Large Scale Central

Standards for large scale?

General Discussion
#21

While not as popular as HLW, LGB, Piko, USA Trains, and Bachmann, there are other companies making large scale.

Trainli has several engines and European cars, as does KISS.

LGB/Marklin is making parts and there are many new parts at Trainli from the new production runs. They have chosen to go to part kits where you get several parts combine din one kit. We have many of these kits in stock that do not show on the web site as it takes a lot of time to take pictures and list them on the web.

However the older LGB product parts are getting scarce since it has been 20 years since the metal side rod engines were made, and the colors of parts now do not match the colors of old!!

#22

Joe Zullo said:

It’s a real shame (and turn off to a beginner) that there is no coupler standard. It sure would be a nice dream if ALL large scale couplers were compatible with one another. Devon, pinch me so I wake up! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

Ahem…There IS and there HAS been one coupler standard for over 40 years;

The trouble is no one except for the Euros really likes it.

#23
dbl post dont know why
#24

As far as “operational” standards - couplers same height, wheel widths per track dimension, wheel flange height to ensure crossing through switches and crossings, etc. - I would think any manufacturer of any new rolling stock would want compatibility as a sales point considering the tiny marketplace.

So our thread started with an instance whereby a manufacturer didn’t make compatible coupler height between two of their own products. Yet, did anyone at Bachmann even consider consumers would mix use of two of their own different children’s products?

Maybe the varied coupler height was not even thought of and discussed. Then again, maybe it was to increase sales of coupler-compatible only rolling stock. The answer remains shelved as another one of the unexplained curiosities in our hobby.

No matter, our hobby continues to provide interest as it repeatedly limits itself to one marketplace .

#25

The Chinese are not our friends, why would they accommodate you?

You want to run 2 sizes together? Buy more. Most diabolical.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-frown.gif)

#26

“The nicest thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.”

“Standards” are good, but as long as we have attitudes such as “It’s your RR run what you like”, “If you like how it looks, run it”, “The real RR had different size rolling stock”, and whatever else we say as we run 14 zillion different scales on the same gauge of track we are going to have some real problems.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

#27

Wendell Hanks said:

As far as “operational” standards - couplers same height, wheel widths per track dimension, wheel flange height to ensure crossing through switches and crossings, etc. - I would think any manufacturer of any new rolling stock would want compatibility as a sales point considering the tiny marketplace.

Yea, you would think…

Bruce Chandler said:

“The nicest thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.”

“Standards” are good, but as long as we have attitudes such as “It’s your RR run what you like”, “If you like how it looks, run it”, “The real RR had different size rolling stock”, and whatever else we say as we run 14 zillion different scales on the same gauge of track we are going to have some real problems.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

I run 1:24, 1:22.5 (or whatever LGB is), 1:29, 1:32 and 1:20.3 on my railroad, and I don’t have problems. When I put metal wheels on my cars, they are gauged with the gauge I made, per this drawing.

When I put KaDee couplers on my cars, they are set with the Kadee height gauge, and the trip pins are all set to 1/8th inch above the rail-heads. Nothing is run on my railroad until those 2 upgrades are done. Except for one train that has link and pin couplers. I can mix and match any of my KaDee equipped equipment as I please, and I have no issues with running a train, or trains, for hours at a time.

Now I wish, but I know it will not happen, that all of the manufactures would settle on standards. Standards like properly gauged (and profiled) metal wheels, and Kadee couplers. But until that magical day happens, I will upgrade whatever I purchase, to the standards I use, and that work for me.

#28

Vic Smith said:

Joe Zullo said:

It’s a real shame (and turn off to a beginner) that there is no coupler standard. It sure would be a nice dream if ALL large scale couplers were compatible with one another. Devon, pinch me so I wake up! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

Ahem…There IS and there HAS been one coupler standard for over 40 years;

The trouble is no one except for the Euros really likes it.

The good thing about these bottle opener type of couplers is that there is a ready market for them in the UK. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)All the spares that came with Aristo products I have sold on to others folks.

#29

The hook and loops don’t look a lot worse than the infamous Enemaray hook horn X2F couplers that were the standard in HO for many years.

#30

Vic Smith said:

Joe Zullo said:

It’s a real shame (and turn off to a beginner) that there is no coupler standard. It sure would be a nice dream if ALL large scale couplers were compatible with one another. Devon, pinch me so I wake up! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

Ahem…There IS and there HAS been one coupler standard for over 40 years;

The trouble is no one except for the Euros really likes it.

Have you seen Bachmann’s take on the hook&loop? The advantage of H&L is they couple easily and hold securely. Not Bachmann ones! The hook slams ito the loop and will not engage it unless you poke it down. Somebody “helped” Sully out by removing the unneeded extra hooks from his Thomas set. Without a hook going both ways, they come undone with the slightest variation in track.

#31

Tom,

You may think the H&L coupler has been standard, but the height has not been!

#32

Gary Buchanan, FOG said:

The hook and loops don’t look a lot worse than the infamous Enemaray hook horn X2F couplers that were the standard in HO for many years.

Hey! the Horn Hook couplers were the NMRA standard coupler for years. As such, I have an HO Tyco train with horn hooks that I run on he NMRA set up, just to torque off the rivet counters.

#33

deleted

#34

Nope, my Mantua Classic Pacific runs smooth and quiet, as does my re-powered Tyco F7. And I couldn’t care less about earning any of the NMRA badges nor awards. I am in this hobby for fun, no matter what scale I am playing with.

#35

As a kid I always envied KD couplers. Started to convert once, but couldn’t get the KD box to mount to my Athern E8 loco. We didn’t have super glue in those days. The hobby shop man tried the new glue that was all the rage, “Goop.” I could see uses for goop, but that wasn’t one of them.

#36

Bruce Chandler said:

“The nicest thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.”

“Standards” are good, but as long as we have attitudes such as “It’s your RR run what you like”, “If you like how it looks, run it”, “The real RR had different size rolling stock”, and whatever else we say as we run 14 zillion different scales on the same gauge of track we are going to have some real problems.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

We say things like that because we must. The manufacturers/importers pretty much force it on us.

#37

Steve Featherkile said:

Bruce Chandler said:

“The nicest thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.”

“Standards” are good, but as long as we have attitudes such as “It’s your RR run what you like”, “If you like how it looks, run it”, “The real RR had different size rolling stock”, and whatever else we say as we run 14 zillion different scales on the same gauge of track we are going to have some real problems.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

We say things like that because we must. The manufacturers/importers pretty much force it on us.

I’m pretty sure that no manufacturer/importer has ever forced me to do anything.

#38

My High School Physics teacher, Mr. Kutleroff said:

“A standard is a frame of reference.”

Come to think of it he also said “If you come to a railroad crossing, don’t slow down and look, go faster, the train has less of a chance of hitting you.”

#39

Bruce, some of us are not blessed with the ability to scratchbuild everything, and have to accept whatever the manufacturers/importers foist on us po’ folk. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Hence, we have to make compromises.

#40

I am new to this size, but yes i do, because its confusing, and hard to buy the right thing, when one cant visit a shop with them all on display…

Cheers

Andrew RGGR