Yes, of course we sell overseas. You can order right off the web site...See shipping for details on that.
I tend to slightly disagree with you regarding the smoke though. Yes, while it might have been bad "Driving" as you would say, in the old days, I don't see why its a bad thing to have some extra once in awhile for photographers, especially if they are the ones shelling out the cash to make the train happen. Look at a still photo of a train with a clean stack, and you get no feel of the power of the engine, and you can't tell how hard it might be working, or even if its moving at all. This is what I like about video. You can have an engine working real hard, and its going to sound great, even if it isn't smoking. The still guys don't have to have their smoke, and super sunlight, but with video you can enjoy steam without those two factors if you must! Also bad weather can sometimes be fun.
In the old days on the Norfolk and Western engineers could be fined for making too much black smoke. In one of photographer Link's photos they had to make a scheduled passenger train back up and pass the photographer a second time, cause the class J(4-8-4) had black smoke..and this was a night scene!! Link had the blessing and power from the railroad to call the dispatcher and arrange the train to backup....very unusual!!!!
I guess my point is that I read a lot where guys working on engines get bent out of shape because guys like black smoke. My contention is that in a "REAL WORLD" which was back in the 1950's that was more of an issue. Today this is all for fun and recreation anyway, and since the railroads are generally trying to get press where and whenever they can, they like to put on a good show!
To me there is nothing less exciting than a steam engine trundling along a tourist pike doing 10 mph with no smoke or stack talk. I'd rather watch a video at that point! Its one of the reasons I always rode the Silverton train one way.
As for the C&TS the do smoke a lot on the grades but only when the coal is being thrown in the firebox for the most part. On normal runs there is no excess smoking, and in fact I imagine that an attempt is made to keep it down due to the fire hazzards.
The best smoke effects are in cold weather when you get natural white plumes. Throw in some nice coal and you get that lovely gray stuff. Add in a stiff grade and my we are in for a treat!
Greg Scholl
