With this in mind and full backing of Fulgurex, we began production on
our first “scale model” the PLM 231 Pacific.
This, our 5th model was widely received by the public and
the collector alike, because it truly conveyed the ambience of a
turn-of-the-century European classic. This
engine was then to become the forerunner to such successors as the BR 78/SNCF
232TC (1978), SNCF 141 R (1979), DB 01 (1980), BAYERN S 2/6 (1981), SBB Eb 3/5
(1983), etc.
1978 - 1979:
Moving on to More Complicated Engines
The BR 78, mentioned
above, was designed specifically for radio control and won “Model of the
Year” in Eisenbahn magazine in Europe.
Then in 1978, “Live Steam,” an American publication, cited our
Ali-San Shay’s side mounted “marine engine” as jewel-like.
The success of this locomotive launched a whole series of geared
locomotives such as the Climax (1982), the Western Maryland Shay (1984), and
the Greenbrier, Cheat, and Elk RR Shay (1990).
Now real live steam enthusiasts insisted that the only true way to capture the
live steam feel was through coal firing.
They repeatedly said this would fulfill the complete sensual
involvement in the live steam model. This
encouraged in 1978 the development of our first coal fired, locomotive type
boiler in JNR’s famous passenger locomotive, the C62 Hudson.
This achievement laid the
pathway for future JNR locomotives, C57 “Noble Lady,” D51 “Mikado”
Japan’s favorite freight engine, C12 “Tiny Stars,” and C11 2-6-4T, to
the delight of Japanese modelers who were increasingly being attracted to the
hobby. 1978 marked a year for
engineering achievement through critical acclaim of Aster’s BR 78/SNCF 232TC
and JNR C62.
1980 - 1981: Aster Live Steam
Reaches Full Bloom
Aster’s original intention was to create models in limited editions, not
only for the collector, but also to keep us fresh and alive by not repeating
ourselves over and over. However,
as our popularity grew, some asked for reruns of earlier engines, Schools,
Ali-San Shay, JNR Moguls, etc. In
keeping with our original commitment it was decided to develop different
locomotives on those old designs, thus were born, Southern “King Arthur,”
JNR C12 “Tiny Stars,” and Americanized Moguls and Shays.
In 1980 three different
European 0-6-0T engines were developed on the same chassis, the GER for the
U.K., and the ETAT and QUEST for France, along with a Baldwin 0-4-2T for the
American and Japanese markets. We
now had produced locomotives of virtually every level of complexity from
simple beginner’s versions to more complicated and authentic engines.
In response to European
requests for alternative fuel supply, in 1981 we developed our first butane
gas burner. This was applied to
the previously mentioned Bayern S 2/6. However,
this beautiful model almost went unnoticed at the 1981 Nuremberg Toy Fair and
for a good reason. It was forced to share Fulgurex’s unveiling of our
grandest achievement yet, the Union Pacific Big Boy.
This locomotive, based on upon the operating practices of the
prototype, employed a locomotive type boiler fitted for either coal or gas
firing, articulated main frames, and steam distribution to all four cylinders.
It is said that upon its initial presentation there was a pronounced
silence, followed by a sustained applause.
1982 - 1983:
Famous American Railroad Locomotives
Before 1982, with the
exception of the Big Boy, all of the locomotives modeled for the United States
were either narrow gauge or a non-scale standard gauge such as the Reno.
Following the success of the Big Boy, American enthusiasts requested a
typical standard gauge locomotive. Our
choice was the popular New York Central J1 Class Hudson.
Aster produced the J1c in live steam and the J1e as a 12-volt DC
electric model.
The success of
this endeavor led us in 1983 to create the prototype Hudson’s closest
competitor, the Pennsylvania Railroad’s K-4 Pacific.
The K-4 was painted in Brunswick green with a pin striping on the
tender and cab. Today, this
locomotive is considered as one of Aster’s most authentic and detailed
model. Following these two
champions of America’s Golden Age of Railroading, we went on to build an
electric version of the Hudson, the “Commodore Vanderbilt.”
With the Eastern United
States well represented, attention was turned to the West with its share of
modelers to be satisfied. Southern
Pacific’s GS-4 “Daylight” locomotive had been restored for the U.S.
Bicentennial’s “American Freedom Train” and then repainted in its original
Southern Pacific scheme. Based on
its popularity, we produced a model of that great locomotive in 1987.
