I can relate to the sort of "elite" status of working in a relatively obscure scale whose inner workings are nearly incomprehensible to the average person. It is sort of nice to be special.
On the other hand, N scale has just two track heights in general use: Code 55 and code 80 (I believe it is 80, maybe it is 88...). Anyway, virtually every N gauge/scale engine or piece of rolling stock ever made will work with today's track and turnouts. And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't N a more recent addition to the modeling world than S? And isn't there more available in N than in S, even though it is a relative newcomer? There are reasons for that, and it ain't all about price. For me, I could forego the convoluted aspect of dealing with 4~5 different types of wheelsets and the same number (or more) of types of track and turnouts. I could, therefore, spend more time on developing a layout. Observe the growth of On30. What a phenomenon! One track gauge, HO, which is close enough for all but the most hardened rivet counters, and one type of turnout fits all engines and rolling stock. There is On30 track designed for the purpose, and I suppose the scale folks would go that route. And look at all the equipment and structures that are available for a gauge/scale that is, what a decade old? Price of course has a very large bearing. But so does efficiency. S is anything but efficient and easy, for newbies especially. In point of fact, I know of at least two local S modelers that have switched to On30 exclusively. Roy Inman From: Bill Porter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 16:54:43 -0400 To: 'ctxmf74' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [email protected] Subject: RE: {S-Scale List} Re: Tom's proposal (turnouts) Hi Dave, Yes indeed, as long as one is buying new equipment, it is certainly possible to buy it all to match. For those of us not ready to buy that much new equipment, the turnout issue comes back in play. Of course, the old style flanges are not very handsome. The real scale wheels do look better to my eyes. It winds up something of a quandary and a compromise. The question I was answering is not a "Why not do it this way?" question. It was a question of whether on not anyone did it the other way. I do and so do others. Simplification is always a thorny issue. I suspect that few of us on the sale list really want it simple. If we did, we would opt for the tinplate stuff that lacks all manner of 3D detail. Instead, we seek our own level of comfort with detail versus fragility versus cost (and probably more dimensions than that). Bill Reply from Bill Porter -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto:[email protected] <mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf Of ctxmf74 Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 4:26 PM To: [email protected] <mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com> Subject: {S-Scale List} Re: Tom's proposal (turnouts) --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com> .com, "Bill Porter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The "Just Swap The Wheels" argument is pretty good for SHS It is a mediocre argument for > American models . It is wrong for converting American Flyer > steamers since no such scale wheels are available. Hi Bill, The swap the wheels arguement can go both ways. If you have large flange equipment you want to run why not put the large flange wheels on the rest of the scale equipment and use switches to suit? Most newer stuff is available with both large and small flange wheels. If half of the equipment is scale flanged and half is flyer flanged then why wouldn't it look just as good to have all flyer flanged and simplify the track construction?.....dave __ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> 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/
