Nobody I know of in Large Scale buys anything from Walthers. In fact, nobody I know in just about any scale intentionally buys from Walthers if they can possibly avoid it. Why pay those kinds of prices when there are many alternatives available?
I’ve been involved with Large Scale model railroading since the eary 80s, and rank it as one of my two favorite scales. Overall, and considering what you get for your money, I’ve found Large Scale to be one of the more affordable segments of the hobby. It’s not as inexpensive as HO or N, of course, but that makes perfect sense because it’s a smaller segment and the items offered generally have to be made to more rigorous specifications since they’re largely intended for outdoor use in all climates and conditions.
Turnout concerns? Just lay your own. It’s a whole lot easier to build “customized” trackwork in Large Scale than it is in some of the smaller scales.
My advice: Pick up a current copy of “Garden Railways” magazine, and pay a visit to www.mylargescale.com. Between those two sources, you can find out anything you might want to know about Large Scale and garden railroading.
I was thinking handlaying might not be much of an option. But maybe it is! Where can you purchase rail of various codes? (Easy to find code 70,83,100, etc., but how about the larger codes.
Do you do large scale indoors or outdoors?
Is the large scale rail flexible enough for handlaid turnouts?
Thanks for the info. I don’t know that I’ll get involved in large scale, but it’s sure interesting stuff.
I would like to build a small indoor shelf-style narrow gauge logging layout in G scale. Since I enjoy scatchbuilding rolling stock and structures, I was looking for a source that sells G scale trucks and other detail parts. I can’t find any as most places cater to the RTR crowd (nothing wrong with that as I use some RTR items).To me the joy of modeling in a large scale would be the ease of scratchbuilding and the level of detail possible. I agree Walthers is rather expensive and their inventory is limited (for my needs). I very seldomly order from them for my On30 and HO needs. If anyone knows a place that sells trucks and other detail parts for large scale please let me know.
Walthers catalog prices are full MSRP on everything. Check other sources such as St. Aubin’s Station, Trainland, or eBay for those turnouts.
I’ve noticed a trend for MR authors to always use and recommend the most expensive items available. Remember, they’re nearly always getting paid to write these articles or can charge the cost of materials to Kalmbach, so price is usually no object to them.
I’ve seen those same turnouts at an Ace Hardware in Tucson for less than $40.
If I bought large scale from Walthers I’d never have started in the 1st place. Large scale is mostly bought from mail order companies, given the small number of dedicated shops around the country. If there is a LHS that sells it, its likely to be selling at full retail, so most of us buy via mail order. If you do so the price of admission comes way down.
Example:
Bachmann 2-8-0 Consolidation MSRP $799, mail order from discount shop $299.
Thats quite a difference and before someone posts saying “support your LHS” let me say this, if your pockets are that deep, please go ahead and pay full retail. My pockets are shallow, only a puddle, so I have to be very discriminant about what I buy. I’m lucky enough that two shops that do alot of mail order are near my area and I can shop there as my LHS.
Flex - track is a bit of a contradiction as you really need a rail bender to create curves, it cant be bent by hand, at least not bent correctly. there are basicly only two codes of rails in large scale 250 and 332.
332 is LGB type rail
250 is more finescale, used mostly for hand layed narrow guage
Very interesting information. I didn’t know you couldn’t get flexible rail for G scale.
A garden railroad I saw as a child is a constant influence of large-scale that’s always in the back of my mind.
It was at the Pomona Fairgrounds in Southern California - supposedly the largest garden railroad in the world. It used to be scratch-built 1/2" scale, but is currently mixtures of G-scale.
Here’s a couple links to websites of its current state:
I grew up loving this model railroad, only to find out about a year ago that my grandmother knew the guy who started it - he was a shop teacher at a school that she taught at when she was younger.
Crazy, huh?
Bummer that the indoor O-scale layout under the grandstand is gone. It definately lived a good life though. Wasn’t it like 50 years old or something?
Because of the scales of these layouts, and since they were the only layouts I saw as a kid other than me & my Dad’s 4x8, I thought we were oddballs for having an HO layout!
Come to find out that outdoor layout was a total oddball. As a kid I thought it was G or something - come to find out later it was totally custom, and my Grandmother knew the builder!
I have 1400+ feet outdoors, all aluminum, all elevated.
We do wayfreight ops sessions twice a month.
I started with ME 250, never again. No uv protection.
I have used 6’ lengths of Llagas flex since.
Main is 250, all branches and spurs 215.
Does not overpower the trains as 332 does.
215 works with every flange I have come across.
I use Llagas switches, with Tenmille ground throws except for 2 which are EZ Air.
75 or so turnouts.
I still do “0”, just not here anymore.
Like was posted, why Walthers?
The saying “Your dealer HOPES he can get it from Walthers” has basis in fact.
BTDT.
Never again.