More Basement Memories

Amazing, thank you for posting. 

THe detail on those were really nice. I can't imagine making something like that from scratch with what they had to work with back then, it's amazing. Those were true modelers and craftsmen. And live steam as well. It would be difficult at best to try and duplicate that today, if anyone even could.

I also think it is really impressive that they were almost always wearing a suit and tie, or at least a tie when working on their hobby. No sweat pants and t-shirts. Those were really different times. I also like the looks of the old basements, reminds me of my grandparents basement and many old buildings I have worked in over the years. Not to mention the poor lighting they had to work in. I find it all fascinating.

Very interesting photos. must have been a very big basement.

Bob C.

Thanks for your replies guys !  Here is some general info about Vic Shattock's Live Steam basement railroad ...

VICTOR SHATTOCK’s BASEMENT RAILROAD
Oakland, California

** FACT SHEET **

Location: 1877- 38th Avenue, corner of Foothill Blvd; Fruitvale District—Oakland…
Total trackage: Approx. 400 feet.
Scale and Track Gauge: ½ inch scale; 1/24th full size; 2 ½ inch gauge.
(Known in the United Kingdom officially as "Gauge Three")
Fuel: Denatured Alcohol (wood alcohol)
(Known in the United Kingdom officially as "Methylated Spirits")

Burner Method: Vaporizing Burner of Vic Shattock’s personal design.
Boiler construction: Standard fire-tube boiler construction (all copper) using staybolts
Asbestos boiler lagging, and other accessories.
Boiler pressure (operating): 85 to 100 psi …
Feed Water: Axle-driven pumps; Horizontal feed water pump, steam operated.
Lubrication: Steam cylinder oil via Mechanical Lubricator
Direction of travel: Standard johnson bar in the cab on engineer’s side.
Throttle control: Manual… Throttle handle extended just a little thru the cab roof.
Radio Control: NO… Not available…
Locomotives:
TWO (2) 2-8-2 "Mikados" : # 3217 and # 3254
TWO (2) 4-6-2 "Pacifics" : # 2422 I and # 2422 II (# I built in 1929)
ONE (1) 2-8-0 "Consolidation" # 2753
ONE (1) 0-6-0 "SP Switch Engine" # 1207 (Stolen from basement in 1946)

Rolling Stock:
Twenty-two (22) freight cars of various types.
One (1) Central Pacific "Harriman-style" Chair Car (coach)

One Turntable: SP 110-foot common standard (55 inches long) containing 2500 rivets.
Three tunnels
One ballast deck trestle
One steel girder bridge
Two signal bridges
Three two-track stub end yards
Twelve turnouts plus One double-slip switch
Roundhouse with Five(5) stalls and electrically operated turntable.
One water column standpipe (operational)
One water tank with spout in Roundhouse (operational)
Fully automatic block signal system

Overall interior size of basement:  45 x 32 feet--  9 foot ceiling...

110-lb, SP Common Standard T-rail (BRASS) specially created and rolled by Rollin J. Lobaugh Company.  They also provided scale rail joiners, spikes, and tie plates: All brass.

Wood for ties and car bodies came from old Kraft Cheese Boxes and cut to desired pieces..  (LOTS)

Tanks for "tank cars" came from former Carbon Tetrachloride fire extinquisher bottles.

Ice cubes could be fed through hatches of two PFE cars and keep your sandwich cold while working on the layout.  SP Hopper car had all working doors and was used for ballasting the track.

To SEE this layout in operation, go to You Tube and Search for "Steam Railroading in the Basement" ...  There are two parts!  Among the dozens of newspapers and magazines my Grandfather was featured in, he was on the front cover of Model Railroader for APRIL-1951  and JANUARY-1939...  In the Jan-'39 issue is a photo story written by "Boomer Pete" (Al Kalmbach) who visited and couldn't believe what he saw firsthand!

Notable Guests and other visitors:
Various Southern Pacific Officers
Various Southern Pacific Division Managers
Al Kalmbach, Publisher, Model Railroader
Linn Westcott, Editor, Model Railroader
Bill Walthers, The Walthers Company
John Allen, Gorre & Daphetid RR, Monterey, CA.
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (Jack Benny Show)
Walt Disney
Dick Bagley, Publisher, The Miniature Locomotive
Whit Towers, Editor, NMRA Bulletin
Bob Bast, NMRA
Lawrence Sagle, B&O RR
Various civic, school district, and other community leaders
News Media (various)
Movietone News
Lloyd Combs, Professional film maker…
Ray Maker, Amusement Park Train builder
Billy Jones, Los Gatos
Louis McDermott, Overfair Railway builder
Charles "Budge" Garbett, local oldtime modelmaker
Rollin J. Lobaugh, Model Railroad Manufacturer
Jack Collier, Jack Collier’s "Toys for Men", Oakland.
Walter I. Brown, founding member, Eastbay Model Engineers Society
Plus hundreds and hundreds of other visitors.

