Live Steam & Outdoor Railroading

Fromerly named "Live Steam Newsletter" and "Live Steam".

Print and Digital
Editor Dave Brush wrote the following in LSOR, Sep/Oct 2023, p.2:
 * Digital-only subscriptions are available at https://livesteam.net ... printed magazines will remain our primary product. However, print subscribers now have digital access to the magazine as well, and at no additional cost. These digital back issues currently go back through the 2018 publishing year, but more issues will be added over time.
 * Finally, anyone can purchase a digital back issue, which can be downloaded or read online.
 * To read or purchase a back issue, go to https://livesteam.net and click "Back Issues".  If you are a print subscriber, the first time you try to access a digital back issue you will be asked to set up your digital account with your customer number (Ed. which you can find printed on your address insert inside the clear plastic envelope of your magazine).

History
From Large-scale Model Railroading, page 7:


 * Several attempts were made at publishing a magazine for the large-scale model railroading field, but each lasted only a short time. These included the Live Steamer, published about 1950, followed by The Miniature Locomotive starting 1952, followed by the North American Live Steamer in 1956 and the Live Steam Newsletter starting in 1960.  The Live Steam Newsletter was published in Iowa by Pershing G. Scott until 1966.  At that time, William Fitt, then of Birmingham, Michigan, assumed the reins of the Live Steam Newsletter and published it under the abbreviated name Live Steam.

William Fitt wrote the following in the August 1966 issue:


 * We should probably set the record straight and admit that our prime motivation may be basically selfish! After waiting and dreaming of an 1-1/2" scale railroad for thirty years, we reached the point where it could become a reality...only to find that Scotty found it necessary to discontinue the best source of information we had! Being of the old school that advocates "If you want a job done, do it yourself," we soon found ourselves laying aside our designer's hat and our crumpled engineer's cap and donning the editor's hat!  We can't think of a better position to be in to find out about this business of Live Steam, and while we are learning we will pass it all on to the rest of you for whatever help it may be!

From Wikipedia:


 * Live Steam was originally started as the "Live Steam Newsletter" in the early 1960s by Pershing Scott as a mimeographed newsletter. In August 1966, Scott gave the publishing rights of the newsletter to William Fitt. By 1967 the newsletter had expanded into magazine format with the name being changed to "Live Steam Magazine".


 * In 2005, the name was changed to "Live Steam & Outdoor Railroading". It is currently published bi-monthly, in full color, with a press run of slightly over 10,000 as of December 2004.

From DiscoverLiveSteam.com:


 * In August of 1966, Scott gave the publishing rights to his “Live Steam Newsletter” to William Fitt. Fitt immediately set about getting a complimentary copy of his newly formatted newsletter to everyone on Pershing Scott’s mailing list. Within a year, the newsletter had grown into a professional looking and well-printed magazine. At that point, Bill Fitt changed the name to reflect that growth and, since 1967, it has been known as “Live Steam Magazine.”

From eBay auction:


 * In December of 1960 Pershing G. Scott (Scotty) took over the formerly "Central New York Live Steamer." This collection includes an assortment of 31 of Scotty's vintage newsletters published 1961 through 1966. Scotty took a break May through October of 1962 and resumed publishing the newsletter in November 1962. In June 1966 Bill Fitt took over the Live Steam newsletter and after a two-month pause began publishing again in August of 1966.

First Edition
The first edition of "The Live Steam Newsletter" provided the following on the title page.


 * The Live Steam Newsletter


 * "Published and Edited by a Live Steamer for Live Steamers"


 * Published and Edited by Pershing G. Scott
 * 1421 1st Ave. S.W.
 * Cedar Rapids, Iowa


 * Former Central New York Live Steamer


 * Volume 1 - Number 1
 * December 15, 1960


 * Soot From The Smokebox


 * Greetings Fellow Live Steamer;


 * You may have noted from the above format the name of the Central New York Live Steam Newsletter. A monthly publication put out by the late Craven Crawford. It is the desire of many live steamers, that the paper should be continued.  I shall endeavor to explain to you the present subscribers, and also to you who are receiving this paper for the first time, some of the attempts to be made in the future.


 * The paper, the Newsletter, was started as a club paper. The venture immediately started to grow.  At the time of Mr. Crawfords untimely death, many palns and ideas were at hand.  Along with an increased number of subscriptions each month.


 * The paper will be of the mimeograph reproduction, such as this copy, for the start. If in the future the interest warrants it will be changed to another type.  Which will include photos as well as a better overall type of reproduction.


 * After many personal contacts, and discussion, it has been decided to have a subscription fee. $2.00 per year both U.S. and Canada. It will be a monthly publication, arriving just after the first of the month.