You and me both brother!
Same me, different spelling!
Yes, the whole Dept56 series of buildings look great with anything from prewar OO to S and O scale trains. Even the UK style Dickensville buildings can be found in that style in the USA in some towns. If it looks great on the layout, I am all for it. A layout set in the holiday theme brings a smile to my face anytime of year.
A while back I picked up some Department 56 buildings at blow-out prices and I use them under the Christmas tree. The O Gauge trains look just fine with those buildings and besides it's a Christmas display so I'm not going to sweat scale, as long as it looks good that's all I care about.
They're the "Dickens Village" series and interestingly enough they remind Lady Firestorm and me of the North Jersey town of Ridgewood, the architecture is very, very similar. AND Ridgewood was a stop in the Erie Railroad! In a real sense you can say Ridgewood is a "child" of the Erie.
The slightly smaller size of O scale narrow gauge trains does suit the buildings, even if the prototypes really do not fit the scene very well in my opinion. I think any O gauge does ok with most ceramic buildings, but the prewar OO looks pretty darn good to being about half way between HO and S scale in size. Being a mini 700e NYC Hudson helps to!
I seem to remember Bachmann claiming that their new On30 line was "the perfect size" to accompany Department 56 buildings back in the 90's.
Ross says they have their hands full with the O gauge stuff. The lack of 3 rail switches other than the super high doller original prewar Lionel ones(also hard to come by) really hinders building a layout. Plenty of trains out there, those are easy to come by, its the track. I would need about 16 more pieces of sectional Lionel track to build just a basic table size loop on my 4x7 table. I have seen prices per piece at nearly 35-40 dollers a section. And it sells fast when it comes up for sale. Fast and high enough that those in the OO community are supprised someone overseas has not reproduced it, just with a modern plastic roadbed vs Bakelite.
Vintagesteamer the OO folks need someone like Ross Custom to make switches to match the Gargraves 3 rail track.
Well, if Ross figures there's enough of a demand they probably will, but the demand's got to be there before they make the jump.
Gargraves makes Standard Gauge track for example, but no switches.
Buildings look good !
Taking some rough measurements of people size, I think they are closer to OO than O scale in this series of Dept56(Dickensville). I just wish I could find about 15 more pieces of the Lionel sectional 3 rail track that didnt require a small bank loan to pay for. Then I could put a layout size loop on the 4x7 table. Gargraves is nice, but its S scale rail and looks massive scale wise, sort of defeating the whole purpose of Lionel's OO line of trains. Also, no switches are available sadly for the Gargraves track, the OO folks need someone like Ross Custom to make switches to match the Gargraves 3 rail track.
Nice! And they DO look good on that OO layout!
Picture as requested, not lighted up but here are the pair of Dept56 buildings I got. I think they look pretty good with the OO scale train.
Yep, I sure will, I am debating if they will go on the Prewar OO or the O gauge level on the layout. Might take pics on both to see what others think. I may put my big loop of OO track back up on the main level of the layout. I can run them at night when I come home from work at midnight, the O gauge is to noise and will wake my wife up.
After you remove them from their boxes ,can you post pics of the buildings?
Sounds like you had a good day!
Went to the spring train show in Peru, Indiana. Not very much O gauge this time, but what was there had mostly decent prices. I picked up a 1949 milk car for $10, clean but missing one of the two doors on the non operating side. Now I need to get my a nice clean platform. Couldnt find any more Lionel to buy, but did get a pair of mint boxed Dept56 buildings for a really good price from an older couple selling off a large collection of Dickensville series buildings for $40 to 60 a building. This is the final local show till we get thru summer time. Its garden railroad season now. I will get back to the O gauge layout later this fall.
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