All railroad locomotives, rolling stock and accessories totally "scratchbuilt" from raw
materials in Victor Shattock’s workshop… No kits of any kind were used…

Notable Events:
Founding location and Headquarters: Golden Gate Live Steamers (1936)
National Convention Layout Tour (NMRA)-- Oakland, CA. (1947)
Radio Appearance: The Old Craftsman, KFRC, San Francisco (1938)
Radio Appearance: Hobby Lobby, New York City (1938)

In the 1940’s , Victor Shattock and his friend and fellow club member, Walter Brown,
were National Co-Chairmen of the NMRA’s "Live Steam Standards Committee" …

Victor Shattock was employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad for thirty-six years !
(1923—1959)
Within the railroad’s maintenance of way department (Western Division) he was the "Water Service Foreman" (railroad plumbing//HVAC) , responsible for anything on the railroad having to do with plumbing, HVAC, tinsmithing, train and ferryboat fueling, and so forth.
He was a member of the Brotherhood of Maintenance-of-Way Employees (BMWE) and was Secretary—Treasurer of Subordinate Lodge # 407 at West Oakland. He was also Division Grievance Chairman and Asst.Chairman of the Pacific Federation.

I hope these facts about Victor T. Shattock are helpful in some way.
He died in Alameda, CA in April-1974 at the age of eighty-seven years…

Cheers...

KRK

You don't find men with talent like Victor Shattock anymore. The man had to be an artist, mechanical, engineer, steam fitter, craftsman and a machinist to make all those engines. When this man past away, we can only wonder what happened to all the equipment. Does it still exist? Live steam still exists but I doubt if people custom scratch build steam engines anymore. 

Thank you for the comments, Dennis.  By the way, I loved the original Delta Lines built by Frank Ellison in New Orleans.  He was a craftsman too !!

Regarding my grandfather, Vic Shattock..  To read more of his life, check out this URL from our International Brotherhood of Live Steamers (IBLS) website:

http://ibls.org/mediawiki/inde...itle=Victor_Shattock

Take care.

KRK

I'm just wondering how many of you would even think of model railroading in a dress shirt, tie, and suit?  Come on now, be honest.

Rick

Hi Rick--  That's how my grandfather always dressed, even in the basement.  Probably his British upbringing!

KRK

After initially being "fired-up" and ready to roll, An engine was usually run by itself for a half dozen laps to see if it was running ok and so forth.  Then a train was made up from the Yards and attached to the engine.  Two "toots" of the whistle, and your wildest dreams were set in motion !  STEAM trains running around your basement..

KRK

there was a talented man, and you can see in his face he enjoyed his hobby. thanks for sharing. Are any of the trains still in the family?

Southern Pacific reaped a LOT of free advertising from my grandfather..  Here is an example a LONG time ago...

http://ibls.org/mediawiki/inde...ific_General_Offices

KRK

Ken a great story and an interesting read, thanks for posting this. Are you into steam or model railroading as a result of your grandfathers influence.

A great story and a great man.

What a treat! The videos are wonderful. It's lucky that some pros came around to document this masterpiece on film.

He seemed a little surprised in his narrative that so many craftsmen came to see his work.  He sounded pleased and a little humbled by their curiosity and respect.

Was it your father that did the electrical work for the turntable and blower vent? "I didn't know much about electricity" was his matter of fact comment.

Do you know if the track still survives or any of the locos and rolling stock? 

Holy cow!  Do any of those models exist today somewhere?

wow... amazing. 

Ken,

Fantastic!  That is wonderful you have these photos and video of your grandfather's live steam.  Absolutely the work of a master craftsman!  It must have been a sight to behold in person!

thank you!

According to the wiki article, the OP has one of the engines and a caboose.  I wonder what happened to the other engines?

Yes, they still do.  A friend of mine is building a 7 1/2" live steam Mikado.  He has a miniature machine shop in his basement.