The “Daylight” model employed for the fist time a new
type of alcohol burner using wicks and a vaporizing action in a locomotive
type boiler. This improvement,
along with large fuel and water supplies in the tender, made possible a
continuous running time of 50 minutes on a single filling.
The SP Daylight represented the first time that engine-tender “quick
coupling” was employed. This
feature would continue on subsequent locomotives.
Aster now offered a wide array of locomotives representing America’s
“Zenith of Steam.”
1984 - 1987:
Expanding on the Simple, to Complex and Compound
Secure in the success of simple 2-cylinder locomotives and encouraged by our
supporters, from 1984 to 1987 we began concentrating on 3 cylinder engines. This led to the development of the LNER A-4 class “Mallard/Gresley”
Pacific and the German BR 44/SCNF 150X, named the 1985 “Model of the Year by
Europe’s Eisenbahn / Modelbahn.”
These developments directed our production of a 4-cylinder model of GWR’s
“King George V” in 1990.
Many believe the greatest achievement in the history of Aster has to be
the development of the 4-cylinder working compound in Gauge 1, 1/32 scale.
This was first accomplished in a commercial model in 1986 with our
Swiss SBB A 3/5. Even though
there was no evidence to think this was possible in such a small scale, Aster
engineers persevered. Using
pistons and parts from former engines, they first built mock-ups for
experimentation. The success of
this first compound led to the building of our model of the great French
engineer, Andre Chapelon’s compounded “Nord 231” in 1988.
1988 - 1989:
Two Diverse Aster Model Engineering Achievements
E.P. Lehmann, the German toy manufacturer and producer of LGB Trains
approached us with a proposal. Build
a live steam engine in “LGB scale” using the simplest operational outline
so it could be run by the average model train enthusiast.
Of course, making something simple for operation does not always mean a
simpler design. In fact, making a
smaller and simpler engine required new engineering design and thought.
After studying their
choice of prototype, the “Frank-S,” it was decided the way to implement a
simplified operation was to employ a reverser block and piston valves.
This was instead of our conventional D-slide valves and any of the
various valve gears. This
classical method used in toy trains of the past provided a basis for our
redesign and improvements. In
this manner, we achieved a locomotive which was simple enough for the beginner
but with appeal for the live steam veteran.
By contrast, Fulgurex was
asking us to consider a “Mallet” for the first time. These 4-cylinder compounds with tandem engines on an
articulated chassis are considered to be among the most complicated of
locomotives. This initiated our
BR 96, 0-8-0 + 0-8 – 0T, tank engine in two versions, the Bavarian Gt 2 x
4/4 in “Bavarian” green, and the DR BR 96 in a conventional black scheme.
This Mallet model was
brought to completion through the careful combining of two previously
perfected technologies, our 4- cylinder compounds (SBB A 3/5, and Chaeplon’s
Nord) and articulation (Big Boy). This
powerful locomotive tested out nicely pulling 22 British passenger coaches.
We added an axle feed water pump, which draws water from the working
side tanks and then pushes it through a pre-heater before injecting it into
the boiler. Such sophistication marks this locomotive as one of the finest
engineering accomplishments in the history of our production.
1990 - 2001:The Thrill and Romance of Live
Steam Continues
1990 gave us the Great Western Railway King George V authentically expressing
its distinctive Victorian styling and a 4-cylinder drive utilizing the same
valve gear configuration as the original.
This model found enthusiastic acceptance by even the most
discriminating Great Western Railway fan.
In 1990 we released
Colorado and Southern “Mogul” No. 22 for the narrow gauge market in 1/22.5
scale. Earlier, we had produced
narrow gauge locomotives, but for the most part they were industrial types
such as the Climax, Shay and Baldwin 0-4-2T.
Responding to the popularity of “G” scale trains in the United
States coupled with the constant love of Colorado’s 3-foot narrow gauge, we
decided that an authentic “road engine” was needed.
Such authenticity is reflected in the C&S Mogul detail with its
distinctive Ridgeway “Bear Trap” spark arrestor and unique cross mounted
air tanks on its boiler, topped with a bell.
Looking back at our first
engine, for simplicity sake, we replicated the “Schools” 3-cylinder
prototype with an easier 2-cylinder action.
Then, some 16 years after the original model, we chose to duplicate the
4-cylinder drive of the GWR King George in a manner authentic to the full size
engine. That kind of progress is
evident in many other technical facets of our Aster locomotives today.
