From: "Bill Fraley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (1) Do you actually have a layout, or do you just model in S scale?
Yes, I have an S layout AND it is a "scale" layout. My personal definition of "scale" means it should have all three of the following: rail size of code 100 or smaller, Kadee S couplers or smaller, and wheel contours approximating NMRA RP-25 (with liberal allowances, whatever the heck that means, for older vintage wheels). (2) If you do run your scale models on a layout, [yours or anybody's] are they exactly prototypically made to scale with all the detail, including underbodies? Most cars are complete, but several are not. Older cars are built from kits without much change from what came with the kit. Newer cars tend to be better detailed. Lots of cars are without all the underbody air lines. I tend to leave off air hoses and cut levers since an op session around here involves lots of physical handling of cars and these things frequently break off. But if these details are soldered on, I leave them on until they break off, Then I do not bother to replace them or lose any sleep over it. (3) Do you attempt to run scale models as true to scale as best you can? See #2 answer above. (4) Are there models on your layout that are true to scale, but not finished. Like the underbodies are not completely finished, and so on? Yep. Quite a few. Has no effect on my enjoyment of them at all. The unfinished parts cannot be seen unless you pick up the car, turn it upside down, and squint. Doing so makes the train fall behind schedule and is therefore discouraged. (5) Do you have any un-scale models running on your layout? I have Lionel 0-27 cars, Grandt Line On3 cars, Athearn HO cars, Marx O cars and American Flyer S cars all running on my layout. All of them have been "S-ized" to look more like an S-scale car. For example, the Lionel box car was sliced lengthwise down the middle with 1/4" of roof width removed, glued back together, and the roofwalk covers up the splice joint. Fits right in and provides a bit of variety amongst all the typical S stuff. Variety is the end goal with me. The Athearn HO 80' high cube box car sides came in an S kit from Ross Mobley years ago and appears S-like to the semi-trained eye. (6) Are you serious when you say that a SHS or AM model is off from the prototype 1/10 of a foot, or that the slope is off a fraction, or that the markings are wrong, or it has the wrong headlights for the model SHS-AM and others are re-creating? I've never said that. Actually, if a model is not to my liking I do not buy it. Therefore, I have nothing to complain about. If I have bought it, then it is because I liked it well enough to buy it. As Dick Karnes taught me decades ago, if it is plausible, it is good enough -- at least for me. That is my standard currently in use. I also follow the "three foot rule" which states if you cannot notice the defect at a distance of three feet on a moving train going a scale 40 mph, then the defect is not worth worrying about anyway. But good craftsmanship is a high priority around here and I place a high value on it. So a finely crafted model that might not be exactly prototypically correct is just fine around here. Another advantage of being a NYC guy on the west coast is that no one else knows if it is right or not anyway. (7) Are you having fun? As Mr. Jackman would say: "More fun than a human being should be allowed to have." >I can't ever re-call seeing a perfect scale model railroad, Bill Schaumberg, RMC's Editor, made this observation: Most of the rivet counters do not have layouts. If they do, it is quite small. Most of the fellows with large layouts are not rivet counters. I guess it all depends on what you want, what you have space for, and how close is a decent club layout. These various approaches are neither good or bad -- just different. Bill even goes a step farther and claims that most of the rivet counters live in warmer areas, such as California, where homes do not have basements. Thus, small layouts in bedrooms and half-garages seem to predominate in rivet counter territory. Back East, where the snow flies, commonly available large basements seem to have large layouts in them. His observation applies to all the various indoor scales, not just S. Interesting questionnaire, Bill. Thanks for the opportunity to philosophize. Cheers...Ed L. Change your membership, change your message settings, use our CALENDAR, view shared files or photos, view the list archives, GO TO http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
