Vulcan locomotief

Real steam train

The first miniature locomotives that could truly run on steam power appeared around 1875. They had a steel boiler mounted above a Primus stove. The stove would heat the water in the boiler to form steam, after which these locomotives could drive a few rounds, either on the floor or on a set of miniature rails. That could be quite dangerous, as the boiler was incredibly hot and could even explode if the steam pressure became too great! This Vulcan locomotive introduced by the German company Ernst Plank in 1882 is a fine example of this kind of miniature steam train.