Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve
Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ's

We realize that this list is incomplete, but as with any collection of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) the list never seems to be finished. More are coming, but this short list should provide the basics.

If you think we have missed something obvious that should be added drop a note to:

webmaster@auburnheights.org

We have loosely categorized our FAQ's to speed up your search for information.  Please click a placemark below to jump to the FAQ section you are seeking.

Questions about The Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve Inc.
Questions about the Collection & Museum.
Questions about how Stanley's work.
Questions about Community Outreach.
Questions about the Members Only Portion of this Site. Other Questions.

General Questions

FAQ's About The Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve

The Collection

FAQ's About The Collection

Education

FAQ's About Stanley Steamers and Steam Technology

Outreach

FAQ's About Our Outreach Programs

Members Only Site

FAQ's About Our Members Only Website

Other Questions

  • How did The Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve get started?  (top)
    The Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve Inc. and the smaller team of mechanics who operate the Preserves collection called The Marshall Steam Team is a non-profit support group founded six years ago to help maintain and operate the Marshall Museum which includes a premier collection of 14 antique Stanley Steam cars as well as other vehicles and a 1/8th size miniature live steam railroad.

  • How can I get to Auburn Heights??  (top)
    We're easy to locate.  Click here for our address and a personalized set of directions from your location to ours!

  • How can I find out about becoming a member of the Friends of Auburn Heights?  (top)
    We welcome all potential new members!  Information about membership can be found by clicking here.   Or, you can drop our membership team a note here and we will get back to you ASAP.

  • I have no skills, but an interest in learning. Can I still be involved and join?  (top)
    We all were beginners at one time.  In fact it is highly unusual for us to find a prospective member with a solid understanding of steam locomotion, or steam mechanics.  We expect to have to teach newcomers.  All we ask is that you are patient with us and recognize that we are upholding a trust to protect our collection for future generations.   We will want to proceed slowly before we set you off unsupervised; both for the safety of the collection...and your own!

  • I have a Stanley and would like to display it along with your collection on public occasions. Can I?  (top)
    Definitely.  We would love to showcase other appropriate vehicles along with our collection.  We would also love to talk shop with you and compare your vehicle with ours!  Please drop us an email and we can better coordinate.

  • I am interested in making a donation to your organization. Whom should I contact?  (top)
    The Friends of Auburn Heights Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to preserving a vanishing part of our American history and culture.  We would welcome philanthropic gestures intended to further our mission.  Please contact us at:

    Friends of Auburn Heights Inc.
    P.O. Box 61
    Yorklyn, De. 19736

  • Why aren't you open more often?  (top)
    Keeping the collection in peak repair as well as undertaking the broad variety of restoration projects we have underway is no mean commitment.  Space and volunteer time is at a premium!  As a volunteer organization keeping our schedule limited permits us to undertake lengthy projects which would otherwise be curtailed if we had to anticipate public visitors more frequently.  While we keep a clean shop...there's nothing that will slow a project down as quickly as having to setup and cleanup every evening!

  • Do you ever open your facilities for outside special events?  (top)
    Yes we do!  We would love to host your next Corporate Event, Club event, or Community event here on the beautiful Auburn Heights grounds.  Have a train buff with a birthday coming up? We also can help you host your next Birthday Party here!   Please send inquiries including the proposed date of your event and your estimated attendance to -- Charter Event Coordinator -- and we will respond with a proposal for your review.

  • How is The Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve funded?  (top)
    The Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We rely upon the gifts of generous members and donors to maintain our operations. All gifts and donations are tax deductible within the limits of the law.

  • Who owns the collection?  (top)
    The entire collection was originally owned by Mr. Thomas C. Marshall Jr. who is our teacher, mentor, leader, and benefactor. Over the past few years Mr. Marshall has been donating portions of the collection to The Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve as part of his retirement plan. Currently FAHP owns about 2/3 of the collection and anticipates acquisition of the balance over the next couple of years.

  • Why is this collection significant?  (top)
    It is estimated that a total of 400-600 Stanley's are still in existence out of the original 11,000-12,000 build.   Of the vehicles still in existence perhaps 50% are in factory/semi-original condition with the remainder in either unrenovated or modernized condition.   The Marshall collection is made up of 14 original condition, road worth Stanley's representing a cross section of Stanley manufacturing years and operating technologies.  The Marshall collection is the largest single collection of Stanley Steamers in the world.

  • Are all the Stanley Steamers in road worthy condition?  (top)
    Yes, all of our vehicles are in roadworthy condition.

  • Do you ever drive them?  (top)
    Our cars are driven regularly!  We drive all the vehicles in the collection to nearby events, teach members to drive steamers, and fire them up periodically to ensure they are in peak performance condition.

  • Are they all in original condition?  (top)
    The answer to this question depends on the vehicle we are discussing.  Parts wear and are either replaced with original (if available) or modern re fabricated parts serve as replacements.  In some cases safety improvements have been made to vehicles - ie. brakes.  If you would like information about a specific vehicles condition please send us a note from our Contact Us page.

