Los Angeles Live Steamers (2024)

The Los Angeles Live Steamers is the largest and most park likeof all of the live steam facilities in the SoCal area. The clubproperty is within LA's Griffith Park right next to Travel Town.The club has been at its present site for 42 years. Membership is open to anybody who will paynominal dues and contribute labor to the upkeep of the facility.More information about the LALS is available at the LALS FAQ page. Membership forms are availableby mail from the address on the FAQ page.

The Los Angeles Live Steamersmaintains a web site which contains some more information about theclub.

The club operates for the public every Sunday from 11 AM to 3PM. All train rides are free, but donations are accepted.

There are three main lines on the routemap, one in 1.5" scale (7.5" gauge), a shorter one in 1" scale(4.75" gauge) with some dual tracked to 3.5" gauge and a 3.5" gaugeline. The 1.5" scale line runs as a large folded loop around andthrough the property. The smaller lines run within the main loops.There are numerous steamup bays for all gauges with transfer tablesand turntables to move equipment around. Pneumatic jacks assist inloading and unloading equipment from their owners trucks andtrailers.

LALS welcomes any kind of motive power, as long as it will fiton their tracks and pass a safety inspection. There was lots oflive steam that burned coal or propane, "diesels" that ran ongasoline or batteries, and traction that was battery powered.

Most of the equipment is privately owned, but the club owns someengines and stock. Members without their own equipment can use theclub equipment to transport the public during the Sunday publicoperations. To earn storage space in the car barns, members mustcontribute a period of annual volunteer labor and then rent thestorage track at $3.50/ft/year.

The pictures below are links to more and larger pictures andtext along the same themes as the picture shown.

I didn't get enough information about some of these engineswhile I was there. If you would like to contribute any text toannotate the photos, please E-mailme.

31 Dec 00 Bill Brunner told me about the Spring 1999 meet where many of thesepictures were taken or I wouldn't have known about it. He broughthis engine out to stretch its legs. There were lots of other livesteam engines running as well.

31 Dec 00 This club owned PA1 is brand spanking new. The road foreman ofengines was giving it a test run. The engine is gas powered with ahydraulic transmission. All wheels are powered and the engine haseasily enough power to spin them.

21 Jan 01 The LALS facility is built in a grassy park area with large treesand abundant shade. The facility is located between Travel Town andthe Los Angeles Zoo. Due to its inland location next to the LAriver at the mouth of the San Fernando valley, it can get quite hotin the summer. The shade is very welcome. The day I was there,"June Gloom" abounded, it was overcast and cool. This will changesoon.

31 Dec 00 The LALS Facility has numerous bridges, trestles and tunnels.Considerable effort has been made by club members over the last 40years in constructing and maintaining these substantialstructures.

20 Jan 01 The LALS facility uses a completely automatic block control systemwith signals that are interlocked to turnout positions and detecttrain occupancy in the first and second blocks ahead. Several typesof signals and signal supports are in use. Photos of all of themaren't here yet, check back later if you are interested.

31 Dec 00 There are large scale trains at the LALS too. A permanent largescale display layout has been constructed for the public to view atSherwood Station.