Bob McCown said:Genius! Did you build your own stuff, Bob?
I was never in any other scale besides 1:20, and I got started around 1995.
Wasn’t the earliest RTR 1:20 locomotive the Bachman Shay in 1999-2000?
I started in “Rubber Scale” because it all looked good, and I didn’t know any better. It still all looks good. 
The Shay came out in the fall of 97, and the climax about a year later (I have first-generation releases of both). I’ve always been scratchbuilding/kitbashing my stuff, lots of it with details and parts from Jeff Saxton and Sierra Valley when they were the only 1:20 game in town.
Of all the things that I’ve lost over the years, I miss my memory the most… :lol:
Heh. We’ll make sure to wheel you out into the sunshine at least once a day, Steve…
Steve Featherkile said:Yeah, it probably does, but do you now know better? :P ;)
............. I started in "Rubber Scale" because it all looked good, and I didn't know any better. It still all looks good. :P
Hey Hans and Steve and Dave and Mik and Norman!
How’s this sound for rubber scale:
I break up my train and switch cars in the freightyard with a Heartland 0-4-0+slopeback Tender.
‘Scale’= 1:24 (?) (maybe…)
This same loco makes up the new train, mostly with Bachmann rolling stock.
‘Scale’= 1:22.3 (?)
Then I bring in the road engine, an Aristo Consolidation…
‘Scale’= 1:29 (?)
It was in the engine house with a Bug Mauler and a couple of Annies…
‘Scale’= 1:20.5 (?)
The engine house and most of the trackside industrial structures are scratchbuilt from alleywood.
‘Scale’= 1:24 (?)
Some structures are supposedly further back than others.
‘Scale’= 1:32 (?)
Down in the valley, my wife decided that O scale structures looked way better… She was right. And she painted them too, which was a bonus.
‘Scale’= 1:48 (?)
As the Consolidation works the line, its efforts may be interrupted by a passenger train pulled by one of two Kalamazoo 4-4-0’s,
‘Scale’= 1:24 (?)
The cars will be either Kalamazoo,
‘Scale’= 1:24 (?)
or Aristo Craft
‘Scale’= 1:29 (?)
or Bachmann
‘Scale’= 1:22.3 (?)
or LGB
‘Scale’= 1:22.3 (?)
Most of the cars in the way freight being worked by that Consolidation will be el cheapo B’manns.
‘Scale’= 1:22.3 (?)
In the mix there will undoubtedly be at least a couple of Aristo Craft Ballast / wooden hopper cars.
‘Scale’= 1:29 (?)
Or it may be interrupted by another through freight powered by any one of the locos on the shelf…
‘Scale’= any of the above…
Or it may be interrupted by a train brought over by a visitor… Occasionally one of these guys might even have the nerve to bring a diseasel… and modern cars.
‘scale’= 1:32-1:29 (?)
Or even something whimsical.
OK I admit I have a train that, based on the rednosed, tipsy-looking character in the cab, must be about
‘Scale’= 1:8 (?)
At the end of the line, if it ever gets there, the train is broken up and the cars switched into various industries by a little LGB Porter…
‘scale’= 1:22.3 (?)
etc…
Now, how can a serious modeller take all this seriously?
I dunno and I no longer do take it seriously! Ha ha! Tomorrow they’re coming to take me away, hey, hey…
It’s all lots of fun, and it all looks fine to this grizzled and grumpy and half-blind old fart…
Good nite!
Doesn’t bother me any. Hellsbells, some guys run 1:29 diseasemals on my railroad. I got rid of the last of my 1:20 freight cars early this year, as in gone.
I broke up or gave away any 1:29 stuff I had (no, wait, there is an old reefer missing a roof hatch in a box in the basement, since Polks cannot seem to find one).
I have a stack of original Delton freight cars in boxes stored in the shop attic…not sure I’ll ever use them.
Most of the 120 pieces I have are Botch, LGB, and Delton. 20 years ago we didn’t have 1:20, so my clearances and passing tracks, plus spurs, were designed for the size of 1:22.5 stuff, and 1:24.
To each his own , I bought into the 1/20 and the beautiful scale equiptment . And invested in the locos and rolling stock , and it really made the 1/22 look sad , BUT , theres usally a BUT , the larger scale stuff , made my small layout look even smaller , smaller than even what it is , and I did not need that at all . It was hard for me to do it , but , I did sell / trade off all of the 1/20 scale stuff ,
[ except for the Bachmann 4-4-0s I just cannot part with them ] and so I operate with the 1/22 stuff . So thats why I am in this size . Wish the layout were larger , but I can live with the smaller stuff , just don’t put them together on the track . Of course that new Bachmann C-19 2-8-0 is killing me with the wants .
