From: "flickfive" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Thanks for the advice, everybody
>> I've made my decision, and I'm going with O 3-rail. OUCH!! That one hurt. If there is a chance, would you reconsider if some new arguments were presented? Golly, it seemed to me that you were really on the verge of making some really serious assessments about the pros and cons of the various scales. Maybe I misinterpreted something along the way here. > every time I thought about something I wanted to do with my layout, my gut answer was "O." I hear the words (above), but I do really comprehend the meaning. Not trying to be difficult here, but what exactly are you talking about? It seemed to me that the things you found most interesting could have been done in both scales. Things like running favorite trains through realistic scenery with scenes rich in details. Maybe, if you can bear with me a bit longer, we can explore that a bit more: 1. Is the 3-rail track really more realistic than two rails? Even if it is painted black? 2. Is the crowding of large, potentially huge, structures and the resulting simplified track plan "better" than a more prototypical relationship between the tracks/trains and their surrounding environment for the given limited space of 12 feet square? 3. Have you actually seen and visited an O scale layout in a 12 foot square bedroom? 4. Have you actually seen and visited an S scale layout in a 12 foot square bedroom? 5. Would you like to do the above if I can arrange for an invitation to be extended? 6. Have you thought about operating more than just one train at a time on a simplified/restricted track plan? Is there even room for a meaningful yard (freight cars, passenger cars, loco facilities, etc.) in O scale in that hypothetical 12 foot square bedroom? I tend to doubt it, although perhaps that is unimportant to you in which case it wouldn't matter. I've never met a model railroader who didn't care about yards and loco facilities, but there is always a first time, I guess. > I *still* kept coming back to S because there's much that appeals to me in S. Besides the size of S, what is it that is so appealing? S is, in a way, just like all the other scales -- bigger than some, smaller than some, own set of unique pros/cons, etc. S has its own magazine, own conventions, own organizations, own internet list, etc. Being a minority scale, of course, means that S does not have 500 different kinds of brown boxcars. So, will 100 different brown boxcars suffice? How many boxcars will fit onto a 12 foot square layout anyway? Then there are the non-brown boxcars, brown hopper cars, black hopper cars, yellow hopper cars, blue hopper cars, red hopper cars, green hopper cars, etc. S has 'em all -- more than any one of us will ever need. But what, if I may ask, did you find appealing about S besides it's size? I'm just kind of curious here. > I think what clinched it for me finally was how easily available everything was in O, including at hobby shops in my area. The idea that I could just at any time walk into a shop and buy something if I wanted to was just too appealing to pass up. OK, now we are getting into the meat of the matter. "Where's the beef?" you ask. From my admittedly S-biased perspective, it appears to me that you have made a very interesting tradeoff in making the S vs. O decision. Given that buying something in the local hobby shop is the main advantage for O scale, let's explore that one just a bit. The only difference between a product on a hobby shop's shelf in Rochester, NY and a product anywhere else in the 48 states is about 6 days via UPS ground. With the internet today, you have access to every product conceivable, mail order with credit cards, fast/cheap shipping, right of return and refunds if product is not damaged (many, but not all, suppliers/products), no sales taxes (mostly), honest, friendly, and knowledgeable suppliers, and no need to leave the comfort of your own computer at home. One might argue why even drive down to the local hobby shop anymore. Almost a waste of time. Instead, ask questions via email and get close-up photos upon request. So what is the trade off here? As I see it you are opting for 6 days sooner delivery and, in order to get it, are willing to forego the realism of 2-rail track, a much more stimulating track plan, a main yard and loco servicing facilities, etc. I guess we all make decisions based on different criteria, but this one leaves me "S"tunned!! I was fully expecting you to either hop on the S wagon or explain a rationale of wanting to model the XYZ RR in 19?? in a very specific location and thus needed a particular loco roster which S could not provide. That would have made sense (to me at least). But if the criteria was availability in the local hobby shop, then HO would have been the logical choice. With HO there is a massive amount more of equipment and structures than in O scale. And, it will all fit into that 12-foot square space with room for a really impressive yard area. > None of the shops stock anything in else. I assume you mean "S" instead of "else". Yep, that is probably true. But the only difference is about six days and you can have any S product made and currently available. Maybe ten days if the shipper needs a few days to pack it and send it. I've gotten stuff in four days from clear across the country on numerous times via Priority Mail (small stuff, obviously). > I saw the subway cars available from MTH in O, and being born and raised in NYC, I knew I had to have some of them! > Don't subways run underground for the most part? How're you going to see them? OK, bad joke, but at least you did come up with something that S scale does not have and is not very likely to have in the near future. So, in a way, that makes some sense. If'n ya gotta have subways, then ya gotta do it in O or HO -- no question about it (I don't think). Anyway, have fun in O. I expect that your layout will take at least a year or two to get up and running and sceniced. If you really are convinced that getting those products 6 days sooner are really worth the tradeoffs, then it is the right decision for you. But only six days out of a couple years is a very small amount of time to wait in order to get a layout with a more stimulating and operationally exciting track plan. There is a lot more to model railroading than just a huge circle of track -- even if it is a double tracked mainline. Anyway, have fun and let us know when you are ready to convert to something else again. S might just have those subway cars by then. Smaller miracles have happened in the past. Why I just yesterday learned that S scale not only has had a fire hydrant for many many years, but also the dawg to "wash" it -- a Dalmatian, no less. Now that's not too shabby. So we really have two fire hydrants. More details in S than I can possibly keep track about it, but I've only been active in S since 1969. Just a young one, I am. Cheers...Ed Loizeaux The poll results are in....... To REPLY to the list, use REPLY ALL, to reply to the sender, use REPLY. 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