Not so fast on the at the bottom of the age scale comment.......I'm younger than you by a few years and not quite understanding of why you would take aim at many of the pioneers of S scale and many of my friends at that in your post.....6 axle power would not attract new blood to S scale....Why Would it not??? GP38-2's are fairly plentiful in S (in brass) and GP40's are from the 60's and 70's not exactly modern. The major majority of all "new" motive power is 6 axle now days so a new 6 axle engine is always welcome in any scale I would think. While not as ultra modern as an SD70ACE, I will own a large fleet of SD45s when they arrive from DPH. And while I'm not thrilled about the lionel swinging pilots and would love true ready to run modern models from one of the large HO or O manufacturers.....It is not going to happen. I will convert them over to scale for now. Folks...No matter what the scale or fidelity they are toys. Some more detailed some less but toys all the same. I'm sorry if this bursts the cloud you are sitting on but it is what it is. It is your discretionary income, so spend it as you please. There are tons of great RTR modern 4 axle engines, switchers, and cars in HO and I'm sure they will welcome you with open arms. I will take up the "S" spending void you leave...... Danny Click The youngest in the good ole boys club.................
________________________________ From: Michael <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, March 4, 2012 7:55 AM Subject: {S-Scale List} The State of S Scale I've been reading a lot of the posts on here the past several days about where we are and where we came from etc. I can't believe how narrow minded the majority of the guys in here are. Not narrow gauge minded either. This is 2012 NOT 1962, 72, etc...! This argument that "good enough should be good enough" is crap! This scale needs to begin to attract NEW modelers to it. If you want S Scale to continue to be the good ole boys club that it's been for the past 50 years than it will die! The AF guys need to begin to understand that the future of any scale is in scale modeling. If it weren't for guys like Jim King we wouldn't have any new stuff coming out right now. AM and SHS need update their catalogs and start coming out with new models that reflect what is wanted in the hobby NOW! Not from 40 years ago, or 20 years ago, but NOW! I'm soon to be 42 years old and I am on the bottom of the age scale in S scale. I am a SCALE MODELER NOT A TOY TRAIN COLLECTOR! If I am going to pay $80, 90 more for a car, then it better damn well be accurate right down to the last bolt. If I am going to pay $300 or more for an engine, it better not have a swinging pilot that I can "modify" to make it not do that, it better be exactly the way the prototype is. "Good enough" isn't good enough anymore. This argument about remembering where we came from, is crap too. Technology and other modern advances, like laser cutting, have made it a lot easier to produce models in scale and be more precise. You didn't have that stuff back then. Back then you had to create and build what you wanted. However, with that said, because of the pigion hole that S scale is in with manufacturers it's still that way to a degree. Maybe not the the degree that it was 20 years ago or more, but it's still there. The scale is viewed as a TOY! That's evedent by Lionel's offerings in S. They all look like toys, not scale models. Enough with the 6 axle crap too. SD60's and U33C's are not going to attract anyone to the hobby. GP38-2's, GP40's, Switch engines etc. are what is needed. Things that people can see every day right now. The SD70ACe is a joke. If you're going to build something, do it right! I have said it in the past. If this scale is to advance, it needs to do so in SCALE NOT AF. Thanks Mr. Gilbert for making what you did, but I guess we should all still be driving model A's or living in log homes with no running water. The time do advance the scale is now! So come out from under whatever rock you AF guys are under and see the bigger picture here. Michael Ostertag Green Bay, WI
