It’s not like K-Line made a huge financial commitment to S.
Maury was using ancient Marx o-27 tooling to make its “S Gauge” rolling stock. I don’t use American Flyer turnouts on my layout, but I believe some of the K-Line rolling stock wouldn’t clear the switch stands.
“K-Line – the trains with a hangover even Alka Seltzer can’t cure.”
Hey S scale guys! I am in the midst of scatchbuilding a roundhouse and am wondering if anyone out there has built a turntable? If so what material did you use for your base? I was thinking of metal(16 ga) instead of plywood like Bowser uses. What do you think?
S scale forever!
Randy
"S"ounds like a plan to me. Go for it.
Sorry to veer off topic, but since Sask mentioned the Dakan set… Sask, do you happen to know which company made the tin battery East-West train set that ran on O gauge track?
I know the trains you are talking about, Dave, and have a set myself. There were three different sets like this:
-Maroon/brown engine, maroon/brown boxcar, orange caboose. In this set the batteries went into the engine’s boiler. This set is much more common than the other two.
-Blue engine, flatcar with logs, white “Gasoline” tank car, orange caboose. This set was battery-electric with a little battery controller that looks like a station.
-Black engine, silver “Gasoline” tank car, orange caboose. In this one the batteries also went into the engine.
As far as the manufacturer goes, I am 95% sure that these were made by Alps. The reason there is that 5% doubt is because the only markings on these sets are “Made in Japan” and the boxes they came in carried a logo with an “M” in a circle that I am not familiar with. However, Alps did make some small (a bit under half the size of these) tinplate sets that ran on Japanese O gauge track (see my last post for that gauge). These trains look just like miniature versions of the East-West sets. Although they have more prototypical markings (the engines and cars are lettered for Rock Island and the tank cars for Mobilgas), the colours and details in the lithography are very close to the East-West sets. There are other simmilarities, such as the large coal bunkers on the engines (I suppose these are supposed to represent tenders, but I prefer to think of these locomotives as large tank engines), European-style brakehouses on the tank cars and the overall shape of the cabooses. Some of these sets also used station battery-boxes that look just like the East-West one. In addition, the boxes thes
Sask, I have the set with the brown locomotive. I also have the flatcar from the set with the blue locomotive (loose). I stumbled on that on eBay and bought it, knowing only that it was made in Japan. Eventually I found out it came from one of the East-West sets, and eventually I hunted down the set with the brown locomotive in the box. I agree, I really like postwar Japanese tin. The mystery of it is part of the charm, I think.
Thanks for the info!
I agree with you Dave that that mystery certainly is part of the charm. There really isn’t anything published about these trains and they don’t have the collector following that other “normal” tinplate trains do, which for me makes them all the more enticing (even if this wasn’t the case I’d still probabably love them just as much anyway, though). Just when I think I’ve seen all the Japanese trains there are, some completely new set that I’ve never encountered shows up. They have a uniqueness about them that other toy trains don’t.
i too like both o and s. i collect cars that appear in street racing games like need for speed and midnight club. i aquired an o gauge lionel train set and converted an old nascar dirt s gauge 1/8 mile
track i had built on 1/2 of a ping pong table. the theme is alternately modern day san diego, L.A. atlanta, detroit or tokyo, depending on which game i am playing.
recently i bought another o scale lionel train set that had an s scale libby’s boxcar. Can i buy an s scale set that will run on my three rail track layout? if so, i will be more ambiguous in the scale of any “fixed” buildings.
obviously the boxcar fits…what about locomotives? electric differences? any brand that will work besides lionel? (this question of brand also applies to o gauge)
any help will be greatly appreciated.
happy scale modeling to all
regards, ulf
You mean there are American Flyer fans on this thread? And they do have S gauge layouts? naw…[;)]
Good to see this scale and hobby is alive and well…S and HO has been always my preference, just cannot get over the 3rd rail… so my Lionel comes down only on Christmas… still love it though…
Wow this thread is still around. I need to fix up my Royal Blue it has a reverse unit problem. I am Glad to see so many others out there enjoying the beSt gauge out there. Anyone know if Putt trains is out of business and if so when did it happen and what happened to the tooling?
As for the east-west set I have the loco and caboose paid $15 at an estate sale cool but have know idea who made it.
I tried to pull down the web sit but to no avail… I remember seeing a few of their trolley locos way back when I was a kid at the swap meets, have not seen them since… what else did they make?
I believe that Putt still advertises in the magazines.
Threy also had a small diesel switcher as a kit and built up and Terry Put bought the old Rex tooling for some steamers. Website has not worked for awhile just e-mailed him waiting to see if that is still a valid e-mail.
Tooling for American flyer steamers?! I thought Lionel had exclusive rights to all those dies…
Kind of begs the question if the tools could be re-run again? Would be worth it if it was the Challenger 336 (current reissue looks bland), 0-8-0, or 0-6-0, the rest of the steamers seems to be plenty available? A 21129 or a 326 remake would be nice though!
Who purchased all the Alco tooling? Lionel as well? Seems the shells, frames, motors, and trucks would be a gold mine to reproduce as parts.
I would like to see the small diesel switcher…hmm. like a one truck baldwin?
I believe that the Rex locomotive kits were only scale, I have the 2-6-0 and it is scale.
Enjoy
Paul
Do you have any pictures of this 2-6-0?
Mine is still a kit, but the NASG site has pictures http://www.nasg.org/databases/locomotives.php select Rex in the manufacturer’s box.
Enjoy
Paul
Nice! is this Hi-Rail compatable? Probably would have to investigate changing the wheel sets and motor.
Good news just recieved an e-mail from Mr. Putt and he says website will beback up in a few weeks, If I am not mistaken he also owns/operates a machine shop.
CSXect- the 350 is one of my favorites; I have two, one redone into a steamer with a can motor and another original
As far as S Layouts, yea we have them, My layout is all post war original AF except for a Gabe the LAmp lighter I could not pass up nor afford an original
I am nuts over S I admit!
Jim