FastTrack RR Crossing Gate - Scale? Approximate?

[Seaboard]

I just purchased a FastTrack crossing gate...

Two observations:

It appears a bit out of scale - on the large side, with the gate somewhat too high off the road.  What scale is it, do you suppose? The vehicles that I have that are marked 1:42 (which are already larger than 1:48) could almost drive under the gate. A 1:38 tow truck I have seems about right.

Second, a really minor thing, but, new out of the box, a screw was missing from the end of the gate support rod. I found the screw embedded in the styrofoam packing and tried to resecure it, but the threads of the gate had been previously stipped. It appeared to be from a never opended box - so I doubt it was a return. I used a dab of liquid nails to keep the screw intact, so it was easily fixed. The store is 60 miles away, so return, being a half day event, didn't seem worthwhile.

Lesson learned: Before you take an item out of the store, inspect EVERYTHING very carefully - for scale, missing parts, damage, finish, etc. How many go so far as to have the dealer actually operate the operating accessory you purchase? As compared to a $100 Sony boom box, the quality control for these items demands careful inspection.

[chuck]

I don't recall ever seeing the FastTrack accessories advertised as "scale".  The Mainline accessories are.

[phillyreading]

Don't know about modern Lionel but a lot of post war and MPC accessories were never scale in size to the layout.  The highway crossing lights from years back look more like G or 1/32 scale than O gauge.

Have heard mention that the new Lionel 022 switches have some issues too!  Not sure as I don't have Lionel switches any more.

Lee F.

[LS1Heli]

Where does it say that this item is scale? As stated above only certain mainline acessories are advertised as scale.

I have had two of these- both came in perfect condition with nothing missing and they both worked perfectly.  

[Anonymous]

As for the scale, i just play it by eye..course maybe thats why i keep redoing my layout. :-P

 Butfor the quality..i usually just get it fedexed or so. I've found i have much better chances on problems with storebought items sadly. Shipments to the store...how they handle it there, other ppl dropping it, ect..and man, sticky fingers ppl too, sadly we have to worry about them in a hobby store too..whats the world coming to.

The only decent train place by me (Willow Grove, PA) was run by a nice man who retired. But not long ago he had even told me he was just going to start taking it easy from ow on and running the place was too much for him anymore :-( 

[Seaboard]

I guess by "scale" I meant, "in reasonable proportion to" the rest of the stuff.  I guess that could be in the eye of the beholder.  But when it looks "way off" with 1:42 vehicles, and closer to reasonable with 1:38, with me being the "beholder", it didn't seem reasonable.  It could be that my relatively cheap 1:42 vehicles are a bit smaller than they should be.

How do the FastTrack gates actually compare in size to the Z-stuff gates which are reported by others to be "scale", or pretty close?

What are the reasons for making things like this crossing gate "not to scale" (if in fact it is not to scale.)  It can't be economics.  It certainly costs enough.  It's not space constraints - it could be smaller.  Is it a matter of using the old manufacturing equipment for most of the components when "scale" back then wasn't as important - because after all, they are "just toys?"  This would also support keeping the "nostalgia" thing going with FastTrack components - I noticed the FastTrack gate is exactly the same as the gate used for the older track.

[chuck]

Z-stuff gates are small, probably as small as you can get and still be operational.  I don't have the FastTrack crossing gate set but I do have the FastTrack grade crossing with signal flashers.  These compare well with a MainLine scale crossing set, within two scale feet.  I have seen modern prototype gates that have been tall enough for sports cars to slip right under, particularly ones guarding two track/5 lane crossings.  I suspect that the length of the arms required the gates being raised to accomodate the counterweights?

[Dave45681]

Could it also be related to produceability and/or durability?

In general (not directly familiar with the FT gates referenced), I suspect the "traditional" or "toy" type will survive better when played with by children.

 While the Z-Stuff are obviously nice, they might not fare too well in young hands, I would imagine. 

 

[Anonymous]

I don't have the new Fastrack crossing gates, but I do have the crossing flashers, which are certainly near scale enough in size for me.  If the gates are considerably larger--say anywhere close to the postwar gates--I probably wouldn't be interested in them, although I initially had planned to buy them.  I appreciate this thread because it may have saved me some money and disappointment (I have to buy most all of my stuff via mail order).

[Train Memories]

   I agree with Seaboard. A person goes and buys an item in good faith and espects it to be a decent size compatable to size with the rest of the layout and gets something way off, that's disappionting. Why not make it 16-20 in. long! After all, it's suppose to be "TOYS" The truth is, at the way the prices are, they are almost not "toys" anymore. The manufactor should lable it "Not to scale". right in front of the box.     I have found out that 1:48 is the size that my brass engine is and it's a perfect scale. Also my other engines and accessories are that scale also.

[BDT in Minnesota]

I would think Lionel could do a little better than that........But then, with only 90 people on the worldwide payroll,,,,maybe they are a litttle short handed------oh ya,,,then the CW80 problems, and the Railsounds problems over in Europe,,,,,HMMMMM I think I will give this a little more thought...I hope they do the same!!!!BDT