Non-traditional sources for figures

For years, my husband has carried an Artista O gauge engineer figure in his pocket. When we go into a big-box store, he’ll peruse the toy aisle and use it instead of a scale rule. If you’re looking for non-traditional or unusual figures, here are some suggestions. (In some of the photos, I've included an unpainted figure as a size reference.)

Heroclix will allow you to put superheros on your layout!

Or, if you don't need any superheroes on your layout, how about some cops? Photo courtesy of Bob Keller.

Heroclix

These figures are meant for gaming and are mostly superhero themed. Each one is mounted on a round, black base. (You can usually remove the base with an X-acto or utility knife.)

Homies

Homies are a series of figures introduced in 1998, and initially were sold in vending machines. Some characters fit well into an O gauge layout, and some aren’t as well suited due to the overly large shape. According to the Homies website, they have a line of dog figures too.

Add urban flair to your layout with Homies.

Board games

Don’t pass up the board games aisle! Some include nice figures inside. For the price of one O gauge figure, you could acquire four or five suitable figures. For instance, my husband bought a Harry Potter themed game just for the figures inside.

These One Direction figures were once keychains.

Keychains

More than one keychain in our house has had “surgery” to remove the figure. These One Direction figures were initially keychains in a sort of bubble. Hubby waited until they went on clearance for $1 each, then liberated them from their packaging!

A set of Breyer horses called 'Mini Whinnies.'

Liquidation stores (like Big Lots)

My husband can spend a lot of time inside a store like Big Lots. Their toy section often contains overstock or liquidated items. He has purchased diecast metal figures for $3 each. The downside to liquidation stores is that the inventory is never the same at any two stores.

This 'handful of heroes' is an inexpensive way to acquire a number of figures. They can be modified and/or painted as desired.

Playsets

In the toy area, you may find playsets in many themes, from military to farm. While not all of the pieces may fit an O gauge layout in any given set, the price is usually low enough to take a chance. For instance, Breyer sells horse playsets called "Mini Whinnies." The horses are slightly underside for O gauge, but set in a field in the distance, they will look about right.