Barry I totally agree with you - but American O scale is 5ft gauge - are you modelling Russian Railways? or perhaps American Railroads are now owned and operated by the Ruskies! The downside of modern modelling is that the freight cars and trains are longer - taking up more real estate in the basement which has already shrunk with change up to 1/48 modelling.
My answer to this dilemma and please note the first American train I saw in the flesh was only in 1995 - is to drop down to N scale (using low profile wheels with code 55 track) for modern modelling - in so doing it has intensified my S scale modelling in earlier eras. Alas I recognise (regretfully) that only a few brave individuals will produce modern S Scale locomotives and rollingstock. Oh for a GP38 from SHS and a SD40-2...... A modern day 6ft train in O is perhaps 5 freight Cars, in S say 7 and in N say 16 freight cars .....I don't even consider HO its 'too common' ! S is till the best scale given the choice of product availability. Kelvin White Oxford, England Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message: 24 Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2005 09:57:10 -0400 From: "Barry Comer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: Re: Mech Reefers/Modern cars Hi Group. I agree with Dave. Availability is one of the reasons I'm considering going to O scale after more than 20 years in S. And price is less than S. A few of the cars my friend in O has bought over the last few months are a Weaver mech reefer with sound and scale wheels and couplers, coil steel car, Railbox, 14 panel 3 bay coal hopper, extended vision caboose with flashing lights on each end, 89' tofc flat car, RS-1 with sound and TMCC, 60' auto parts car. He has on order a 60' high cube auto parts car. All the cars he got for $60 or less. The RS-1 he got for less than $300. As near as I can tell, they have available nearly everything that has been asked for by modern modelers on this list and more. They even have models of the new articulated auto carriers, bathtub style coal hoppers, and scale length passenger cars. Not knowing all that much about passenger cars, they are advertised at 21 or 22 inches, which works out to 84 to 88 feet in O. As Dave says, I would like to stay in S, but have to make the choice between changing modeling era's to stay in S, or move to O - HO is just too small to see. This is not an advertisement for O or to encourage anyone to change scales. O definitely does take up more space than S. But at 55, I have decided to either change scales and model modern, if you can call 1970's modern, or change era's. Right now, I'm leaning to changing scales. First, I have to see if I have enough space to build the same layout in O than I was/am planning in S. And, just like in S, many of the models are built to scale dimensions, but with adjustments for 3 rail use. My friend has converted some 3 rail cars to 2 rail, and you would never know the difference. Finally, S can still grow if it acknowledges where it's strength is at - the 1950's. Many modelers will convert from both larger and smaller scales because of the great size and other advantages S has. Barry. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] To REPLY to the list, use REPLY ALL; to reply to the sender, use REPLY. For those of you on DIGEST mode, all REPLY messages go to the list (remember to edit the SUBJECT of your message). Change message settings, use our CALENDAR or LINKS, 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/
