Recently, I found my old American Flyer circus train and had it cleaned and refurbished. I am in the process of making a small layout for it and am wondering about the size of vehicles to put on the layout. I’ve read that “true” S Scale stuff is supposed to be 1/64 scale, but have also read where some people use 1/43 vehicles. 1/64 is like Hot Wheels and Matchbox, right? 1/43 would be about half again larger than 1/64. Does anyone know anything about this?
Perhaps a few of the smaller 1/43 construction vehicles and equipment might pass for large true S-scale vehicles, but for S-Scale you should be using 1/64, and there are true S-scale diecast vehicles for sale (M2 Machines offers true S-Scale for example, there are other brands as well, so check for the ratio if you can).
Matchbox/Hot-Wheels are not always true S-Scale, but float in a range around 1/64 (some of the smaller trucks like their old GMC TopKick are nearly HO scale, for example).
S scale is defined as 1/64 ratio or 3/16" to the foot and was created in the 30’s. American Flyer post WWII is S scale running on S gauge track. There are many makes of S scale vehicles, but 1/43 are too large. 1/43 is O scale as it came from Britain where the scale is defined as 7mm to the foot. In the U.S. O was changed to 1/48 or 1/4" to the foot.
If you are interested these dealers carry S scale vehicles
Some of Ertl’s are S scale, primarily farm equipment.
Enjoy
Paul
This company probably has the widest variety of dicast available in the US, although they don’t have everything.
http://www.diecastdirect.com/?c=True
There are more trucks in 1/64 than in any other scale, but few autos in that scale.
The widest variety of autos by far is in 1/43 scale.
Most construction equipment is 1/50 scale
1/43 and 1/64 are close in farm equipment , but 1/64 has a slight edge.
For Fire trucks 1/50 scale leads
If you want to model S Scale you should stick to 1/64 scale vehicles. 1/50, 1/48, and 1/43 are just too big.
On the other hand, there are S gaugers, and O gaugers (as opposed to scalers) who are more flexible in choice of scale and although they mix scales have very good looking impressive layouts.
Many items have been marketed as suitable for both S gauge and O gauge Trains
The history of Toy and Model Trains, with all the various combinations of scale and gauge is an interesting subject, but to complex to go into here.
Thanks for all the information.
I checked out the Hoquat Hobbies website and there’s a note saying they will be closing their store at the end of 2015.
Just thought I’d pass that along.
You might have heard of people using 1:43 vehicles if they model in O scale, which is 1:48. Those vehicles are only slightly outsized for O scale.
Actually, I suspect there are more S scale vehicles than O scale. A friend of mine collects S scale fire fighting equipment, and there’s a huge number of products available.
IIRC true correct “O scale” is 1:45 scale, 17/64" = 1 foot, not an easy scale to work with. In the US, we use 1:48 which is 1/4" = 1 foot. In Europe they use 1:43 (technically 1:43.55) which is 7mm= 1 foot. So European models are slightly too big, US slightly too small.
(BTW, that’s why HO “Half O” scale isn’t 1:96 scale (half of 1:48). It’s 1/2 of 1:43.55, or 1:87.1 scale.)
Works as long as the 1/43 scale vehicles are not too close to 1/48 or 1/50 scale vehicles. However, some do and are really bothered by the difference.
48/43 =1.116 thus 1/43 is 11.6% too big. A 1/43 Jaguar sports car next to a 1/48 Ford sedan looks too big to most people since they are familar with the relative sizes of automobiles, but may be OK next to a 1/48 boxcar. Most peoples perception of the relative sizes of different oblects in the real world is off.