By the autumn of 1991,
Aster presented the SNCF 232U1, another authentic and faithfully reproduced
scale model. It was a 4-cylinder
compound mounted on a locomotive type boiler containing a burner convertible
to either coal or alcohol firing. This
locomotive embraced every aspect of the true aficionado’s interest, the
elegance of steam, the smell of coal, the bark of exhaust, mechanical fidelity
and authentic detail.
The United Kingdom’s ubiquitous Pannier
Tank engines, an 0-6-0T were reproduced in Gauge 1 during 1992 – 1993.
Six different liveries of this sturdy locomotive were offered: the GWR 3738,
No 5762 and No. 5764 in green; British Railways No. 8763 in black and No. 6400
in green; and the London Transport No. 90 in crimson.
This was followed by a novelty locomotive,
the “Grasshopper.” The design
replicates an 1832 locomotive, the “Atlantic,” displayed in Baltimore,
Maryland, at the B & O Museum. The
“Grasshopper” features a vertical boiler, two cylinders driving an
overhead beam powering a crank mechanism geared to the front axle. With
its bobbing beams and rods, this early locomotive resembled a huge grasshopper
walking along the track, therefore its popular nickname.
On the heels of the Grasshopper came
another unique locomotive, the “Glaskasten” (0-4-0T).
Nicknamed the "Glaskasten" (Glass Case), this locomotive has
two outside cylinders with a blind center axle between the drive wheels.
The cab completely surrounds the boiler with three windows on each side.
The prototypes for this model operated in Germany as well as in Austria,
Switzerland and Norway.
In the tradition of the Big Boy, another
highly prized Aster locomotive was rolled out in 1993, the Australian Garratt
AD60. This 4-8-4 +4-8-4 standard
gauge Bayer Garrett prototype and model represented the latest
state-of-the-art in steam locomotive design.
Responding to their domestic market, Aster
produced during this period both the JNR C 56 (2-6-0) and the JNR 9600
(2-8-0). The European market was
favored with KPEV T3 / BR 89 (0-6-0T) and a DR/DB BR03 (4-6-2).
The United Kingdom influence was reflected
in an elegant GNR Stirling Single (4-2-2) and the Jumbo (2-4-0) in a variety
of paint schemes. Another
locomotive in the novelty category was the Lion (0-4-2).
This model represents one of the oldest steam locomotives in the world.
The ‘Lion” available in two paint schemes, (as preserved and as
seen in the movie, The Titfield Thunderbolt) has special appeal to the
beginning small-scale live steamer
Ushering in the 21st century, a
light USRA Mikado (2-8-2) in black and Southern Railway Green were released.
Aster also modeled the BR38 in three versions: Deutsche Reichsbahn
(early), Deutsche Bundersbhan (late) and the K.P.E.V. P8.
Both of these locomotives are being praised both for their prototypical
appearance and flawless mechanical operation.
Looking Ahead
On the horizon is a recreation of the Chesapeake & Ohio H-8 Allegheny.
This 2-6-6-2 promises to be Aster's grandest and greatest achievement
both in detail and quality. With a Baker Valve Gear, the Aster Allegheny
will literally be a fully functioning museum quality piece. The
boiler design accommodates both alcohol and coal firing.
From a single oscillating
cylinder to a 4-cylinder compound, from a slip return crank to fully
operational Walschaert’s valve gear, from a pot boiler to a locomotive type
boiler, from slide valve to piston valve, alcohol, to butane and to coal
firing – The Aster experience
now encompasses more than 53 different types of world famous steam
locomotives.
Since 1975, the mission
of the Aster Hobby Company has been to restore the hobby of Gauge 1 live steam
locomotives. We do this by
providing fine commercially available models that are within the skill level
and price range of the average customer.
To this end, Aster will
continue to supply our products in kit form; each consisting of anywhere from
300 to 800 fully prefabricated and painted parts. Although this method is more labor intensive and design
sensitive, it is in keeping with our goal of providing a superior quality
Gauge 1 live steam locomotive. Each
engine offers personal fulfillment for a mechanically minded person and
enlightens the appreciative locomotive owner about the workings of a live
steam locomotive.
The name – Aster
Hobby – represents excellence, authenticity and quality among collectors
and operators of small-scale live steam locomotives around the world.
Remembering our past, focused on the future, ever mindful of quality
and authenticity, our commitment continues in the production of locomotives
known for their precision, history and beauty.
