Just curious...G scalers have so many actual scales out there due to the various interpretations of what LGB track was meant to represent [ I believe it was meant to represent meter-gauge European narrow gauge which meant a scale of 22.5:1]. However...there are m'fr's making models to 29:1, 24:1, and 20.3:1...the last one representing the track as 36" N.A. narrow gauge. So who in G models what actual scales?? The LGB track has ties that look too short for 3 ft. gauge railroading, so do those who use 20.3:1 models tend to handlay track, or get a different commercial track? I'm trying a modest commercial venture in custom trestles & bridges, and made up one G trestle using 24:1 proportion...wondering if it should have been at 20.3:1...any comments? thanks & regards / Mike
I'd recommend building just about ANYTHING in 1/24th scale for the large scale market. I use 1/29th scale engines and rolling stock exclusively and ALL my structures are 1/24th scale simply because of the ease of measurment. See www.wvrr.ca I have entertained a thousand visitors over the years and no-one, that's NO-ONE, can see the difference. And no-one worries about the spacing and length of the ties because (a) they are nearly all covered in ballast and (b) how many people know, or care, about the correct size, or gauge for that matter. After all, how long is a piece of string. Keep in mind this is a hobby. Your not building the real thing.
Mike, I model 1:20.3 including my buildings (using a ScaleCard) but a 1:24 average size trestle or bridge is just a slightly smaller 1:20 bridge or a slightly bigger 1:29 (Goofy Gauge) bridge so what does it matter? For those of us who are sticklers for correct scale/proportion we just adjust our parameters to fit. You sell me a 1:24th scale 48ft bridge, I install a 1:20.3 scale 40ft 8 inch bridge! Even those of us who are pain-in-the-*ss rivet-counters understand that we live in the real world!
Thanks for the responses, Dave and Phil. Two responses isn't exactly a quorum of large scalers, but I do appreciate your comments. I think track appearance must matter to quite a few large scalers, or Llagas Creek wouldn't have a substantial customer base. Also, if scale were not all that important, then 20.3:1 would probaby never have been commercially produced. It's hard for me to believe that there is "blanket scale forgiveness" with G gaugers, compared to those in other, smaller scales, but good for them if this is the case. Not to be annoying about this, but what do you think then, when and if using diecast Ertl coin banks, as a basis for detailed highway vehicles in large scale ? Ertl makes them in both 24:1 scale, and 32:1 scale....to me, they're not really visually interchangeable, but does it really matter?
The main reason I see such popularoty with 1:20.3 is the fact that Bachmann builds most if not all of their stuff in 1:20.3. The equipment is cheap, excellent starting points for bashing, and that part that seems to bring more people into putting a train into their garden. Most if not all Garden railroads I have seen are freelanced, railroads built in the real world in somebody's back yard. In 1:1, standards for the width of ties really depended on what the rail boss wanted. You can pretty much call G-Scale the renegade scale, the last final frontier for those who want to freelance without any need to ever worry about rivet counters. The railroad is built to match the area/space alotted for the railroad, as well as the contours of the natural landscape. In these cases, you must remember the relative size of a cubic yard and how little that is when you are working with mountains. And when it is all finished, the stock on the rails are of such a size that it looks good whether you are a foot away or 100 feet away. Most of the time, you will be seeing everything between 6 feet and fifteen feet away. This arena of the hobby really is, what have you done with what we have available to us? I love G for the creative freedom that is allowed (awnuts), something that seems to be hidden in the closet, theblack sheep, among smaller scales. This Idea of adhereing to someone else's ideal, or to the prototype ideal, seems to restrict the artform. There are scale layouts everywhere, but which one do non hobbyists know by name? How about the slightly whimsicaly Northlandz? Yes, it is large and that is how it got its popularity, and it very rarely follows any notion of reality but I think it adequately shows that prototype copying isn't everything. It is the moment, the attention to small details in a scene, the addition of small extras that makes the trains more memorable. In the garden, the modeler has to deal with real plants, real water, real weather, and real animals, the quality of the ties, the rails, and the trains running on the tracks only matters if and when the trains are running. Rivet counters seem more displaced by mircobotancial enthusiasts and master gardeners. Final note: the Gorre and Daphetid didn't really follow a prototype, but its legendary status remains today. It all depends on the perpective. Fist off, look through a childs book such as Richard Scarry andyou will notice a wide variety in the sizes of people and their cars...it goes with the notion that different size people have differnt size cars, but they all work together in the same world. that would be an easy child spirit explanation. another is to simply use the smallervehicles to make the forced perspective, which is very effective in large scl due to the long ditances. There is also tyhe technique of using space to turn a band and poof, everything is a little smaller. If you want one last opinion on if a 1:32 is compatibly with a 1:24, ask your children...they have more practice with this then we do, and they know what is important without getting all technical about it. They operate so well because GOOD track in Large scale is crucial to a good railroad. Most plastic track dies after a couple seasons, and the only alternatives are handlaying, which is Very Cheap and Very common, or puchasing expensive commercially available (but still homemade by the manufacturer). This track is probably good, and more important then anything, lasts long periods of time in the sun, rain and snow. The width makes if look good, just as good as anything else. Try the scale out sometime...you will soon find yourself more concerned with handlying track from point A to B then if you have chosen a good width for you ties. [ 23. November 2002, 02:06: Message edited by: Benny ]
Well, I'm a life long model railroader, [50 years +], mainly in HO, and have never been a rivet counter, or anything remotely resembling one. I certainly hope I didn't come across as one in this thread, but it seems so, and I am sorry I ever opened the thread, to tell the truth. I just had a couple of what I thought to be simple questions, but much of the response content seems a bit patronizing, rather than objective. It's as if I've stumbled into a 'secret society', without knowing the 'handshake', however, it's no big deal and I'll not post any further 'G' questions here. Perhaps it's my writing style, as I have asked many similar 'G' questions face-to-face at train shows, and got some very objective and worthwhile responses. I had no intention of putting anyone on the defensive here. Thanks & regards / Mike
Sorry if I came across a little harsh, I have been known to do that at times... I think you already know the secret hand shake...Let's Talk Trains followed by Have Fun!!! If you ever get the urge and love the outdoors, give G a try and see if you enjoy it. Check out a gardern railways magazine out, it is sure to give you some more ideas...How I wish I had a workshop!!!
I think when you would like to have everything perfect in scale it would cost you a lot of money or a lot of time to achieve this. My view about all this is you can mix everything as long you feel happy with what you are doing and are enjoying it . I mix a lot of scales or adapt them so they "seem" acceptable within a given scale. Actually, I feel the most important in model railroading is to create the "right atmosphere" and not the 100% correct scale or correct riveted model.
Doing a bit of web browsing and found a producer of wood shapes in B.C. who lists his G gauge product as the following scales: F scale 1: 20.3 G scale 1:22.5 H scale 1:24 X scale 1:29 He mainly offers sizes in 'F' and 'H' scales. Anyone run into these with other product ? regards / Mike
I run all B-mann stuff, and build all my buildings to 1/24 -1/2 inch scale.. Looks just fine to me...
