TC, I have considered using some On30 engines as starting point for some S scale engines. I have one "junk" B'mann mogul waiting for some sort of conversion. My personal problem is that I intend to model a selection of specific prototype locomotives, and not just any starting point will do.
I believe that good looking and running S scale steamers can be made from the On30 engines available, but that it may almost be easier to start from scratch. Once you remove all the parts that are NOT S scale, you are left with a motor and frame and maybe a boiler shell that needs drivers, domes and stack, cab, pilot, and all the other miscellaneous details. Add to that the limitation you have of working with a fixed wheelbase, and there is very limited use to these platforms for a true scale model of a prototype. I concede that these engines CAN be made into operational S scale engines, but that they would in 99.6% of the cases be at best caricatures of a prototype engine. The same is not necessarily true of using Railmaster kits as a platform for standard gauge engines, as there were in the prototype overlaps in production between standard and narrow gauge. You would, of course, need to find that rare prototype that was such an animal. The second option with Railmaster is to use their PARTS as a basis for making a standard gauge engine, and then you are on your own to either radically modifying the original parts or making your own frame, boiler, cab, etc. This is do-able but not very practical for a true scale model. Even my own method currently under trial of using a die-cast toy as the basis for a scale model is subject to limitations. Although I believe I can strip down the unit to a "starting point" of the bottom boiler half and "firebox" piece as a platform for building up an engine, the most practical use is to use the existing wheelbase and boiler dimensions, which again limits the prototypes one can model. As it so happens, two of the engines I am planning on building are very close in scale dimension to those of the toy, so I am at this point very hopeful. Much work remains to be done, however, and the end result may involve much more work than I am willing to put into for more than a few engines. I hope not. I am optimistic that once I have the workings of the drivetrain and suspension worked out, that additional models will be much less work. We will see. Keep "S"miling!!! Darrell S --- In [email protected], Talmadge C 'TC' Carr <group_l...@...> wrote: > > Darrell; > Thanks for the info. I have also considered the On30 products and the > Railmaster kits. My concern is that they might be too small for a > standard gauge engine. What think all ye? > TCC:} > > ------------------------------------ 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/
