All G scale

[Skarloey Railway]

Though I don't model anymore, if I did, my inclination would be to follow the protoype as much as possible since, for me, the model is simply the only way I have to recreate the real thing. This, as Kevin intimates, means rather more than just a 'correct to prototype' scale gauge ratio and, were I to choose large scale, would likely mean me creating something very small (if exquisitely formed) wholly indoors in 1:20.3, rather than working in the damp and decidedly 1 to 1 outdoors.

Having said that, I would like to clear up the rather curious misconception that 'taking it seriously', as I (would) do, precludes or compromises the fun element. For me, doing something as well as I can do it and learning as much as I can to increase my skill and ability only increases my pleasure whereas doing something 'any-old-how', has in the end always proved unsatisfying.

It is in the end all about fun, but never suppose that someone with a scale rule is having any less fun than you are.

[InsideTrack]

All,
This a reminder that when you agreed to the Code of Contact, you agreed to keep your posts friendly and on topic. As with any discussion, disagreements will occur, we ask that your responses are respectful.  Name-calling, bashing, or any other form of cyber bullying will not be tolerated.

Please remember that you can disagree without being disagreeable.

[Chuck N]

I for one am very glad that we have all these scales that run on 45mm track.  On my garden railroad, I run 1:20.3, 1:22.5/24, and 1:29.  It all depends upon what I feel like running at a particular time. If everything was built to a single scale, I would have to have three layouts to run what I like.  Because of that, I would probably only be running 1:22.5/24 engines and cars and not be enjoying the other scales the hobby offers us.  And Bachmann wouldn't have sold me a Connie, 2 Ks, a Climax and a Shay, not to mention freight cars and cabooses.

Like many of us who got started in the late 70s and early 80s, my original purchases were LGB.  It was the only game in town.  As time went by other manufacturers entered the market, USA, Delton, and then Aristocraft (REA).  LGB started making "modern" looking freight cars and some diesel engines that looked like standard gauge rolling stock.  These had no scale, they certainly weren't 1:22.5/24.  When Aristo and USAt came out with 1:29 cars, these early LGB cars were a close match.  So I added USAt and Aristo cars and engines to my roster and I got started in 1:29.  

Much later Bachmann came out with the "Spectrum" line of 1:20.3 engines and cars.  Since Colorado Narrow Gauge has always been a favorite of mine I started acquiring Bachmann and Accucraft 1:20.3 engines and cars.  Except for my LGB European engines and cars, these 1:20.3 cars and engines were the only "correct" rolling stock on my railroad.  Big, expletive deleted, deal.

I have only one 1:22.5 North American narrow gauge car.  That one is a D&RGW short caboose kit by Sheridan products.  I have a lot of cars that are supposed to be 1:22.5 by LGB, USA, Delton, and Bachmann (Big Hauler line).  Having done the measurements on these, they are all very close to 1:24.  Delton was the only manufacturer who correctly stated the scale on the box.

The bottom line is if you like it buy it and run it.  If you are into scale fidelity you have 1:20.3 and 1:32 for 3' narrow gauge and standard gauge respectively.

Chuck

PS to Old John:

Ironlake has had a number of different threads in the last month or so.  He responds to some and not to others.

[tac]

Great last post - I agree with 99.99 per cent of it, except that I also run British 16mm and 7/8th scale on MY 45mm track, as well as all the others he mnetioned.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS - www.ovgrs.org

[Chuck N]

TAC:

Thanks for the positive comment.  I limited my response to scales that are readily available with "ready to run" product. There are a lot of other scales that modelers run on 45mm track, but those are largely scratch or custom built, at least on this side of the pond.

Chuck

[Loco Bill Canelos]

I use Bachamnn 1:22.5 and some 1:20.3 narrow gauge locos and cars to represent standard gauge on my Missouri Western RR.

During a pre convention open house for the Kansas City Large scale convention a couple of years ago, two visitors made nasty remarks about what I was doing and left after two minutes, mumbling there was "nothing to see".  Pretty rude actually!!  All the other visitors loved the idea that I was doing my own thing.  I did not let the rude ones get in my way of having fun. 

In my personal world I love visiting layouts no matter what they run.  I have never visited a layout where I didn't learn something.

Our end of the hobby has a very small following, and it is critical that we do our best to accommodate everyone.   

One of the reasons I do everything possible to help others on this forum, is to encourage them and keep large scale going.

So love what you do and respect what the other guy is doing without putting him or her down!!!

[Chuck N]

It is possible to mix scales.  I do it occasionally.  The winter before last I had
Stan Cedarleaf help me set up a battery car for my Aristo Mallet.  I tested it out at the Adobe Mt. RR park in north Phoenix.  The only cars that I had in Phoenix were 1:24 LGB, Delton, and USA.

