This is my first post to this site and my first introduction to model railroading. I have posted a short bio to my profile page and you can read that if you like. I have already subscribed to a couple of model railroading magazines and have worn Youtube out viewing model train layouts. I have a question at this early juncture: I know the most popular scale is HO with N being a distant second. I however feel led to invest time, energy, and capital in an S scale layout. I wonder why S scale is not a preferred scale. It seems to fit exactly into what I hope to do. I would appreciate any help you might give me on this head. Thank you in advance. Dr. David Profitt
Hi David,
Welcome!
Fans of S scale have been asking your question since the '30s. It’s big enough to have some heft, but small enough to fit in many homes in a reasonably sized layout.
The perceived problem is availability of equipment. If you want to be able to go out and buy lots of stuff, S scale is limited. HO has by far the largest selection of products, so it’s the easiest scale to get into. Whatever you may like, someone, at some point, may have made it.
N scale has about half the audience size of HO, maybe a third, and a proportionally smaller selection of products.
If you can find what you need/like in S scale, and you enjoy making things yourself, that might be just what you’re looking for.
Eric
Thanks so much for the reassurance that there is not something inherently “wrong” with S scale. I will move forward then with the plan I have in mind which is to re-create the 1940’s East Kentucky coal camp at Hardburley, Ky. My grandfather worked in the mines there and dad had part of his childhood there as well. Dad is gone now since 1998 and I think this would be a good way for me to connect with my historical roots and be a tribute to dad, a WWII POW as well. Many thanks Eric. I look forward to many posts…and many questions in the future. David Profitt
As Eric mentioned, in the 1930s there were 2 choices: Lionel O scale or American Flyer S scale. Lionel was the big guy. Then HO came onto the picture and pushed both aside, followed by N which gave them a further push.
Look at the inside cover of Model Railroad Craftsman, there usualy is an ad for S scale products there. It is a start.
Welcome, David.
What is it about S scale that you feel places it ahead of the two most popular scales to date?
Hi David and welcome the greatest hobby in the World!
Read your profile and partially understand your looking at the larger S scale. I also have Arthritis as well as somewhat failing eyesight so a larger scale would be easer.
I’ve piddled around with all scales in my 80 years. I settled with HO back in the early 60s, my father wasn’t very happy with me over that. He started me out with Lionel three rail and told me hundreds of times that small stuff will never stay on the track, that only gave me more enthusiasm to show him I could make it work as good as the big stuff. I did too!
In 2004 I got caught up in Garden Railroading (G 1:20.3 scale) and that was very nice but ten years later Arthritis took care of that. Knee replacement is not an option for me
One thing not mentioned by Eric is the higher cost of S scale equipment, if you check pricing you might want to change your scale.
&n
When I was 8 years old (1958) I was given a model train set for Christmas - like most boys of that era I suppose. I believe it was a Lionel but I’m not sure. If I can figure out the process, I’ll post a picture of the set later today. Dad built a layout for me in the basement (I have a pic of dad and me and the train set).That very personal sense of nostalgia draws me to the larger scales. Another reason is that, I’ve viewed the smaller scales in a store and they just don’t seem to reflect the power and magnitude of a “real” train. I feel more comfortable with something that has weight and heft and I just believe I’ll be better satisfied with the S scale in that it seems to be a happy trade off between the O and HO scales. David P
Sounds like we’ve got a great deal in common my brother. I wish you the very best and hope to have many conversations with you in the days to come. David P
Since you are interested in modeling mining operations, yet another scale option is narrow gauge O Scale. This scale has become much more popular than S scale and has more products available at better prices. Because the scale models smaller prototypes, the overall size of the trains are similar to those of standard gauge S scale models. The more “consumer” focused version of the scale models 2 1/2" foot gauged rails and is known as either On30 or On2 1/2. This gauge was developed as it allowed O scale trains to run on HO gauge track. Many prefer to model 3 foot gauge as that gauge was more common in the US. It is known as On3. Both On3 and On30 trains are similar in size. The only major difference in the distance between the rails. Track products are readily available for either gauge. Structures and scenery are all O scale. The biggest advantage of narrow gauge O scale is that most narrow gauge prototypes were some type of mountain/logging/mining railroad using small geared locos and rolling stock that had to negotiate poor track with sharp curves. This means that the sharp curves and steep grades of a model railroad are more appropriate for narrow gauge models. Best of all, O scale will be more forgiving for someone with arthritis and/or impaired vision.
