Ok I have an O scale Christmas layout and this year I set it up for automatic crossing gate, but when I received my new Lionel gate, I nearly fell out of my chair at the size of it. I do believe it would be more appropriate for a G-scale layout. Anyway I actually model in N scale, but I’m wondering how far off the HO scale crossing gate would be to my O scale Christmas layout. It doesn’t have to be an exact scale replication and only large enough that it appears to the untrained eye as to scale. Anything would be better then the giant size Lionel I just purchased. While I was sitting at a real UP crossing gate today on my home from work, I noticed that the actual gate was relativity small compared to the SD70AC that passed by and wondered if I could get by with an HO gate. Sorry to invade your space with O scale, but there just doesn't seem to be anybody home in the O forum and I'd like to make another purchase before Christmas. Plus I think HO scalers would better know their stuff than others.
There are some 3-rail sized gates out there. I have some. I even have remains of some prewar gates that are correct size. MOST of your older Lionel accessories were Lionel Standard Gauge, or close to #1. Crossing gates, semaphores, target signals, gateman and shanty, wig wag. You just have to look. Hard to do anymore with fewer and fewer hobby shops to actually see one in person. Which Lionel gate did you get? I have some from my youth that look about 12" long. If they're 10", 1/4" to the foot, that's a 40-foot gate right there.
Thanks, I bought the Lionel 6-12714 Automatic Crossing Gate and my biggest problem is that there aren’t any Hobby shops within 70 miles of me to look at anything for comparison. So I’m going to have to depend on information I get from the internet.
A lot of the three rail stuff is not really "scale". It can be quite oversized. Remember the old crossing shanty, where the watchman pops out with his lantern? The figure is huge, when compared to the trains, etc.
Well I was just looking at some HO crossing gates and I really didn’t see anything that caught my eye that would be worth ordering. I don’t know if I just wasn’t looking in the right places or what and I may have to make my own gate. I’d hate to modify this new gate that I just bought because I might be able to return it or sell it if I have to.
