QUOTE: Originally posted by bibeaud Speaking of O scale and O gauge.......what is OO gauge? Is this just "old" O-31?
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
Chuck makes a good point. Although many of the postwar train products are not to full-scale proportions (like the 6464 box cars), some are very, very close (like the NW2 switcher). Real trains during the postwar era of Lionel were also smaller too. The Crown Line (now owned by Weaver) Box Cars and Reefers are modeled after these smaller original prototypes: Although they are full scale dimensions, the models look good with traditionally sized trains because the trains they are modeled after were smaller.
Reading about the history of Conrail provides some interesting observations. When Conrail was formed, the preexisting lines were in a state of disarray, physically and financially. Conrail quickly started ditching the previous owners smaller rail cars because more profit could be made from one larger train car than two smaller ones. Conrail for example, quickly scrapped two-bay hoppers in favor of larger 3 and 4 bay hoppers. Same goes for the traditional 40-foot boxcar. The Lehigh Valley, Reading, Erie Lackawanna and Penn Central had large numbers of larger boxcars and these were repainted and kept in service. While the Jersey Central had mostly older smaller 40 foot box cars and these were quickly retired.
So a hint for a smaller train layout: you have to flub your idea of scale a little bit. For example, the K-Line 764-series modern steel box car is a scale proportioned current standard box car, but when placed on a smaller layout, I think of it as a modern hi-cube box car, since the K-Line model is larger than your typical 6464-series box car. The Williams boxcars are also a little larger than the 6464 style. As are the older pre-scale MTH Railking boxcars. So in my mind, I let these larger models represent larger freight car prototypes on my layout.
In other ways, you simply have to compromise. Although many of the scale proportioned models will negotiate the smaller 027 curves, they also look silly doing so... the 13-inch K-Line flat cars come to my mind. I've taken busted Lionel spring-loaded dump cars and turned them into TTUX cars: The 10-inch length looks right (even if it is not scale) and the frame of the dump car somewhat mimics the TTUX type of car - certainly more so than just a simple flat car with trailers on it.
I've taken shells from simple tank cars, and scratch built new frames for them that mimic the look of the current modern looking tank car. Scale? No. But they give the look and the feel of more modern types of trains. My attitude towards this whole scale thing is to not worry about it. I run trains fro fun, not frustration. The 3-rail train importers have worried about scale - when they know full well that the margins are slim because they are making products for a minority of train buyers - and look where it's gotten them? Lawsuits over stolen technology and engineering, diminished sales, fewer train makers and fewer train retailers, increased financial strain because of excessive tooling, engineering and legal costs, etc.
Some will argue that the 3-rail train hobby is better today than ever. And while they may be so, it's beginning to look like you could make the argument that it is not. Realism is in your mind... kids have it! It's a little thing called imagination. I feel sorry for the folks who can't buy a train car unless it has the exact correct amount of rivets on it. As far as I see it, my trains look pretty real to me. And like many of the serious postwar fans here, I don't need digital control to have fun with my trains.
Youve said a mouthfull, and I agree. I checked the tab and it says "Toy" trains, not "Model Railroader". Lets layout some track and see who can pull the most rollingstock through the hills! Too much cash is wasted on lawyers and whatnot and its taking away from people that just want to have some fun with an nice train set.
Most of the real trains going by my place have different size cars. Most noticeable is the height difference on boxcars.
That said, I don't like the looks of extreme differences in my trains either. I've got some scale Weaver boxcars that don't go well with traditional boxcars but I think the Weaver two bay covered hoppers mix in nicely. I like to use tank cars to seperate extreme height differences. I think it 'flows' smoother than the sudden drop to flat and then the sudden jump up. I don't seem to notice the width difference, only the height.
I guess my point is that all you can do mix and match and see what you like. Then relegate the extremes to run by themselves.
Dale
There is a prototype for everything. There are inconsistencys with real railroads as well. Railroad dimensional standards changed over the years as the demand to haul more tonnage increased. Tunnels and bridges were made taller and wider to allow for larger cars. This was pretty evident when railfanning in the 60's and 70's when you saw trains made up with early century and late century freight cars. 40 ft PS-1 boxcars for example dwarf prewar 40 ft USRA boxcars in height and width. When narrow gauge railroads were phased out, many narrow gauge cars were fitted with standard gauge trucks adding more inconsistency. They looked like S gauge cars on O gauge trucks.
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