IBLS Journal 2004

February 5
Post on IBLS Yahoo Group by moderator Pat Turner.


 * I am sure you all have seen the posts on the livesteamers list about the disbanding of the IBLS in north America. This troubles me greatly and I have to wonder what direction the hobby is headed in without any central group or standards?


 * I set up this group as I felt this day was coming when the IBLS would break up. Now the day has come. I feel there is a need to continue with at least the IBLS standards and even update and set new ones if possible. We could do that all day long, but it would do no good if we do not have the number of members to back it up. Other aspects of the group could evolve as needed. I encourage you to pass the word of this group and see how many we can get to join. For those just wanting to show their support I have no problem with them joining and selecting "NO MAIL" as the choice. Either way, the 20 people we have now is a start. But, it will take many more to carry on this torch. With this group we can get it started on the web and from there we can get in touch with non web people.

February 8
Post on IBLS Yahoo Group by Dennis


 * The IBLS from its onset was never about riding railroads, no matter what gauge or scale. It was about building live steam powered models, railroad, stationary, road and marine. The notion that it set standards can be attributed to various clubs, magazines and national personalities. There was no system to collect votes so there was no way to institute standards and why would a boat builder need the standards for the back to back on wheels in 3 1/2" gauge railroad equipment?


 * The (I)BLS was originally called the BLS (Brotherhood of Live Steamers) as the "I" was added when Canada, Australia, Europe and Asia (not in that order) joined in. The purposes were (1) to keep a card file on each member stating his modelling skills and models built and under construction and (2) their name and address if they chose to be available for visits. Carl Puriton was interested in each being available to help the other and for everyone to be able to visit with each other when on trips or vacations. It was from its inception a volunteer run organization and other than SASEs there were no requirements for payment for services received. The secretaries paid out of their pockets for the patches and decals and stationery they used and mailed out.


 * If a member had a problem he would write to his secretary the nature of the problem and the secretary would look through his card file for a person with that expertise and forward the query to the "expert." All correspondence would be between the "novice" and "expert" from that point. The (I)BLS was formed long before the internet and long before most of us presently in the hobby. The idea was to exchange ideas, not to set up a national organization governing standards. The internet just made the IBLS redundant.

May 13
Post on IBLS Yahoo Group by Dennis


 * The IBLS was what got me into meeting so many people when I first started. I lived in the boonies way at the north end of I-75 across the border in Ontario. The IBLS secretary for Canada gave me a list of all the people he knew about in Ontario with Live Steam. The closest modellers turned out to be in Michigan and I got this information from the area secretary for that part of the country.

May 14
Post on IBLS Yahoo Group by Tom O.


 * IBLS, I remember way back maybe 35 years ago. I was very glad to join the BLS. It was pretty neat being able to get in touch with other live steamers, as we all called ourselves. I thought it was pretty cool to drive those engines and ride behind the owners also.


 * I remember having a meet at the club and having to get up between 3 and 4am to be able to get to the club by 7 or 8am. It was so much fun running the engines. My first was an Atlantic. I had joined a new HO club and found out that one of the members was a steamer. He started taking me with him every time he went. Usually about 2 or 3 times a month. I looked forward so much to those meets. That was Curt Janssen, a great guy.


 * I was so interested to hear about the trains and also alot of problems with the trains, sometimes the couplers wouldn't match or we were getting alot of wear on the track due to drivers or wheels not really made the way the track was designed. I got to drive an Invicta all night boy was this a very impressed young man of 15. We ran and ran and if it broke we fixed it, you know bubble gum will stop some leaks!


 * Anyway. I remember alot of discussion about trying to get standards. The logical place was to talk to clubs but even better was to talk to the BLS Secretaries. That was the trick, they started talking to each other and the other clubs. The clubs got wheel standards together and then sent them to the other clubs to ratify the standard. They were called the BSL Wheel Standards. Took quite awhile but they finally got approved. They weren't the Golden Gate Live Steamers standards or the New Jersey Live Steamers standards, they were the BLS Wheel Standards.


 * Were they mandatory? No they were not, only voluntary. When I went in the Navy I became a member of many clubs. Golden Gate Live Steamers at Redwood park, Founding member Sacramento Valley Live Steamers, Florida Live Steamers before they were a group, Illinois Live Steamers, Bud Bukkers group, Chula Vista Live Steamers, and now I'm a co-founder of the Kern County Live Steamers. I have run in many states and been to many countries and have been glad to be part of the IBLS. I met Keith Watson because of it and was able to ride with those live steamers way down under.


 * When I joined (the club) I was told to join the BLS to be able to get in touch with other steamers and LIVE STEAMERS were for trains of all sorts, steam and diesel, stationary plants, boats, cars, I met one guy that made a steam plane. Live Steamers have always been steam, diesel, what ever! NMRA, they recognized us but really did not what to get involved with us. So we used our group the BLS which became the IBLS (other countries were jealous of not having a group). The IBLS should not change names due to it works and no need to change.


 * I first got into this group because I saw in a post that the IBLS was no more. I haven't been able to confirm that. I even asked the IBLS secretary and he wasn't able to confirm that the IBLS was no more. It has adapted over the years and the stardards were started and all the clubs and groups I have been involved with have always said they use the BLS/IBLS standards. Most of the clubs have them to contribute which pretty much go along with IBLS standards that the magazines adopted and promoted but did not start, they only promoted what was already in effect. When at the GGLS track as a teenager it was really great listening to the ol' guys that were kind of the founders of Live Steam in the US. Vic Shattock Sr. GGLS started by running trains in his basement, LIVE STEAM only. He was the BLS secretary for a time, His son Vic JR., Doc Thomas another secretary the secretaries back east, they were all the greatest guys around. I guess I have rambled enough here, I hope my 1.5 cents were worth the mentioning.