I would like to think that the smaller scales crowd see the toy train group as a “homecoming” of sorts. A destination, where after all of their rivet-counting successes have all been accredited, they may one day simply get back to just playing with trains again. It may be a train set to a grandchild at Christmas, or a visit to a friend’s post-war layout, or a hi-rail railroad that incorporates what they’ve learned…but they will remember what it was like to be a child again, and the older we get, the simpler we like things.
So (whenever you’re all ready), come one in boys…the water’s fine.
Well, I have been at this hobby since 1967, in HO, and in my yonger years worked in hobby shops, sold and repaired all manner and scale of model/toy trains.
I think some of you who feel that those in another scale/gauge look down on the scale/gauge you model in/play with may be confusing indifference with some stronger negative emotion that is not there.
I don’t dislike O gauge/three rail/tin plate/CTT type trains - I’m simply not interested in them because they do not suit my modeling goals and interests.
I do believe each scale/gauge as a specific set of advantages and disadvantages, that when applied to the interests and modeling goals of the individual, make some scales better for them than others.
I like long trains, 40, 50 or more cars, pulled by double headed steam, or ABBA diesel sets. I like working diaphragms on passenger cars that do not have 6 foot gaps between them. I like building kits for rolling stock and structures. I like prototypical operation AND display running.
I like the comment about HO curves being larger than O gauge curves - mine are 36" RADIUS, 72" diameter - minimum.
I have seen some great model work done in the larger scales, but for me it would have to be 1/4" scale two rail, and I would need 3200 sq ft rather than the 800 sq ft I have and WAY more money - so HO is just right for me.
We all have what WE LIKE, not what someone else thinks we should have. The only time I got angry on here was a guy I won’t name started his first post trashing 3railers. And never stopped till I assume he was finally told to leave…
EDIT: I didn’t mean on this thread, but on this the CTT forum.
I do agree with Sheldon. I have been a member of the MRR forums for 8 years, and the banter over there is always about N scale and HO scale mainly. No one bashes O gauge, no one even talks about it. I don’t think that HO scale guys look down at O gauge at all. I don’t think that HO’ers even give any thought to the CTT side of the hobby. Let’s face it, though, we are probably all a little paranoid about our hobby since we “play with trains”.
I’m the original poster. My lifetime main intrest was hot rods untill I got too old to be rebellious anymore. Many of the older hot rodders where anything without a V8 was met with instant distain just cant stand Honda or import tuners cars. 8ntruck mentioned this. I don’t think any model railroaders in any scale are like that.
And here’s another hand raised for the S Scale fans!! o/
Forget that third rail… what’s with those fat little stubby engines???[swg]
Lol…
Of course this is all tongue in cheek!
All toy trains are great, we dabbled in all scales here at my house including a Prewar Flyer layout (even though it’s O I still can’t bring myself to go over to the “Dark Side of the Force” with Lionel [}:)]) and my son has an HO layout with DCC that I helped him with. Gilbert AF S still being the first true love…
Noone should look down on anyone (unless it has the 3rd rail)! Just kidding. Like most of you are saying, we like what we like for many different reasons and that’s good enough! It’s our hobby. Just enjoy it and let others do the same.
I have been into nearly any scale there is around. I started out in HO scale 49 years ago, after having been given a Marklin starter set for Christmas. I have also built N scale layouts, a couple HOe (German narrow gauge) layouts and a G scale live steam garden layout. Right now, I am just about to start a Z scale layout, as a friend of mine gave me all of his Z scale stuff. That´s going to be an experience [swg]
For me, all model railroading is fun, regardless of scale and size.
My secret love, though, is O scale, but I don´t have the space nor the funds for it.
As is a Mopar V8 in a Triumph. Another college buddy of mine pulled that one off. That experiment ended when the engine ripped out of the motor mounts after he punched it.
My uncle once dropped a Maserati engine (from a Citroën SM) into a Corvair.
