Steam Engine

Reder and Ruby love their Thomas trains. The wooden train track has been in Reder's room for probably about a month now, and they both spend a lot of time playing with it there.

Of course Reder wants to know how a steam engine works. I have explained it to him several times, and I think he understands (fire boils water, makes steam, steam pushed pistons, etc). Then the other day I remembered the old model steam engine that had been my dad's once upon a time. I looked in the basement and found it! Reder was so excited. But it was bedtime the day I found it. Since then Reder has been asking about it regularly. So today, with it snowing outside, we were looking for indoor activities, and the steam engine came up again. So I fired it up. And it was a hit! There was a bit of confusion about the difference between a steam engine and a steam locomotive (since the trains are usually just called "steam engines" too). He wanted to know what was the front, and how fast it would drive. But once we got it going it made sense that a steam-engine-train has a steam-engine on it.

Here is a picture and a video:

I was very impressed by this little model. Lots of fun for dad too! I just burned a bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball as fuel, so no nasty smoke. I looked it up (Fleischmann 120/1)

and this is a collectible little engine - with websites telling about them. I have no doubt that this model will come out regularly in the future.