When did we change from "gage to "gauge in model trains? I just starting working on a Rex “S” Gage Dockside kit (C-16 Switcher). The assembling & operating information spelling for gauge is “gage”. Does anyone happen to have a assembling diagram that they could scan an e-mail to me on the old Rex model train kits? There is not a lot of information available on the world wide web on Rex “S” Gage Dockside kit.
Many Thanks,
AZ-Flyer
We didn’t. I’ve always spelled it “gauge”, whether for models or the prototype. Merriam-Webster gives “gage” as a variant. “Gage” looks like a Noah-Websterism; but he seems to have spelled it “gauge” in his 1828 dictionary.
I think gage is usually used as a tool such as a tire pressure gage or a feeler gage or as a retired machinist a dial bore gage, go- no go gages, thread pitch gage and so on.
I don’t know where you buy your tools, but mine have always been sold as tire pressure gauges, go/no-go gauges, etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go/no_go_gauge
http://www.amazon.com/Anytime-Tools-ENGINE-CYLINDER-GAUGE/dp/B000I8QVES
http://www.edmundoptics.com/lab-production/general-tools/mitutoyo-thread-pitch-gauges/1616
Well, maybe not![;)]
Assembling & Operating Information for Rex “S” Gage
Getting back to the point of my post in the first place. I am still looking for anyone that would have a diagram of the mechanism asembly for the Rex “S” Gage Dockside Switcher
Yes it is spelled “Gage” not “Gauge”
Interesting…
AZ-Flyer
Please add further information on Rex Engineering that you have available, or is available on the Internet. I’m Looking for photos, diagrams, and parts. Thank You,
AZ-Flyer
Bert Carpenter started (Rex Engineering & MFG. CO.) Rex Models back in the mid fifties with the introduction of the Rex “S” Gage 0-4-0 Dockside Kit (Baltimore & Ohio C-16 Switcher) and later with the Rex “S” Gage 2-4-4-T Double End Suburban Locomotive Kits (model numbers 3&4)
After Bert Carpenters death, Rex models continued under Howard Phillips and John Sudimak. (S&P Distributors)
Rex “S” Gage 0-4-0 Dockside
On Ebay I’ve seen “Gage”, “Gauge”, “Guage” and even the occassional “Gouge”!
Rex 0-4-0 Dockside in “S” Gage
On eBay HERE!
Even LIONEL is misspelled frequently.
I was researching back in some of my 1970’s S Gauge Herald Magazines where S&P Distributing were advertising Rex model train kits. They spell gauge as gauge in there advertisement. Bert Carpenter of Rex Engineering that started Rex model trains spelled Gauge as “Gage” on his Assembling & Operating Information. Was this the sign of the times, or some other advertising ploy by Bert Carpenter of Rex Model Trains?
Does anyone know the real truth?
Assembling & Operating Information for Rex “S” Gage
Suburban Locomotive Kits Model # 3&4
Occasionally a respelling will catch on, as “donut” seems to be doing. I don’t know about “gage”; but at least it makes orthographic sense. Railroad Model Craftsman magazine used to have a feature with the ugly title “Your Nabor’s Pike”. Maybe they still do. I spent much of my career working for the now defunct Tracor, Inc., which was supposed to be pronounced “Traycor”. It was an unfortunate shortening of “Texas Research Associates Corporation”, selected after “Trac” and “Traco” were found to be in use already. Of course, we often got mail addressed to “Tractor, Inc.” Ironically, the company I now work for builds navigation systems–for tractors!
Here it is 2020 … and I’m still wondering the same thing![:)] I was surfing the web looking for info on my old REX gondola & flatcar w/American Flyer trucks. I’m assuming my dad put them together and painted… around 1962.
New words are constantly being introduced. Many times misspellings become so common they’re added to the dictionary as variant/alternative spellings (much to my dismay). In my opinion, it’s an unfortunate reward bestowed unto the illiterate. Perhaps that’s how “gage” came into being. Perhaps not. It’s definitely not the most common way of spelling “gauge” as it pertains to train models.
Legend has it the name of my city was altered from Cleaveland to Cleveland because the font wouldn’t fit on the masthead of a new paper a newspaper started using. I’ve also heard of at least three different newspapers to which the legend is applied. Without a time machine and the ability to overcome paradoxes we’ll probably never know for sure.
That was very interesting. I’d always wondered about the GVS, but I didn’t know it had a name. Do you have any information on the letter “s”? It looks similar to an “f” in many cases before the 20th century. However I’ve seen some words where one “s” looks like an “f” while another “s” in the same word looks like today’s “s”.
As a (sometimes violated) rule: the elongated “f”-like “s” came at the beginning and in the middle of words (and as the first of two for doubled "s"s); the “s” you are used to was used at the end. For more info: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/history-of-long-s/
When Microsoft spell check stopped recognizing gage and would only accept gauge.