So I had my 1:29 mallet pulling a bunch of 1:24 beverage (beer) cars.  It looked fine and no one objected.

If you go to this link at My Large Scale you will see some pictures of the train.

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/9/aft/125194/afv/topic/Default.aspx

Chuck

[Skarloey Railway]

As the topic has widened into a general discussion of scale and gauge in largescale I'd like to ask whether people now accept that for NG modelling the future is with 1:20.3 on 45mm gauge and that we are unlikely to see significant new US products (ie, a locomotive) for 1:22.5 or 1:24 scales, and, even if they accept it is so, how do they feel about it.

[Chuck N]

I for one would welcome a reasonably priced K ( defined as in line with the Bachmann K-27s) into the 1:22.5/24 market.  I have a lot of LGB, Delton, early USA cars that I would love to have an engine larger than a LGB mogul to pull.  I would not buy something that comes with a proprietary DCC or other system to make it work.

That's the reason I stopped buying LGB engines and never thought about MTH.

Chuck

[Loco Bill Canelos]

This is just my personal opinion, but I believe 1:22.5 is dead along with 1:24. I would love to be wrong.

I can't think of any really new 1:22.5 products in recent memory.  A detailed down K with fewer features at a lower price point would be more to my liking, but I will not wait for it to happen ever!

[Kevin Strong]

I think 1:22.5 and 1:24 are pretty much dormant at this point in terms of new product development. Consider that Aristo has stopped production of all but the C-16 in their "Aristo-Craft Classics" line citing poor sales. LGB, even before they imploded, had focused all their new US product development towards standard-gauge prototypes. Bachmann? We've gotten lots of repaints and re-toolings in the past 15 years, but very little (anything?) actually new in that scale--certainly in terms of US prototypes.

I can't say I'm all that upset/surprised by it, but I'm also a 1:20.3 modeler. A few points to ponder. First, at this stage in the game the discerning modelers who must have a model of XYZ piece of equipment have migrated to 1:20.3. That leaves the not-so-discerning modelers as the largest customer base for the "smaller" stuff. These generally speaking aren't the kinds of folks who are particularly OC about what--specifically--the car is modeled after, so they're prone to be perfectly satiated with the current selection of rolling stock. We have our share of box, flat, tank cars, etc.--enough to keep the causal railroader or the freelance modeler in clover. Second, Bachmann (at least) has been choosing prototypes for their 1:20.3 locos which are on the "smaller" side of things. As a result, they tend to look pretty good in front of the 1:22.5 and 1:24 stuff. Yeah, the K and consolidation dwarf them, but the Forney, 4-4-0, 2-6-0, 0-4-0, etc. all look pretty convincing.

I'd like to be proven wrong here. New products in any scale invigorate the hobby. But given the state of things, I think it's gonna be a long wait.

Later,

K

[tac]

TAC:

Thanks for the positive comment.  I limited my response to scales that are readily available with "ready to run" product. There are a lot of other scales that modelers run on 45mm track, but those are largely scratch or custom built, at least on this side of the pond.

Chuck

In that case, Sir, you are sadly missing out of all the fun your fellow Americans are having with the products of Roundhouse, AccuCraft and Regner - ALL of which are VERY popular on your side of the water, and are neither custom-built nor scratch-built.

tac

[Chuck N]

TAC

I have Accucraft engines (1:20.3) and cars (1:20.3 and 1:29).  Accucraft (USA) only lists those scales and 1:32 as available over here.  Accucraft (UK) offers much more variety in scales.  If I wanted any of their offerings I would have to order it from the UK.  As for Roundhouse and Regner, I have yet to see any of their offerings in a Large Scale store with large inventories and a variety of manufacturers. They may be here, but I don't know where.  I frequent stores with large inventories in Colorado, Maryland, Arizona, and Massachusetts.  

I have seen Roundhouse and Regner engines running at Dr. Rivet's steamups, but they aren't very common.  I have no idea as to the scales of their offerings.

Do Roundhouse and Regner offer rolling stock as well as live steam engines?  I associate Roundhouse only with live steam engines.  Please enlighten me if they make rolling stock in addition to engines.

I think that if I wanted a product of Roundhouse and Regner I would have to find a small independent dealer who specializes in Live Steam and sells out of his house, not a brick and mortar store.

So, other than the four scales mentioned earlier (1:20.3, 1:22.5/24, 1:29, and 1:32) there really isn't much readily available ready to run stock in other scales for 45mm track.  If you want 1:13.7, 1:19, or 1:? you will have to build it or find someone who will build it for you.  

You guys over there are fortunate to have ready to run stuff in other scales.

I'm happy with the scales that I run, so I don't plan on starting any other scales.


Chuck