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I finally understand, I thimk! Locked

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  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
I finally understand, I thimk!
Posted by hoofe116 on Sunday, February 25, 2007 5:39 PM

To the Gurus of G Gauge:

I finally got to go to a train store that has more than an Xmas set on display. Now I understand the bit about scale: 1:20.3, 1:24, 1:29 & LGB. (Numbers are approximate, and probably wrong). Since G gauge is Euro narrow gauge, 45mm, the difference, in actuality, is the size of the rolling stock in terms of scale (1:20 etc) in comparison to that gauge of track. No wonder the warnings about trying to settle on a particular 'scale', if possible. There's this huge LGB diesel switcher out there, and a little tiny Mack (Heartland). Both run on 45mm track. Let's ignore the differences in prototypical size, because I saw several different brands which were, lo, different sizes. Regrettably the nice salesperson didn't know as much as I do--which is nothing--but was very helpful. I got to hear sounds of steam, a really annoying shrieky whistle as this LGB 0-2-0 trundled chuffing 'round & 'round in a circle--much more smoothly than I'd ever seen. Yep, I got an education, I did. And I bought a box of Aristo track for about twenty cents less/piece than the comparable item sells for/has been selling on eBay. Go figure.

Gotta go, more later. I want to amaze you all with what you already know<g>!

Les Whitaker

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 25, 2007 8:01 PM

Welcome to the real world of this hobby.

Different people have different priorities and place importance on different things and there is room for it all

Rgds Ian

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Posted by kimbrit on Monday, February 26, 2007 2:24 AM

That's it now Les, you have bought track and that is the top of the slippery slope. From now on anything you look at will be through railway eyes, visualising whether you can use it or not. Every waking (and for most of us sleeping) hour will find you thinking about your railway and what will go where. That mega expensive loco that would have non railway people crying at the cost will seem like nothing after a while. But apart from that it gets the garden done as well........enjoy!!

Cheers,

Kim 

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  • From: Oakley Ca
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Posted by dwbeckett on Monday, February 26, 2007 10:55 AM
First things first WELCOME to the real world of large scale railroadingSign - Welcome [#welcome] I see you have been a busy person since you joined this forum But would you mind updating your profile so we know where you at ,0 gmt is the UK. GR and these fourms are the best place to glean info about this rewarding hobby. A word of warnig there a few members that have a hard time saying "good job", but the majority are excelent refernce points. so far it appers as thougt you are grasping some of the most confusing parts of this hobby, JUST KEEP PLUGGING AWAY you will find you have started something you and your family will enjoy for a long time to come.     

The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.

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Posted by tlnibert on Monday, February 26, 2007 11:01 AM

I guess the best way to go about it is buy what you want, don't nitpick and just have fun.

I would suggest you buy LGB track it last longer outside with less tie breakage. 

It's really a shame there isn't a standard size coupler.  Bachmann, USA, and Aristo-Craft don't work well with each other.  Kadee is the way to go.

 

Tom

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Posted by Tom The Brat on Monday, February 26, 2007 6:39 PM
Well, now that you have that figured out, we're ready to really confuse youMischief [:-,]
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Posted by tlnibert on Monday, February 26, 2007 7:30 PM

I don't drink, but after being into G Scale for over 10 years, I'm willing to learn.  One thing that's great, is there's always something new and friends to help with any problems that pop up.

tom

  • Member since
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Posted by hoofe116 on Monday, February 26, 2007 9:25 PM

 Tom The Brat wrote:
Well, now that you have that figured out, we're ready to really confuse youMischief [:-,]

Tom: That's cold, man. Really cold. Big Smile [:D]

Les Whitaker

  • Member since
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  • From: Florissant, Missouri
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Posted by hoofe116 on Monday, February 26, 2007 9:35 PM
 kimbrit wrote:

That's it now Les, you have bought track and that is the top of the slippery slope. From now on anything you look at will be through railway eyes, visualising whether you can use it or not. Every waking (and for most of us sleeping) hour will find you thinking about your railway and what will go where. That mega expensive loco that would have non railway people crying at the cost will seem like nothing after a while. But apart from that it gets the garden done as well........enjoy!!

Cheers,

Kim 

Tell ya, from now on I'll look at stuff and mentally size it to the track gauge. I got my first piece of rolling stock today: a Bachmann Rio Grande bobber. That sucker is huge! Knuckle couplers, after I'd almost decided to go with link 'n pin (my RR, tentatively named the 'Pig River SL', is/will be based on pre-1900 stuff.) Pig River actually exists. It's either in VA, TN or GA, depending on the era. Wife's a genealogist. I happened to like the name, plus the fact I once raised feeder pigs for market.

Oh, FWIW, Friend Wife wasn't particularly interested until I showed her the miniature trees and whatnot, now she's reading nursury catalogs. She was in big with me when we had the 027 layout, B.C. (Before Children) about 35 years ago. Did all the landscaping, etc.

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  • From: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK
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Posted by kimbrit on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 2:00 AM

See Les, I told you!! Gail is responsible for making me do all the little bits, lights in buildings etc. I just received a consignment from Ozark miniatures of train bits, she looked at the catalogue and now it's a shed load of bits to detail all the buildings. If you don't know Ozark have a look at www.ozarkminiatures.com great stuff.

Cheers,

Kim

 

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Posted by MTCarpenter on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 10:06 AM

Now that you've reached Enlightenment, go forth and preach the Gospel of Garden Railroading!!

Big Smile [:D]

"Measurement is the way created things have of accounting for themselves." ~ A.W. Tozer
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Posted by FJ and G on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 10:35 AM

"Regrettably the nice salesperson didn't know as much as I do--which is nothing--but was very helpful."

 

-----

 

The other day I ordered some motors from a very large company that advertises in GRR. I also wanted spikes and spent about 5 minutes explaining to the saleslady what a spike is and how it holds rails to ties. Apparently, most folks who call for orders don't handlay track. 

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 4:38 PM
 hoofe116 wrote:
And I bought a box of Aristo track 
So did you get the track with the narrow gauge or standard gauge tie spacing? Evil [}:)]
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Posted by Tom The Brat on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 4:55 PM
Les, there's a reason I changed from Torby to Tom The BratMischief [:-,]
  • Member since
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Posted by hoofe116 on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:43 PM

 Texas Zepher wrote:
 hoofe116 wrote:
And I bought a box of Aristo track 
So did you get the track with the narrow gauge or standard gauge tie spacing? Evil [}:)]

It fits the wheels on the bobber. Brass sure is purty.Whistling [:-^]

Les

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
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Posted by hoofe116 on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:45 PM

 Texas Zepher wrote:
 hoofe116 wrote:
And I bought a box of Aristo track 
So did you get the track with the narrow gauge or standard gauge tie spacing? Evil [}:)]

 

Opps! I thought you were being funny. American spacing on the ties. (Narrow). Lotsa ties per piece.

Les

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:48 PM

DW:

To amplify--I did go fill in my profile--think of me as living right where the Missouri River runs into the Mississippi, on the south bank of the Missouri. It's about a mile away from my house.

Les Whitaker

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