I have just came full circle , and just bought a Bachmann Annie 4-6-0 , the latest version , and its GREAT , , almost back where I started out , years ago .
The poor fellow’s addicted.
Ask me how I know this. 
Yes I am John , I am sick in the head . Whats even worse is the new Bachmann 2-4-2t , its not even a copy of a real one , but its beautiful in my eyes , and I really like it , a lot !
It’s a beauty, Dennis. Now stoppit or you’ll have me at it next…
That loco looks to me as if it’d fit in almost anywhere in the old British Empire - NZ, Aus, S Afrca, India, etc…
That coupler sucks.
Yeah, yeah! It’s a good thing we’re all crazy on a smaller or larger scale.
Mark V said:Dave Meashey said:I took a short cut, sold 90% of my LGB and bought Bachmann Spectrum/AMS.
...Your guys who started later are more than welcome to support 1:20.3. I probably don't have enough years left to start over in a new scale...GO LARGE OR GO HOME!
Kidding of course. The 1:20.3 bug bit me hard, but I still run plenty of LGB/Aristo/USA. Like it all!
Having a small layout helps me save money buy not being able to buy the big stuff. Instead Ican save up for real trains (live steamers), small ones of course
Shawn said:You forgot SHUD UP ROOSTER?? ;)
If I go large I wont have a home to go to lol :)
David Russell said:Shut up RoosterShawn said:You forgot SHUD UP ROOSTER?? ;)
If I go large I wont have a home to go to lol :)
I’m not sure how this ended up being a scale debate, but I’ll bite.
When I started in ealy 2000’s I was pretty sure I wanted to be 1:24 even though my first loco and caboose was 1:29. I bought a crap load of the Delton Classic cars, but there wasn’t much of a loco selection in 1:24. I bought a Delton Classic C-16, but was never happy with the gear whine it made after I had Aristo change the drive out. I started buying Annies and liked that they were larger. I would have probably been happy with my mixed scale collection had Bachman not closed out the 1:20 45 Ton diesel at a price I couldn’t refuse. That lead to some 1:20 cars and to more 1:20 locos. I started selling off the 1:24 stuff because like Dennis, I really liked the look. I recently realized that some of the 1:24 stuff can stand in for the smaller 1st generation narrow gauge, so I’ve started incorporatiiong what I have left into my 1:20 fleet as-is with only coupler changes.
I still have several 1:29 diesels that I enjoy running, but I’m not buying any 1:29 or 1:22 any more. If something comes out that I really like and can afford that might change.
Back to the topic - I really need 1:20 passenger equipment, but even if they do end up being price competitive with AMS I can’t afford them now. I’ll just have to hope they are still around when things get better and I can afford them. That really has been my gripe with 1:20 stuff; the limited single runs. I love the AMS and Bachmann EBT hoppers, but can only buy them one at a time, once in a while. Last I checked they were hard to find.
As far as I’m concerned, they could be J&S, Quincy & Torch Lake (later EBT), ORL or even Colorado NG. Doesn’t much matter to me so long as they are not too short and run good.
Jon Radder said:Me either .....Tell me again Shawn!
I'm not sure how this ended up being a scale debate
What about a J&S or Carter Bro. car with a Duckbill roof?? This would be a little different than what is on the market but would work with whats aviable, giving them a larger market to work in. If they could make an empty car with plastic trucks that rolls well, weighs 3 to 4 lb, bring it in at $ !50. street price they would have a winner. Then make an interior and detail parts, lighting kit to be sold seperatly for those that want all the bells and wistles.
The Daringo & Silverton rebuilt some cars with the duckbill roofs, maybe a model of the passinger car Denver, that would work with the current 4 4 0 & 2 6 0. Just some ideas to think about.
Chuck
But, they can’t do that. The AP Drama Queen that designs the stuff would insist on full interior, dcc sockets, opening doors and probably windows, smoking stoves, full interior, and even Blaine Doors (journal box lids).
All for more money that anyone wants to spend.
Mark V said:I'd LOVE to.... anybody gots a 15" gauge Class D Cagney they want to part with cheap?
[...GO LARGE OR GO HOME! :D...
