Toolbox of Requirement

by Daris A. Nevil

Robert Donckels posing with #486 "Robert" at Pacific Northwest Live Steamers track.

I purchased my first live steam locomotive in December 2011 from Robert Donckels of Oregon. He purchased #486 as a chassis running on air. Robert attached a boiler and completed the pipe work. It is a fine running locomotive, and has been a great engine to learn on.

Fortunately the locomotive came with a toolbox of just about anything I could need for running and maintaining #486. I call it the Toolbox of Requirement.

If you have read the Harry Potter books or seen the movies you will remember there is a room called "The Room of Requirement". When you enter the room with a need, the room provides that need.

The toolbox for #486 has proven to be just as helpful. If need a screw, a tool, a valve, pipes, elbows, whatever, I look in the box and most always find what I need. I take it with me on meets, as I never know what might break out on the mainline.

I recommend that you build your own Toolbox of Requirement, whether you are running a live steam or diesel locomotive.