"Rough Castings" kits and Hand-Drawn Blueprints for Small-Scale, Coal-Fired Live Steam Locomotive Designs From the 1920-1960 era
-All castings made in New England, USA at traditional sand foundries-
IMPORTANT UPDATES, September 2023:In June, Friends Models was the victim of a "hacking/identity theft" attempt. We have updated our PayPal account and it is secure, but, most of the existing Paypal "payment links" on the FRIENDS website, haven't been updated and are no longer functional. If you click on a purchase link and it will not allow you to complete the transaction, please contact me directly. I will send you a PayPal invoice from our updated Paypal account, and you can pay from the invoice. You may also pay by "check through the mail", or by credit card "over the phone". As time allows, the payment links on the website will be updated.
As of September 2023, the following payment links have been updated and are active:
Harry Sait feed pump drawings
H.J. Coventry vertical stationary engine castings
H.J. Coventry Marine Compound Engine drawings
Tom Thumb original (1941) drawings, and wheel castings
Hiroaka 3/4" scale A3 driver and cylinder packages, USA shipping.
Also, please note, our longtime bronze/aluminum foundry has closed. We have a new foundry producing our bronze and aluminum, but, the wait times are longer than at the prior foundry. Thank you for your patience.
UPDATE April 2023:The "steam pump" page, has been updated. Please click HERE.
UPDATE March 2023:Most pricing has increased, some of it substantially. Many price changes have been updated on the website, but some sections still contain the prior pricing. Changing it is a time-consuming process that I can only do as time allows. Before making a purchase, please contact me to confirm current pricing and shipping.
UPDATE August 2022:Drawings for the H.J. Coventry 1/3 horsepower vertical "Marine Compound" stationary engine, are now available. Please click HERE for information or to purchase.
Drawings for the "Harry Sait", Worthington-style, steam-powered feedpump in 1/2" scale, are now available. Click the photo for information, or to purchase.
Summer, 1991: I snapped this photo of Mr. Charles A. "Carl" Purinton running a 7-1/4" gauge Pennsylvania E-6 "Atlantic" at a private track in Danvers, Massachusetts. I was about 19 years of age, and Mr. Purinton was about 93 years of age, at the time of the photo.
Mr. Charles Purinton runs an 1-1/2" scale 4-4-2 at Danvers, Mass. in 1991. Photo by John Kurdzionak.
Back in 1932, on a suggestion from "LBSC" in Britain, Mr. Purinton founded the "Brotherhood of Live Steamers". He died in 1999 at age 101.
The scene captured in the above photo is rare. Mr. Purinton did not run locomotives in 1-1/2" scale often, he most often ran 3/4" scale on a "highline". Nor did he wear his "wide brimmed" hat often. And, the date of 1991 is significant: by the 1990s, seeing Mr. Purinton run ANYTHING was a special treat not witnessed too often.
Mr. Purinton flew a primitive type of "seaplane" in the World War I era, and was based out of Pensacola, Florida. Later on, he was a fireman on the Boston and Maine Railroad, most often firing the "Atlantics" that traveled to and from his hometown of Marblehead, Mass. When promoted to "engineer", he did it for a day and quit his position at the end of that very same day. He just wanted to say that he had "done it", and once he had, he felt it was time to "quit" and to move on.
The private railroad in the above photo was abandoned some 20 years ago due to the health of the owner, and then removed entirely. The property was sold, the owner passed away, and today, nature is quickly reclaiming this very location. There are no more steamers running through here.
Enjoy this photo, folks, as there are not many like it. Thank you for looking.
It's June of 1987, and all is well. I have just finished the 10th grade, and am tending to my 3/4" scale "Friends Models" 4-6-6 Tanker at the Bass River Railroad in Litchfield, NH. It was my love for this locomotive that began everything you see on this website today. Thanks for visiting www.friendsmodels.com.
Individual Visitors ("unique users") since January 17th, 2008
