What's the best guage or size

Bruce, I spent most of my childhood in Wisconsin.
We lived in Oshkosh and I saw a lot of the C&NW
at the Depot. My dad use to take us and watch the
train come and depart. The first thing about it
that I can remember best was the headlight. I do
not remember what kind of engine they were but it
was a diesel this was about 1963 when I first saw
them. I just wi***here would have been Steam it
went out just before I was born. We had a coal
heat in one house and I remember Shoveling the
coal into the Stoker. I even emptied the ash pan.
It did seem a little like a steam engine. There
just wasn’t any noise. I went to Green Bay a lot
to the Train Museum a lot. They had a Big Boy
and I just thaught how it must have been to here
and see it run. You could go in the cab then.
I moved to Kentucky in 1974 and we could sit in
the living room and watch the trains come through.
I moved back into the house in 1995 and we still
have trains come through. It is a Company owned
business but we still see trains. I hope you are
right about the gene thing, maybe both of your
sons got them. Ross

Consider LARGE scale [;)]

HO.

YES! Large Scale or even O scale.

I’m in a similar boat. We’ve bought 2 O scale Lionel sets for our boys this year, but don’t have a lot of room for a decent sized layout. The boys don’t care either way, they just love watching the trains run, even if it’s in a circle, but Daddy would like something more involved, so I may mix some N-scale with an O layout. I’ve also looked at HO as well, since Bachman has a lot more of the Thomas the Train items available than Lionel does in the O scale.

Well the best is the Super, Superb, Sexy, Stupendous S Scale.

It’s the Scale for Serious model railroaders.

Enjoy

Paul

Although I don’t model in it, I believe S scale would be an ideal size as it’s a good compromise between HO and O scales. large enough to see the details but small enough to build a layout in a reasonable amount of space. It’s dimensions, 3/16" to the foot, are very easy and logical to work with since everything is in increments of sixty fourths - the standard size of material in this country- perfect for the scratchbuilder. I’ve thought about modeling in it, particularly in Sn3 but locomotives are SO EXPENSIVE as PBL, while museum quality locos, corners the market. I believe Sn3 would take off if some firm produced some non-brass affordable locos. Just look at On30s rise to popularity.

You’re right about the high cost of locomotives holding back Sn3. If Bachmann would come out with their On30 line in Sn42 (HO track in S) I think the scale/gauge would really take off. Of course I’d love to see them in S standard gauge as well.

Enjoy

Paul

I checked the original posting date before replying on this one, its another 2001. But I’ll reply anyways just in case it’s going to answer someone elses inquiry. HO. Fair prices, nicely sized, seemingly endless supply of everything.

-beegle55

I’ll throw my 2 cents in. At his age, Lionel is probably the best choice. However, I would not make too big of an investment in it because if he becomes hooked on the hobby, chances are he will migrate toward HO or N which are more prototypically accurate. There are exceptions to every rule. Some modelers have made a lifetime hobby of Lionel but that requires a lot of more space than the smaller scales.

Why not take him to a train show and let him show you what he wants. If you are able to keep up let him lead you around the show and when he spots it you’ll know what scale he likes. And don’t ask what it is only he knows.

Johnnny_reb

Hey guys! Al Mayo got us again!