So if I buy a loco from aristo-craft or usa will it look stupid next to my Big hauler?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry for such a newbie question,when I look at pictures online of other garden railroads,some people seem to have a "hodgepodge" , a mix every different brands.It doesnt seem to be a big deal and to me doesnt look bad.
But according to some people its horrible to mix .

Anyways I am looking into getting my second loco(steam or diesel) and dont really want to be limited by just bachman or lgb.

Well if anyone can share their knowledge with me it will be a great help.

Thanks alot.
-Mike

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Whose railroad is it? Yours? then you're the guy that has to be pleased!

I have several friends who use the mix and match theory, and they don't seem to have any less fun with thier railroads than those who stay brand / scale specific!

The subject as you phrase it is kinda like sex, it's a matter of what turns you on! Is there a "Great Robber Baron in the Sky" that's gonna come down and spank you because you like some piece of equipment from some particular manufacturer?? I don't think so, at least he hasn't come down and paddled my big broad tail as yet!

If the look pleases you, go for it. You can always say that your railroad has leased in some extra motive power due to a surge in revenue traffic, or that your road has interchange privledges with the other railroad. If worst comes to worst you can say that the steamer is a restoration project your road took to bring in tourist traffic on days when the freight load is lower!

Real railroads have always done mix and match, and you're modeling a real railroad!

If that flips your skirt, go for it!

[Anonymous]

Most look fine together to me. Sometimes takes a little thinking to put consists together that match better. And most times engines are far enough apart, you don't notice the size difference much. However, their are a few engines and cars that can look a little out of place when placed next to each other. You just have to figure out how to keep them away from each other.

Hard question to answer, because depends on what stikes your fancy, and how particular you are. Would be nice if the local LHS could have one of everything so we could compare before we buy, but.....can't do.

So far I have only Bachmann, and Aristo Craft .... they seem to fit good enough together for me.

OkieRRr

[Tom The Brat]

I run my big hauler with my 1:29th equipment all the time and it looks quite fine. In 1:29th it just represents a bigger loco. Of course, in 1:22, my Aristo rolling stock just represents smaller narrow gauge cars. Let's see if I have a picture...

Hmm. All my pictures that include Annie are too closeup to show the train.

[grandpopswalt]

I guess it depends on the particular loco and cars. For example, a B"mann Connie, which is very big, even for 1:20.5, looks a little silly pulling a consist of 1:22 cars around, they just look too small. Conversly, a 1:24 scale Delton C-16 looks silly pulling a string of AMS 1:20 cars.

It's all about plausiblity. If it looks as though it could have been, then it probably is O.K. But if it is obviously a model of a Diesel engine in 1:32 scale coupled to a train of 1:22 scale wooden boxcars, it will probably insult the eye.

Walt

[Anonymous]

If it looks funny you can always do a kitbash.

For instance, I put a larger cab (actually just the sidewalls off a B'mann "Indie") and added a 2-wheel pilot truck on the Aristo 0-4-0 to change the scale to fit in better with my LGB stuff, it wasn't particularly hard, and IMO it looks pretty good too!

[Anonymous]

I run diesel B units such as Aristo Crafts FB1 and USA Trains NW2 Calf behind Bachmann 4-6-0 steam locomotives. With a little creative paint and body work the B units blend right in and look like unusual freight cars.

[tangerine-jack]

I'll give you a solid "it depends" answer. I have a lot of full sized railroad activity very close to my office near the CSX tracks. I decided to discover what the debate was about scale and it's aplication, so I went by the gravel loader to see what the full sized boys looked like. Much to my astonishment, the hoppers came in all different sizes and looked all the world like a mixed bag of scale. Some were tall, some short, all on the same train.

Now mind you, CSX runs some pretty shabby looking equipment, but I figured if the full sized trains do it, then your answere is NO, your mix of manufacture won't look out of place. In the end, it's all about you and what you want.

[Anonymous]

thanks for all your help,The thing is there are certain locos from each brand I like and being locked into one "scale" kinda puts limits on that.

I'm glad to see not everyone is real picky,it is just a hobby and for fun after all.(a great hobby)

Thank you all.

[ttrigg]

If you should ever have any rail equipment that just does not look right to YOU, then just don't park them next to each other. If they are running, not much time to notice any difference, unless you're looking too hard. If you are in this for the fun then have fun. If you are in it for "scale realism" then just have fun. "Scale realism" is almost impossible in the garden sizes. Even the manufacturers mix "scale" ON THE SAME CAR! Length might be one scale, width another, and height yet even another.

If all else fails, just have fun and enjoy what you have.

[Tom The Brat]

Indeed. If you keep the 1:22.3 train at least 10 ft from the 1:32 train, nobody will notice they're two very different scales.

[Anonymous]

And if you have a loco or two, or some cars, that you just can't get to look right, you can always send them to me![:o)][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

Do whatever you fancy! [^]

I have three LGB engines, one Austrian, two German, a diesel which is also German and a Bachmann trolley car which is a turn of the century USA. They all run on the same track and I enjoy every minute of them all. The trolley car sometimes pulls a caboose - because it's the same colour! [^] [^]

[markperr]

It will be to the trained eye, but that begs the question, "How many trained eyes are going to be looking at your roster and if they do, are they brazen enough to make a derogatory comment?"

For those that do, you sinply look 'em in the eye and reply, "I hear your layout is perfect to scale. Perhaps you'd be happier playing with trains over there."

Then walk away.

Of course, if it's your eye that's bothered, that's a whole different subject.

Mark

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Mark,
Ain't that what they make rose colored glasses for?

[JamesPH1966]

Just visiting from another forum...

The same problem crops-up in 3-rail O all the time. I basically will have a "set" era and scale for my next layout (i.e. an industrial railroad with basically 1/4"/1' for people and buildings) but that won't prevent me from running whatever I want from the rest of my collection (like my Marx stuff that is more-or-less 3/16"/1' scale tinplate) whenever I want to.

Of course there will be a mixture of Bachmann, USA Trains, REA/Aristo-Craft and older Kalmazoo and Delton and whatever else I buy next running on my "under-the-layout" layout about a foot off the floor too (which is why I'm nosing into this forum these days)...