Saw this in the random home page pics…
This looks quite a bit larger than the ride-on scales I’ve seen. Anyone know the gauge? I’'d guess close to 12".
random home page pics…
The 19 in (483 mm) gauge[6] Swanton Pacific Railroad was constructed in the 1980s by Albert Smith.
That is FANTASTIC . . . . . 
But I’d just as soon build in 2ft. gauge and have a “full size” railroad.
Is there a particular scale?
1/3 scale. I was thinking around 1/4 but that makes sense.
19 inch, yup, that is almost a full sized railroad.
I love the background scenery too, it just looks so, right.
At that size, I wonder if they have to follow the federal regulations for boiler inspections and rebuilds.
At 1/3 scale, the 19 inch gauge track scales up to 4 feet 9 inches, just 1/2 inch over standard gauge’s 4 ft, 8 1/2 inches. Cool.
Thanks Dave - I couldn’t quite make out the name on the tender. Amazing stuff!
Steve Featherkile said:
At 1/3 scale, the 19 inch gauge track scales up to 4 feet 9 inches, just 1/2 inch over standard gauge’s 4 ft, 8 1/2 inches. Cool.
Thanks I was going to do the math but hadn’t got around to it. I also compared it to minimum gauge lines which range in gauge but are as small as 15" but are considered full size railroads and not ride-ons so this is an interesting blurring of the line between model and real life.
Wow, that’s awesome! Those locos are huge!
Narrow Gauge Lover said:
That is FANTASTIC . . . . .
But I’d just as soon build in 2ft. gauge and have a “full size” railroad.
Thats exactly what I also thought. Full size 1:1 18" gauge feldbahn or 2’ Maine
Vic Smith said:
Narrow Gauge Lover said:
That is FANTASTIC . . . . .
But I’d just as soon build in 2ft. gauge and have a “full size” railroad.
Thats exactly what I also thought. Full size 1:1 18" gauge feldbahn or 2’ Maine
According to the CalPoly page noted above, the locomotives were built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, held at the Presidio of San Francisco, to represent the then best in Standard Gauge railroading. The locomotives are 100 years old, and still steaming. I think they did well at their task.
Steve Featherkile said:
Vic Smith said:
Narrow Gauge Lover said:
That is FANTASTIC . . . . .
But I’d just as soon build in 2ft. gauge and have a “full size” railroad.
Thats exactly what I also thought. Full size 1:1 18" gauge feldbahn or 2’ Maine
According to the CalPoly page noted above, the locomotives were built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, held at the Presidio of San Francisco, to represent the then best in Standard Gauge railroading. The locomotives are 100 years old, and still steaming. I think they did well at their task.
The 1914-1915 Panama Exposition was yet another World’s Fair that had some amazing displays including a 5 acre scale model of the Panama Canal!
Here’s some more info about the railroad as built for the Fair.
http://www.sfmuseum.net/hist9/overfair.html
I wrote a whole paper about miniatures during the 1914-1915 World’s Fair for my one of my graduate classes. It was quite the interesting research paper, that had even my professor a Worlds Fair historian interested to find out more.
Thanks for that link Craig. What a great story!
Jon, are you old enough to remember the steam locos at Crystal Beach? I used to ride them every time we went there. I Googled their kind, but I forget who built 'em and the scale, though I know they were ride-ons. The layout ran from the station through the woods and back. If you walked around town, which wasn’t much of one, you could hear their whistles. Next door was the Autopia, where you sort-of “drove” these cars around a track that was pretty much enclosed by side railings. But you were free to steer somewhat and that’s where I began to teach myself how to drive. Fun times.
Fantastic. In the UK we have the 15 inch (but 1/3rd scale locos) Romney Hythe & Dymchurch line. See here http://www.rhdr.org.uk/
It is a longish line that follows the Kent coast with a balloon loop at one end by a nuclear power station (Dungeness) and runs a proper scheduled service for the “school run”. The cover shot on the website is their US outline loco “Dr Syn”. Max.
THIS is a private, garden railway. Restored full size 2ft gauge
Darjeeling loco etc owned by ex chairman Chiltern Rail (UK)
He had the loco shipped back to the UK in a container from India. Not sure whether the coaches are original refurbished or made to spec in the UK tho’
Have to love the car!!
Joe Rusz said:
Jon, are you old enough to remember the steam locos at Crystal Beach? I used to ride them every time we went there. I Googled their kind, but I forget who built 'em and the scale, though I know they were ride-ons. The layout ran from the station through the woods and back. If you walked around town, which wasn’t much of one, you could hear their whistles. Next door was the Autopia, where you sort-of “drove” these cars around a track that was pretty much enclosed by side railings. But you were free to steer somewhat and that’s where I began to teach myself how to drive. Fun times.
Unfortunately no. I remember diesel trains through the park and I think the Autotopia was still running. I do remember a car ride you could steer. My best memories of Crystal Beach are the Cinnamon Lollypops. Couldn’t get them anywhere else.
In the late 70’s myd ad’s ad agency got the Crystal Beach account. We got to ride the Comet about a dozen times in a row on a park closed day while they filmed a TV ad. The Comet still lives in Lake George, NY.
Ross Mansell said:
THIS is a private, garden railway. Restored full size 2ft gauge
Darjeeling loco etc owned by ex chairman Chiltern Rail (UK)
He had the loco shipped back to the UK in a container from India. Not sure whether the coaches are original refurbished or made to spec in the UK tho’
Have to love the car!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2cXG9Fu5FM
That is a GARDEN RAILROAD !
Max Winter said:
Fantastic. In the UK we have the 15 inch (but 1/3rd scale locos) Romney Hythe & Dymchurch line. See here http://www.rhdr.org.uk/
It is a longish line that follows the Kent coast with a balloon loop at one end by a nuclear power station (Dungeness) and runs a proper scheduled service for the “school run”. The cover shot on the website is their US outline loco “Dr Syn”. Max.
FANTASTIC ! indeed !