G scale

My Dad was a G scale extreme enthusiast from when LGB was first sold in the USA in the late 1970s until his last breath 18 months ago.He ran G scale indoors and outdoors.American and European trains.He truly loved it all.He also got into O scale for his last 20 years.G scale stayed his main interest though.

My humble opinion is that G scale gets boring fast.Give me the cool accessories,sound units,smoke units and variety of O scale any day.I suggest you get into G scale slowly and see if it is for you.Don't dump all your O scale trains for G scale,you may regret it.

I am with dan on that,  but I would go STD ga,  before G,  I like G,  I converted some of my G to STD, even a lionel large scale gp20.

If i could start over in G i would go exclusively MYH One Gauge. But remember G takes up alot realestate to run and store. Even though it often doesnt look right, all LGB can operate on smallest G track which is especially helpfull indoors. 

To be honest, I got in to G scale about  20 years ago, still have a lot of it except some engines I sold. Wish I had my money back. Here in the western Pa. area there isn't enough nice weather to make it worthwhile. I put a big outdoor loop in behind my house and run a few trains but it does get boring.   I like Standard gauge and would rather have that.  I would start small and see if you like it before doing anything radical. I have all LGB rack and switches and a steamer.

Thanks guys.. I guess I'm just nuts. .I tried to build a railroad crossing in my driveway so I could hope to see a train. I bought the rail and everything. . But anyway.. what is the difference between one guage .standard guage and g guage.. I've seen large 3 rail tube track.. and is mth still doing railking one guage?

there is very little available other than tinplate reproductions for Standard Gauge track (2.125" gauge), so if "scale" is your goal you can cross that choice off your list.

there is probably not another track gauge that has been defined in as many ways as #1 (45mm or 1.77" gauge).

in 1:20.3 scale, the track represents American narrow gauge (3 foot).
in 1:22.2 scale, the track represents "Meter" gauge (1m, 39.37").
in 1:32 scale, the track represents American Standard gauge (56.5").

other scales exist, but were created for reasons other than reality.  1:24 (what some claim LGB used as a scale) is a well known dollhouse scale and adds a bit of scale compression in representing meter gauge and even more to three foot narrow gauge.

1:29 unfortunately competes with 1:32 for much of the "scale" market despite the fact that it is quite over-sized, and trying to talk people into "bigger isn't always better" is an uphill battle with the mostly "we don't care" crowd.  my biggest objection is the direction of the error.  with 1:48 scale O gauge, there is a 6% scale to gauge error, but the scale is under-sized.  with 1:29 scale running on #1 gauge track, the error is a larger 9% which makes the track ~3/16" undersized for that scale.  with trains in general, the perception is that the rails are quite close together for the width of equipment even on American standard gauge.  we're most used to seeing cars, buses and trucks that do not have the wheels tucked well under the vehicle.  IMO, this is why something as off-scale as 3/16" scale on O gauge track doesn't look all that ridiculous (though i'm sure i wouldn't even attempt to argue that point), because the error moves the wheels out, not in.

MTH chose 1:32 (3/8" scale), likely the most serendipitously accurate scale (less than 0.4% scale to gauge error) for their venture into large scale.  i've got to believe that the only reason it is listed as RailKing is that too many concessions were made to classify them as true scale, but frankly i've found all the critical dimensions very accurate on the few models i have seen.  personally i stick to running 1:32 scale, but i am also in the live steam niche of the hobby and i wouldn't recommend live steam as in indoor activity unless you live in something on the order of an airplane hanger.  my rolling stock is a mix of 1:32 scale Accucraft, a few MTH pieces and also a few pieces of brass (Iron Horse Models, Precision Scale and Row & Co. ... mostly Korean imports by Sam).

MTH rolling stock isn't very plentiful on the secondary market whereas 1:29 scale (USA trains, etc) stuff is readily available at discounted prices.  sort of hard to understand why MTH doesn't make more freight cars, especially "steam age" equipment which i would really like to see.

good luck with your project.
cheers...gary

Wow.. that's some good info. I like your comments about off scale. . Maybe that's my problem. . I have a friend who has nothing but  O scale premier. But all his rolling stock are big frieght cars.. he doesn't have a  short acf center flow or standard size box car so his trains look odd to me.. if you watch present day frieght trains thrre is a mix of all size cars. Heck I've seen box cars from the fifties in trains .

