Steve, I have to disagree with your statement that 1:32 is not true scale to gauge. Standard gauge is 4’ 8.5" (56.5"). G1MRA standards allow for a track gauge range of 56" to 56.7". NMRA standards allow for a range from 56.5" - 57". The “target value” (45mm, or 1.772") scales to 56.7". Prototype standard gauge track has an acceptable gauge tolerance of 56" to 57.5" for what is termed “Class 5” track (the tightest tolerances). Both model standards are tighter than the prototype track standards in terms of acceptable ranges, and the target 56.5" falls within both sets of standards.
In terms of “why 1:29,” Wendell may think it cliche, but it’s accurate. It was simply the visual size. The smaller 1:32 models never grabbed the attention of folks when running alongside the 1:22 and 1:24 models. When the scale was bumped to 1:29, the models took up the same physical size, and folks accepted them. It should be noted that many of Piko’s models of European prototypes are built to 1:26 for the same reason. European standard gauge trains are slightly smaller than their US counterparts, thus the scale ends up being a bit larger so the models end up all being the same size. (And European 1:32 has a very strong following, so this is definitely a conscious choice by them to cater their models to the “G scale” size mentality.)
Later,
K
