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Modeling people that fall between S and O gauge

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  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: Wyandotte, MI
  • 4 posts
Posted by Wyandotte on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 7:09 PM

Thanks for the advice, you have all been a great help.  I'm going to purchase some Plasticville people as they sound a perfect match for my needs.  I will also look at MTH to see if they will work.

Thanks, Miles

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Media, PA
  • 600 posts
Posted by Joe Hohmann on Monday, May 10, 2010 5:47 AM

Of all the figures sold as "O", MTH seems to be the smallest. Some time ago, a guy on the OGR Forum showed  a photo of all brands of "O" figures side-by-side, and there was quite a difference between them.

My own opinion...go with the largest variety of figures rather than worry about a small size difference.

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Lander, WY
  • 408 posts
Posted by wyomingscout on Sunday, May 9, 2010 12:29 PM

 Miles, there are literally thousands of them for sale on ebay at a scale of 1:50.  O scale is 1:48.  I bought a bag of 100 painted for about $5.  They fit in nicely with 1:48, a bit small for 1:43.

wyomingscout

I've often said there's nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse. Ronald Reagan
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    March 2004
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Posted by mersenne6 on Sunday, May 9, 2010 12:19 PM

 The plastic K-Line people scale out around 6- 6 1/2 feet (1 and a half inches or slightly more)  the plasticville people scale out between slightly less than 6 feet to about 5 and a half feet ( 1 3/8 to 1/14 inches).  If you are willing to take the time you can section the K-line people and bring them down to heights that are less than a scale 6 feet.  In addition, since most of the K-Line figures have arms and legs that are cast away from the main body trunk you can V cut these limbs at the joints and, using small pieces of styrene and liquid styrene solvent (typically a dilute solution of MEK) re-position them to make almost any kind of figure you want. 

  If you really want to get  creative - get some .005 styrene sheet, some Squadron Green Putty, and a few scraps of .010 styrene sheet.  Armed with these things you can change the clothing styles and body build to make literally any kind of figure you want.  Many years ago I built O scale models of all of my co-workers in the section of the company where I worked.  It made for quite a station platform scene and the modelling was good enough that when I brought in the various figures almost everyone was able to recognize themselves as well as the other people I had modeled.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: Wyandotte, MI
  • 4 posts
Posted by Wyandotte on Saturday, May 8, 2010 9:28 PM

Jim, 

I'm not sure since I don't have much chance to see items in person before purchase. How big are Plasticville people.  I thought I read that they were large even for full size O, but I don't know.

Miles

  • Member since
    November 2015
  • 3,584 posts
Posted by Sturgeon-Phish on Saturday, May 8, 2010 9:21 PM

Would the plasticville people work for you?

Jim

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: Wyandotte, MI
  • 4 posts
Modeling people that fall between S and O gauge
Posted by Wyandotte on Saturday, May 8, 2010 9:13 PM

Hi All,

I am looking for figures to use on a small O gauge layout.  The buildings are K-Line derived from the old Marx tooling and the trains are semi-scale Lionel and Williams.  The full size O scale looks too large and S scale seems too small.  Hoping that through experience some of you may be able to steer me toward brands (past or Present) who offer small O or large S figures.  I'm thinking 1 1/4" to 1 3/8" high for an adult.

Miles

 

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