I am a member over on O scale yard sale. Right now I manage to put a few dollers together for the train shows this time of year. Usualy one per month thru the winter for me. One mowing season starts next spring, I will have more $$ for trains, not much I need in G scale now, so the money will be going towards more O scale. Mike
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Mike, I went back into O scale back in '93 (I was in O back in the mid-'60s, then switched back to HO when I realized I probably would be an apartment dweller for the rest of my life) for the same reason as you and since I had a few things on hand. Starting over, building for myself, for pleasure--and maybe sell an article or two to the mags--I chose old-time stuff, turn of the 20th century.
I've picked up a few things from eBay and from ads in the old 48/ft., O Scale News, but have recently also joined O Scale Yard Sale, which is a bunch of us guys (and maybe a few gals) working in O. It's a good place to get help finding older equipment and even decals, which are hard to come by lately. Just Google "o scale yard sale" and join up. I get anywhere from two to eight or ten offers a day and the pricing is up front, no auctions. Welcome to the Group and have fun with stuff you can see!
Deano
P.S. My mouth waters when I see the ads for the Old General Models Corp./All-Nation F units, which I find very pretty, with quite realistic nose contours. D.
emdmike Was going to do a run down branch line in GN territory in the late 1980's, but with my tighter track work, box cars for hauling grain might fit a bit better.
Was going to do a run down branch line in GN territory in the late 1980's, but with my tighter track work, box cars for hauling grain might fit a bit better.
Mike,
Ya might consider modeling some industrial areas in the big cities. Which would be Seattle or Twin Cities, maybe Vancouver BC, maybe Spokane? Or, of course, you could fake it.
If I was in O and was lucky enough to have room for a loop of track but not much more, I think I'd go that route. I'd have at least part of the loop with industrial sidings. Mainline trains would pass through on the loop track while the NW2 would do the switching. That's sorta what I am doing at home, anyway: I've got a nice big test track loop, with expectations of one of the long straights getting scenery and stuff someday, while the rest would remain just track on white painted wood.
In particular, I remember riding the Empire Builder back in the '60's. In either Minneapolis or Chicago (which, of course, is NOT GN coutry), I remember the train passing those multi-story concrete industrial buildings that kind of overhang their spur tracks--real compact setups handy for small switching layouts.
It's a thought,
Ed
The unpainted F3 will go into the same colors as the F7(which is really a late F3 by road number and details), the NW2 I am not sure yet, but yes, probably into late GN EB colors to match. Was going to do a run down branch line in GN territory in the late 1980's, but with my tighter track work, box cars for hauling grain might fit a bit better. And I have a LHS that has a stock of brand new Athearn Bettendorf trucks. I have the paint to airbrush the F3, but need some acetone to clean the air brush. New paint that I like, has vastly different clean up procedures. I also need to get winterization hatches for both engines, but I will leave the twin A200 horns(GN stuck a 3 chime on the engineers side at some point). Both units have vintage Kemtron electronic Mars lights. Not nearly as effective as todays circuits, but keeps with the "vintage" theme. They were state of the art in the 60's! Basicly the same as the Circuitron duel filament Mars circuits you can still buy today. Runs on a pair of AAA batteries in a holder mounted in the roof. I need to find some 3vt screw in bulbs so I can keep the headlights on all the time, fed off the batteries. Or a single LED that has the right "color" to match the bulb for the Mars. Mike
You're off to a good start in O: An AA set of F's in GN and a switcher (hopefully also in GN). For reasons most everyone is familiar with, I am very happy working in HO, but I have always loved O scale, too. It is so, uh, magnificent. Years ago, I saw an O scale North Coast Limited running. Oh, my! On the plus side, I do have a GN 4-8-4 on my mantlepiece. Another oh, my!
Bon voyage!!!!
I considered S scale, but after getting that lead GN F7, which with its extra ballest, is very heavy and actualy rides on its journel springs, I fell hard for O scale 2 rail. Even with my small 8 foot by 9 foot room. We hope to move to a bigger house in a few years, so maybe someday she can stretch her legs on a proper passenger consist. Unlike most AN F units, she has both trucks powered as the motor sits low in the frame with the drive shafts inline from motor to each axle gear box. The unpainted F3 will get painted to match but remain unpowered. Mike
2 rail O scale was my primary interest back in the 70's and 80's. Eventually, it lost out to S scale because of the limited space I had available.
But since I retired 6 years ago, I have been slowly collecting more O scale to go with what I have from years ago. Like you I am collecting older locomotives and cars, rtr as well as kits, that aren't as expensive as the current offerings. Now that I have a basement bigger than I need for my S scale layout, I plan to build a small 2 rail O scale layout in the near future.
Enjoy
Paul
I am restarting on my indoor layout with 2 rail O scale, having moved up from HO due to failing eyesite. I am doing it "old school" with vintage equipment. One reason is I enjoy the older kits, and two, they are cheaper to purchase. New 2 rail O scale is way past my meager budget. So far I have 3 All nation diecast engines, an F7 with CLW power chassis, an F3 dummy that needs painted yet and an NW2. I have picked up a few older Athearn and AN freight cars both built up and a kit. I got some benchwork and flex track donated, and the gentleman gave me the nice engine house you see in the back ground. Mike