  • Where do you find parts for the vehicles?  (top)
    With most of our collection close to 100 years old keeping vehicles in a state of good repair is a labor of love.  Parts age and need to be replaced even when treated with the greatest of care.  Our sources for parts is varied - from trade shows, car swaps, trade publications, the internet, etc.  When you need a part you will go or call just about anyone you know to find a replacement.  If you know of any spare parts please let us know!

  • How much is the collection worth?  (top)
    It's not about money.  Our collection represents a unique assemblage of vehicles from a turning point in American history.  It is impossible to put a price on history and the lessons it can teach us today, and our children tomorrow.

  • What scale are the Live Steam Locomotives that run around the property?  (top)
    The 4-8-4 Northern's that circle the property are 1/8 size, 1 1/2 inch scale, running on 7 1/2 gauge track.

  • Why is it important that we preserve our Steam Heritage?  (top)
    When you stop and consider that the majority of electricity we use today is still produced utilizing steam powered turbines, it's hard to imagine a more important historical advancement than the advent of steam power.  Even our nuclear power plants produce steam to turn steam turbines and produce electricity.  Without steam power our modern culture could not exist.  It is therefore important that we retain our understanding of what technical advances in steam production led us to our current technical prowess.

  • What does a Stanley Steamer use for fuel?  (top)
    First of all Stanley's do not "run on water".  Stanley's use a variety of potential fuel sources to convert water into steam to power the drive mechanism.  Generally speaking Stanley's are far more flexible in the types of fuel they can use than are vehicles today.  We use hexane as our pilot fuel, and kerosene as our running fuel.  Although these are our preferences, Stanley's run just as effectively on such liquid fuels as: gasoline, diesel, white gas (Coleman fuel), and various soy fuels.

  • Why do you use two different fuels for power the Stanley's?  (top)
    Two fuels are typically used in Stanley operation; hexane and kerosene.  In order to ignite the fuel used to heat the boiler the fuel must be vaporized.  When starting a Stanley cold (ie. burner, boiler and boiler water are cold) it is very difficult to vaporize kerosene.  Therefore the lighter, more highly volatile, hexane is used as a pilot fuel to begin the steaming up process and start heating the burner & boiler area.   Once the burners have been operating on hexane for a few minutes, the burner area is hot enough to vaporize the main fuel; kerosene.  Once on main fuel, the pilot fuel is turned off and not used again unless the pilot is behaving erratically.

  • How many 'Miles per Gallon' do you get?  (top)
    This question is best answered by inquiring "Miles per Gallon of What? hexane, kerosene, water?"  First of all since we are speaking of a mixture of fuels there is no single answer.  Also, the type of Stanley (non-condensing/condensing), driving conditions, external air temperature, operating speed, and terrain will all significantly impact the answer.  Much more so than for a modern internal combustion engine vehicle.  For example, a tank of pilot fuel (hexane) could easily last a whole day's driving.  The main fuel, kerosene, could give you a range of MPG of between 8 - 12 miles per gallon.   Water usage also varies.  On a non-condensing car you could get between 0.5 - 2.0 MPG.  On a condensing car this usage could go as high as 8 - 12 MPG.

  • What's the difference between a non-condensing and condensing car?  (top)
    Non-condensing and condensing refers to the process of exhausting or recycling used steam.  From their inception Stanley's were non-condensing, meaning that after being used for power the steam was exhausted out of the car and into the air.  This process was obviously wasteful of water and resulted in poorer MPG of water, but it had the benefit of engine simplicity and minimized system rust since aside from the boiler, water was not part of the engine system.  In response to customer demand for increased MPG of water, the Stanley's reluctantly began to offer a condensing vehicle in 1914.  These cars are identifiable by the very recognizable radiator in front of the engine just like modern cars.  This radiator condensed the steam after it was used and returned the condensed water back to the water tank.  While this improved the MPG of water significantly, it brought with it a whole host of mechanical plumbing problems related to a more complicated engine tubing arrangement and the ever present rust.

  • How fast/slow can a Stanley go?  (top)
    This is another "it depends" answer.  On the 'roads of the time' the answer is simply: "It didn't matter how fast the car could go given prevailing road conditions".  With unpaved, dirt, or cobbled roads you weren't going to WANT to go very fast.   On today's modern roads a Stanley can easily and comfortably do 35 MPH. Greater speed is possible if you and your passengers are comfortable driving with rudimentary suspension, primitive friction brakes, and skinny tires.  

    How slow a Stanley can go seems like an unusual question, but Stanley's excel at slow speeds.  A Stanley can easily match (and potentially outperform) a modern in a 'go slow' hill climb.  A Stanley can surpass an internal combustion vehicle by moving from a dead stop at the foot of a hill and crawling (we're talking reeeeaaaaalllllly slow) up a hill without mechanical effort.