Thank you for sharing what is evidently a wealth of knowledge about these trains. I most certainly appreciate the “education.” You have mentioned 3 scales; the S I had originally selected, and two types of O scales, On3 and On30. You have said a bit about each one. What I would like to ask you now is, which would you select if you were just starting and wanted something heavier than an HO? David P
welcome david from toronto canada.
Appreciate the welcome…wish you hadn’t sent us so many “Canadian Clippers” this winter. It’s COLD down here! David P
Pic of one of the engines…60 years old. Bought in 1958. don’t know scale, gauge, or brand…any help? David P (I’ll follow with more pics)
Didn’t work…I had the pics saved to my computer pictures and copied and pasted.
David P
Hi David:
Welcome to the hobby and to the forums!! [#welcome]
First, you can’t transfer pictures directly into the forums from your computer. You have to use a 3rd party photo hosting site like Flickr or imgur. I use imgur. At the top of the General Discussion page there is a thread on how to post pictures. There is also a concise explanation for using imgur here. Scroll down towards the bottom of the first page and read BigDaddy’s post:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/267757.aspx
As far as S scale, if you want to collect hundreds of different locomotives and cars you won’t be able do that. As has been stated, the selection is more limited than in HO or O, but if you want to model a mining operation you won’t need 60 different types of locomotives.
Your point about HO being too small is an understandable concern, but I have no trouble working in HO and I’m doing some pretty detailed stuff.
Cheers!!
Dave
Thanks, Dave. I’ve never used Flickr ir imgut but it can’t be too difficult. I’ll try to post the pics later today. I believe it is a third rail system since there is a brass/copper contact in the center of the underside of the locomotives but I’d like some “professional” opinions on exactly what it is and whether or not they can be restored. I’ve restored some really bad looking tractors so I know there’s hope for the loco’s. I appreciate you getting back to me. David P
Either On30 or On3 should be easy to get started in. The majority of the commercially available “ready-to-run” rolling stock products come set up for On30. If you’d prefer to model the 3’ gauge more commonly found on U.S. prototypes, you’ll have to change out the wheelsets (and possibly trucks) on the On30 products to make them fit the On3 track gauge (unless you find equipment already set up for On3). Commercially available flex track and turnouts are available in both gauges although there are fewer manufacturers of On3 track.
In short, On30 should be less expensive to get started.
I tell you what I’m going to do. We’re going to travel to Lexington Friday to babysit our grandson and I’m going to take that opportunity to go to a model train store there in town so I can see each scale first hand and talk to the proprieter there about the differences in availability, price/cost, size of layout required, and available technologies. Lexington is the closest large town to us…about 100 miles away. I can’t find an outlet in this part of the state that carries anything other than a couple of basic, Christmas tree train sets. David P
David
You might also go to the Walthers website and explore what is available in each scale as well as the corresponding prices. Regardless of what scale you finally choose, there is no doubt that you will enjoy this hobby! Good luck and feel free to pose any other questions you might have. This forum is loaded with information and most members will patiently walk you through whatever problems you might run into.
I don’t know whether you are fortunate enough to live in an area where an upcoming train show will visit, but these are great events to see the advantages of each scale first hand. Plus, the people running the trains are very knowledgable about their respective scales and most will talk your ears off.
I was just at the Great Train Show in Costa Mesa, CA this past Sunday and one display had side-by-side examples of each scale from G down to N. There were also several display layouts in Scales from G down to Z. The displays can also give you ideas about just what you’d like to model.