So I have tried to mix big cars like premier with say a decent railking or a good lionel. But no o27. It looks like big ho scale. But g scale is appealing because of some of the stuff I've seen and it's 2 rail.  It seems that a small scl phosphate hopper looks small in o  scale  but looks good in g scale and the g stuff has the wider overhang than O scale like you talked about. So thx for the info. I might try and pick up a few g ot rk1 and see what it's like.

Ah ..The many scales and variants of "O" gauge ....    There was a post someone created a while back that showed ALL the varied scale sizes in O gauge trains  using photo of the cars for examples. 

Mike

Mike, I'm into O scale and G scale.  I love O scale and I love G scale.  I might add that I model 1:29 G scale as opposed to the MTH 1:32 version which is a tad smaller than the 1:29 version.  I started 1:29 G scale before MTH came out with the 1:32 version.  It does take up a considerable amount of space.  I have had the 8' diameter curves and small diesels run ok on it.  Then I bought a 2-8-2 (I think that's the wheel arrangement it has).  It does go around the 8' diameter curves but it really slows down to get through it.  I got rid of the 8' diameter curves for 10' diameter curves and that 2-8-2 runs through them (10' curves) much better.  I really like the larger size of the G scale.  My train room is 23' x 25' and I could get a pretty nice G scale layout in there.  There is a lot of track out there also.  I have Gargraves stainless steel G scale flex track.  I think it looks the most realistic as opposed to the normal brass G scale track.  There's a few other choices out there too.  As for power, believe it or not, I'm using an MTH Z-4000 with a bridge rectifier (to convert the AC to DC) and a toggle switch to control direction.  It works great.    I hope this helps with your choice.  Good luck.

One more thing, next month (March 25 and 26, 2016) the East Coast Large Scale train show is at York Fairgrounds in the Memorial Hall.  If you are close enough you may want to stop by.  All the G scale mfgs are usually there along with many G dealers.  There are also many layouts set up and you could really get a first hand look at some of this stuff.  I always make it to this show,  very interesting.  Never disappointed.  I see in their ad they are featuring both G scale and O scale trains this time.

Rick

suncoasttrains posted:

Wow.. that's some good info. I like your comments about off scale. . Maybe that's my problem. . I have a friend who has nothing but  O scale premier. But all his rolling stock are big frieght cars.. he doesn't have a  short acf center flow or standard size box car so his trains look odd to me.. if you watch present day frieght trains thrre is a mix of all size cars. Heck I've seen box cars from the fifties in trains .

So I have tried to mix big cars like premier with say a decent railking or a good lionel. But no o27. It looks like big ho scale. But g scale is appealing because of some of the stuff I've seen and it's 2 rail.  It seems that a small scl phosphate hopper looks small in o  scale  but looks good in g scale and the g stuff has the wider overhang than O scale like you talked about. So thx for the info. I might try and pick up a few g ot rk1 and see what it's like.

you may be confusing my comments about scale as comments about size... two different things.  freight car size varies with demand and load.  ore cars are short and solidly built because they carry a heavy load while 60 - 80' flats push the length of freight cars when long loads need transport.  like freighters traversing the Panama Canal that leave little clearance for passage, high cube boxcars take advantage of maximum height restrictions as offset hoppers push car width to the maximum for a bigger load capacity.

so again, the problem with mixing true scale 1:32 with the larger scale 1:29 equipment is that the critical clearance dimensions are going to vary considerably.  the most notable is usually car width.  in 1:32 scale the typical 10' 8" freight car is 4.0" wide.  in 1:29 scale, car width is 4.4", nearly 1/2" wider than it should be for the scale of the track it's riding on. 

my basic mainline freight train typically consists of mostly a unit reefer train (i got a fantastic deal on a bunch of Accucraft FGEX reefers a few years ago), but i also have a couple old style tank cars, a few 40 foot boxcars and two 60' flats still looking for a load.  and while the shape and length of the different car types are unique, being the same scale, the critical height and width clearances are consistent throughout the entire length of the train.  the stepped look you get when mixing scales is too much of a distraction to me.

have fun! ...gary

Thankyou. . One more question. . Who uses what couplers?  I've seen knife couplers on usa cars and knuckle type on others.  Which one work   i hate the O guage couplers . It's a big job to convert everything to kd.

suncoasttrains posted:

Thankyou. . One more question. . Who uses what couplers?  I've seen knife couplers on usa cars and knuckle type on others.  Which one work   i hate the O guage couplers . It's a big job to convert everything to kd.