  • Did Stanley's disappear because they were less efficient than internal combustion vehicles?  (top)
    No, not really.  During their day both internal combustion engines and steamers were achieving comparable fuel mileage.  Arguably, the steamer was a more efficient engine than engines of the early internal combustion type.   As a matter of fact steamers were by far less complicated machines to operate and repair than their combustion cousins.  Fewer moving parts, no complicated transmission, and absence of a clutch made Stanley's a preferable alternative to many early motorists.  What appear to have been the deciding factors were the amount of time needed to start a steamer vs. a combustion engine, and perhaps the relative 'noise' factor between the silent steamers and the clattering roar of an internal 'explosion' engine.  Consider the attention grabbing appeal of a modern Harley and you will begin to get the idea.

  • Can a Stanley's boiler explode?  (top)
    There has never been a documented case of a Stanley Boiler exploding.  While minor mishaps with pilot fuel have resulted in some unexpected flame-outs the Stanley is a very safe vehicle to operate.

  • What kind of boiler pressure is required for operation?  (top)
    While this varies by vehicle, operating pressure for most of the Stanley's is around 500 PSI.  As an added safety feature Stanley Boilers had safety valves designed to vent excessive pressure once steam pressure in the boiler reached the 650 PSI range.

  • What kind of power can a Stanley generate?  (top)
    Stanley's were powerful vehicles.  In the early years 8 Horse Power was typical and more than enough to make the Stanley a peppy car.  As demand for larger, heavier, and faster cars arose the Stanley Brothers introduced 10, 20, and even 30 horse power vehicles.  The Marshall collection has a good representative sampling of each.

  • I am also a Stanley owner and I need help. Is there anyone I can talk with about my problem?  (top) While we can't make any promises about being able to help, our collective knowledge is at your disposal.  Questions may be sent to us via e-mail Here. One of our volunteers will do their best to provide assistance.

  • Our organization is holding a car related event. Would you be interested in attending?  (top)
    One of our mission objectives is to share our collection with the community.  We are therefore always on the lookout for opportunities to showcase our collection in meaningful and historic perspectives.  We welcome invitations, but because of volume and limited resources we unfortunately cannot accept every offer.   If you would like us to participate please send all inquiries to our Outreach Coordinator and we will be glad to review our schedule and respond back to you.

  • Is there any cost to have one of your vehicles exhibited at our event?  (top)
    It depends.  For most antique car exhibitions or similar events we attend there is unlikely to be a charge.   However, if we are specifically exhibiting our vehicles to assist your event in raising money we may elect to charge a fee.  Please check with our events coordinator for your specific circumstance.

  • How can I access the Members Only portion of this website?  (top)
    Access is easy.  Simply click on the photo on our homepage or you can click here to be taken directly to the Members Only Home Page.

  • Who can access the Members Only portion of this website?  (top)
    All current members who have paid their annual membership fee are entitled to have access to our private Members Only website.

  • Where do I get a userid and password for the Members Only portion of this website?  (top)
    Userid's and Passwords are provided as part of your Membership Welcome Package.  Each member should receive a one page set of instructions for accessing and using the Members Only portion of this website.  If you have not received your copy please click here for direction.

  • I've paid my Membership fee but haven't received my userid/password for access yet. Who can I contact?  (top)
    Our apologies.  If you have already received your Annual Membership package but have not received your Annual Userid/Password please contact: Webmaster for assistance.  If your name is on the currently available Membership list you will be provided credentials via email.  If your name hasn't made it to our roster your inquiry will be forwarded to our Membership committee for resolution.

  • I've lost my userid/password who should I contact?  (top)
    Please contact: Webmaster for assistance.  If your name is on the currently available Membership list you will be provided credentials via email.  If your name hasn't made it to our roster your inquiry will be forwarded to our Membership committee for resolution.

  • I've having trouble accessing the Members Only portion of the site. Who can I contact?  (top)
    We apologize for any inconvenience you may be encountering.  If you have successfully accessed the site before please try back later as we may be conducting maintenance or updating the site.  If you have tried repeatedly (and at different times) to access the site please contact: Webmaster for assistance. Please be certain to fully describe your problem.

  • What kind of information is posted on the Members Only portion of this website?  (top)
    The Members Only portion of our site offers information posted by the varying department heads of our organization.   This information is constantly changing, but in general you are likely to find: Information about FAHP's management, Project updates, Event updates, Volunteer needs, Educational opportunities, special collection facts, Weblogs, and membership information.

  • If I am a member can I post information to this portion of the site?  (top)
    Yes you can!  The Members Only portion of our site is intended for free interchange of information, ideas, facts, and inter member-communication.

  • My Userid/Password stopped working. How come?  (top)
    Your Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve Members Only Userid/Password is valid from January 1st - December 31st of each calendar year.  This period corresponds to our Membership enrollment period.  If your credentials have stopped working at the end of the period we encourage you to renew your membership and you will be provided with another years worth of access.  If your credentials stop working at any other time, please attempt to access the site at a later time as we may be conducting site maintenance.  If you have repeated failures contact: Webmaster for assistance. Please be certain to fully describe your problem.

  • I have more questions that aren't answered here. How can I contact you?  (top)
    The best thing to do is to send us an e-mail with your specific question.   Please Click Here! One of our volunteers will be able to resolve your question.

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