glad the plaque was there.

These photos were taken sometime ago and were taken in Potter County, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This a great place to visit. We drove for miles and didn't encounter one car on the highway. Very remote.

Reading & Northern Railroad Diesel F Unit

It is another fine autumn day and a great day for pictures. The Reading & Northern Railroad will be treating us to their collection of vintage locomotives over the next month or so. Today, a diesel F unit with a string of passenger cars was sent out to ferry passengers to Jim Thorpe . Where did that guy come from? He wasn't their when I set-up this morning.

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Updated on 10/8 at 7:12 PM

From Russia with Love

A scene from the James Bond movie "From Russia with Love", I believe. If life could just be so idyllic.

Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad Steam Engine

I was up early today and out of the house to catch sight of a newly restored Steam Engine. I am sorry, but did not do my homework to find out what type of steam engine it was, nor its wheel configuration. As you can see I wasn't the only person interested in its appearence.

The Hogwart Express

The grand Hogwart Express stream engine in its red and black livery. Every bit of her brass sparkels in the reflections of the sun.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone