and he notes - From my mechanical engineering days, one inch to one foot is expressed as 1" scale and most manufacturing tracings were drawn to that or 1 1/2" scale. The ratio S Gauge models bear to their prototypes is 1:78 ergo 1/78th proportion. While the definition of either scale or proportion is similar, grammatically it expressed differently.
In the original concept, the naming of the gauges did not expand to narrow gauge modeling as it was easy to express it just as 0n3 or 0n2 (as an example). Any modeler in any scale could understand that the zero meant the model was 1/4" scale and the suffix meant the distance between the rails, or gauge if you prefer. An excellent article on rail gauge depicting standard vocabulary usage appears on this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_gauge As you point out the fact remains that the use of a letter or number with the word 'scale' is a colloquialism and has no literal meaning. I always liked Louis Hertz's proposal for "Theta Gauge". By adopting it for scale modeling in S, the hobbyist could emulate the level of 'Q" Gauge accuracy in 1/4" Scale and be recognized as loftier than Flyer or Hi-Rail operators in S, or even those who dub around with both like myself. Ah...The idea sound better the more I think of it. A publication or web site called "The Theta Gaugian" has a nice ring to it - very collegiate - might even qualify for an Annenberg CPB Grant! Raleigh in Maine with too much time on his hands on a 0 Degree night (or should that be minus 17.77777777777778° on the Celsius Scale)... ... www.emporiumpictures.com At 07:16 PM 2/16/2008, Chris Abbott wrote: >--- In ><mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com>[email protected], >raleigh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > In English grammar, 'scale' as applied to a drawing or > > model requires dimensional data such as 1/4", 3/16", 1/8" etc. > >The word "scale" in the context of size means the proportion that a >representation of an object bears to the object itself: i.e. a model on >a scale of one inch to one foot. It does not require a dimensional >callout. > >The word "gauge" in the context of railroads means the distance between >the inner edges of the heads of the rails in a track. > >The letter "S" in context of model railroading is used to denote models >build to the proportion of 1:64, or 3/16" to the foot. > >Therefore calling it S Scale is redundant, and S Gauge is simply a >misnomer - as there is no implicit referent to "which" gauge (any of >the narrow, the standard, or several broad choices). It would be better >to say only "S" and, at least, be correct. > >ChrisA > > [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/
