I subscribe to a few popular model-train publications and it’s frustrating how under-served Standard Gauge model railroading is in the market place. There’s always an over abundance of products and articles related to HO and to a lesser degree, O & Z, but nary a word regarding G gauge. It can take months for me to locate and purchase an item/items I may need for my layout and extremely difficult to find a variety of options. There is such a glut in the marketplace for g-gauge buildings and scenery. G-gauge appears to be interpreted as more for “play” and not for serious hobbiers who don’t want to build detailed/accurate prototypes. I model a particular place & time and to find the availability and diversity needed to achieve this is nearly impossible in standard gauge. Do you agree or disagree?
Large scale is, has been, and probably always will be, a niche within a niche hobby, made worse by the plethora of scales that use the 45mm gauge track. We’ve gotten used to making do, or bashing a loco or piece of rolling stock, or scratch building if that won’t do.
You’ve come to the right place to get friendly help, because the market isn’t likely to change any time soon.
Large scale is a endless hobby meaning there are so many aspects to it that if can take a lifetime to run out of things to do.
I think it is kind of dull to see layout after layout with the same store bought buildings and rolling stock. Buying structures is easy but building your own is a great source of satisfaction. My buildings may be a bit above glorified plywood boxes but guess what i’m proud of them and they keep getting better and better.
Rolling stock is the same way if you can’t buy it you can bash it or modify and existing model.
Most large scale RR’s are outdoors and it is tough to do super detailing since a a single rain drop scales out to like a 5 gallon bucket of water.
It is a challenge being outdoors and to operate the details can get a bit “fuzzy” sometimes.
There are serious modellers and those that just want to have fun in any scale but there is something about being outdoors that opens up the hobby to the whole family and friends.
Jay,
Steve’s right on. Another point to make is that our hobby is often done outdoors. For practical reasons, highly detailed models are less common since they are likely to encounter inclement weather. So we’ve now taken an extremely diversified gauge in terms of scale and era and we’ve thrown in detail compromises to achieve structural fortitude.
For instance, a simple train station could be made in 1:13, 1:20.3, 1:24, 1:29, or 1:32 and still use the same G gauge track. Next,we ask, is the station steam era, or modern; Victorian, Midwestern, urban? And finally we ask, where is this going?..a museum quality indoor layout?, a highly detailed high maintenance garden layout?, a layout which focuses more on gardening?
You mention the term “standard gauge” (which could be confused with the large Lionel tin plate trains of pre-war era). I assume you are referring to 1:29 or 1:32 trains since these are G scale options for models of standard gauge trains (4ft8-1/2in vs 3ft gauge, etc…). I believe Aristo Craft was the only option for structures for 1:29, but they are hopefully reemerging into a new entity. I’m not sure there is much produced for 1:32.
To make matters worse, the Aristo structures were built to a “scale,” of 1/24, to make them more marketable, across several popular scales.
I have two layouts, one outdoors which is just to highlight my garden and coy pond (where accuracy is irrelevant and just I run a hodge-podge of loco power and rollingstock or all rail names and time periods) and another in the basement for detail. My love is my basement ‘man-cave’ layout but I suppose my error is in the attempt to build small scale level accuracy on a G-gauge layout. I have a stack of books all detailing rail operations in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1930-1950 and that’s what I model indoors. I try to be as accurate and detailed as possible to the period/location but in G it’s just extremely difficult. I mainly purchase LGB and USAT.
“I try to be as accurate and detailed as possible to the period/location but in G it’s just extremely difficult.”
i think just the other way.
in one of our large scales one could even model the hands of cards, poker players are holding.
or headlines in newspapers
or, or, or…
Jay Briscoe said:
I have two layouts, one outdoors which is just to highlight my garden and coy pond (where accuracy is irrelevant and just I run a hodge-podge of loco power and rollingstock or all rail names and time periods) and another in the basement for detail. My love is my basement ‘man-cave’ layout but I suppose my error is in the attempt to build small scale level accuracy on a G-gauge layout. I have a stack of books all detailing rail operations in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1930-1950 and that’s what I model indoors. I try to be as accurate and detailed as possible to the period/location but in G it’s just extremely difficult. I mainly purchase LGB and USAT.
It can be done and there are some great examples of people who have accomplished this. But you have to be willing to build things yourself. One of the advantages we have is we can use things found in stores that will work in our G world. Look at what Ray has done to his buildings and layout. He does it outdoors. In ways getting detailed things in G scale is easier but your dealing with larger pieces.
Rockwall Canyon Jeff said:
Jay,
Steve’s right on. Another point to make is that our hobby is often done outdoors. For practical reasons, highly detailed models are less common since they are likely to encounter inclement weather. So we’ve now taken an extremely diversified gauge in terms of scale and era and we’ve thrown in detail compromises to achieve structural fortitude.
For instance, a simple train station could be made in 1:13, 1:20.3, 1:24, 1:29, or 1:32 and still use the same G gauge track. Next,we ask, is the station steam era, or modern; Victorian, Midwestern, urban? And finally we ask, where is this going?..a museum quality indoor layout?, a highly detailed high maintenance garden layout?, a layout which focuses more on gardening?
You mention the term “standard gauge” (which could be confused with the large Lionel tin plate trains of pre-war era). I assume you are referring to 1:29 or 1:32 trains since these are G scale options for models of standard gauge trains (4ft8-1/2in vs 3ft gauge, etc…). I believe Aristo Craft was the only option for structures for 1:29, but they are hopefully reemerging into a new entity. I’m not sure there is much produced for 1:32.
Sir, you omitted to mention TWO very important scales, one of which began the garden railway movement in the UK, the other in the wider world.
a. 1/19th scale - better known as 16mm. There are literally dozens of manufacturers catering for the need for buildings in THIS scale.
b. 1.22.5 - also known as IIm. There are many manufacturers catering for the need for buildings in THIS scale.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Jay; quite often, if you are looking for particular “Things” in Large Scale, you can often get advice or directions very quickly posting here in the forums, under the appropriate section. Also, join in the chat, almost every evening between 19:30 and 21:00, and ask questions and seek advice from the many talented people there.
There is often a source for what you are looking for, if you ask those that might know, or people who know people…
We are, generally a friendly bunch around here…feel welcome. A lot of people around here have lots of answers, just looking for questions, and experiences waiting to be told.
Fred Mills