Frank, I knew it was only a matter of time.
Gary Carmichael
In a message dated 8/18/2012 8:09:43 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:
Hi All,
This is about the challenge of switching to S scale. Actually not quite
true in my case as I have been modeling in Sn2 Free-mo since 2007. The
challenge for me is trying to model standard gauge in S scale. I've been
dragging
around a lot of N scale equipment for almost 10 years and was going to dig
it out for a permanent layout. Nagging in the back of my head was the
thought that the larger S scale equipment would be more to my current tastes.
With that thought in mind I am giving S standard gauge a serious chance but
getting started is more of a challenge than I expected.
To start with I have a bundle of code 100 Tomalco flex track but I also
want to be able to hand lay track like I have done for the past 50 years in
every scale that I have modeled. I tried finding a 3-point track gauge but
it seems that they haven't been made for over 10 years in S scale. Tomalco
makes a 2-point track gauge and I have a couple on order. I don't have the
2-point gauges yet so I can't really compare them to 3-point gauges but it
just seems odd to me that 3-point gauges aren't available. I have 3-point
gauges in HO, HOn3 (Sn2) and N.
Next is the challenge of finding equipment. Since I live in Maine there
are no local S scale hobby shops. Ordering S products online turned out to be
more of a challenge than I expected. Seems there must be a special
language for understanding how to buy S equipment online. Looking for a
locomotive
I cam across this description on one website:
CODE DESCRIPTION PRICE $369.99
LNL648142 S AF U33C, EL
Let's see it is S and is a GE U33C lettered for the Eire Lackawanna. A
Google search shows me a Lionel #48142 loco with EL lettering. Well the AF
obviously stands for American Flyer which means wheels aren't scale. Not what
I was looking for but just an example of a site that is truly not user
friendly.
My plan was to buy some NYC locos and cars. I grew up across the street
from the NYC so I thought it would be a logical choice and easy to find. So
far I've come up with one used NYC S-12. I want to have some steam so I
checked out the River Raisin site which has good pictures and descriptions for
their steam and while they list a NYC 0-6-0 it is hi rail. They have 6
other 0-6-0s listed that are all scale. Must be a conspiracy. I called one
shop
and while he had many NYC cars and locos listed he was sold out of just
about all of them. Maybe the NYC is not going to be an easy prototype to
model after all.
Well I have managed to order the one used loco and a few cars so I have
something to run when I get some track down. My plan is to put together a
couple of modules as a switching layout to get started. I have leftover module
materials from my Sn2 layout and it will give me some fliexibility and
portability. I expect it will take another couple of weeks just to get most of
what I ordered.
In the meantime I converted a friend's American Models GP9 to DCC. After
working on the tiny Sn2 locos the ability to drop a TCS T1 decoder in that
loco was a snap and it cost less than $25. As a DC loco it would slow to
about 7 scale mph but with DCC it would crawl about 1.5 sacle mph. Well at
least not everything in S is a challenge.
If anyone knows where the NYC equipment is hiding please let me know.
Frank Knight
Sn2 Master
S Rookie
