It's July 26th, 1987 at the former Norfolk Street site of the Waushakum Live Steamers in Holliston MA, and all is well with the world. 10-year-old Dave Kurdzionak operates his brother John's 3/4" scale Friends Models 4-6-6 Boston and Albany tanker, with John (age 15) seated behind him. This was real live steaming, at its best. It was a simpler time, when live steamers were "big enough to pull you, and small enough to manage". And this track was a very special place. Today, nothing at this location remains. Richard Symmes photo.
Today and beyond
Friends Yankee Shop Models offers traditional sand-cast castings (made at local foundries in New England, USA), as well as the original hand-drawn blueprints for "classic live steam of yesteryear" designs in the small scale sizes by Lester Friend and H.J. Coventry.
John Kurdzionak (me) on my Friends Models Boston and Albany 4-6-6 tanker in 3-1/2" gauge. Taken in 1987 at the home track of Brotherhood of Live Steamers founder Charles A. "Carl" Purinton. Robert Hornsby photo; used with permission.
Charlie Purinton, son of Brotherhood of Live Steamers founder Carl Purinton, in his home shop in October, 2008. In the 1980s, I learned to "run and fire" 3/4" scale steam engines on Charlie's home track with Charlie as my teacher. I was the last visitor to Charlie's home, and the last person to photograph him at home. He suffered a heart attack and went into "Senior Housing" shortly after these photos were taken.
Charlie Purinton in his home shop in Massachusetts, shows one of his locomotives to John Kurdzionak (me) in October 2008.
Here is Charlie Purinton when he was 16 years old in 1938. The locomotive is a 2-1/2" gauge Boston and Maine 2-8-4 Berkshire. Friends can produce the design, if you'd like it available again. Friends has Charlie's father's (Carl Purinton) master drawings, done in ink on vellum in 1931 with assistance from pioneer live steamer Harry Sait.
Here is Gene Allen of Allen Models, Goleta CA, and John Kurdzionak (me). The date is November 2008.
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