My Dad was Mr.LGB fan #1 for almost 40 years.He told me the knife couplers that came with the LGB trains were the best.They always performed perfectly.Here is a photo of the G gauge trains he had.

I am working on O and S gauge layouts in the garage and have a G gauge layout outside. I enjoy the garden train idea and need to develop it further, but it gives me time outdoors and can be more realistic because of the  garden aspect. 

Very nice but is there a standard for couplers in g  like O scale has used the big knuckle coupler for a hundred years.  Altho I'm an mth dealer i havnt seen a one guage mth car. I saw some nice couplers at a show the other day but I don't know what brand it was. It also appears that some G cars come with plastic wheel sets. 

here is an Accucraft coupler on a 1:32 scale reefer...

i'm pretty sure it's what is referred to as a #1 scale, type 'E' by Kadee's notation, but i've haven't yet ventured into replacing any couplers yet.

there are two knuckle type couplers i know of, the other style is referred to as "G-Scale" by Kadee.  a larger size, these are apparently closer to scale size for the original narrow gauge Garden scales.

the E type coupler is still large for 1:32 scale, but since it's just about identical in size to a standard tinplate knuckle coupler (aside from the extreme height difference, they can actually couple to each other), the larger scale gives them a bit of a better appearance.

i have seen comments on the Kadee couplers as to their near flawless operation which i cannot say for the Accucraft couplers i've mostly dealt with.  i've had to turn a few into dummies because they just wouldn't stay closed.

the Accucraft reefers have metal wheels, but the few boxcars i have by them came with plastic wheels which i have on the do-to list to replace.  the wheels are ok, but the car is very light and metals wheels will definitely improve performance.

cheers...gary

I bought knuckle couplers for my cars but enough to put one on each car then kept the standard coupler on the other end. Saved money.  The knuckles look better but both work. ate the other kind "scissors"  ??

Mike, I use Aristo Craft couplers on my G scale trains.  Although, they are sortof out of business you can still find them online and at shows.  I think someone in the family is still running Aristo Craft under the name GenerationNext or something like that.  I don't know if they still carry the couplers.  I would like to change all couplers to kadees but that would be expensive.

Rick

Well my mth handheld broke so I'm gonna send it to them and have my controller fixed and tiu upgreded. In the meantime I'm gonna change my layout. My layout is enormous and in some places I can't reach the track to clean it so I'm gonna move the yard and the main lines. Switching to G would be a lot of work and problems are gonna happen no matter what g u age I'm in. T h x for all the great advice.

I didn't see USA Trains mentioned by anyone, unless I missed it.  You mentioned that you operate modern diesels and such.  USA Trains builds that type of equipment almost exclusively.  The are very well engineered and built.  In fact, I believe Charlie Ro took his inspiration from LGB before he had his stuff designed.  

I must agree with Dan986 on the boring point.  I sold all of my Lionel way back in the early '90s.  Throughout my G scale years, I worked like a mad scientist, designing and building operating cars and accessories.  Since my railway was in the garden, much attention had to be paid to some of the operating accessories, or else, LOL.   

So now I am returning to O scale.   What I have seen so far is impressive.   My G years have been fun, but G scale has run it's course for me.  Did I mention that I am not particularly fond of cold weather.  I'm not in the "watching my snowplow clear the tracks in my garden railway" crowd. 

Here are some of my operating items that I scratch-built using LGB freight cars as a base.  There are more.  You can find them in my video list on my channel page. 

In the first video, skip to 7:50

https://youtu.be/nig_ia3X5T4

In this film, skip to 5:35

https://youtu.be/nig_ia3X5T4

Self explanatory

https://youtu.be/mpSVHV5s7Aw

S.E.

https://youtu.be/UXT1PkJg4LQ

Ice House

https://youtu.be/8UaPgDKNkRo

Milk Car

https://youtu.be/UQHcg_dpNr0

Hazmat

https://youtu.be/ibUnWWpFKDc

Dereck

https://youtu.be/G-F2JaJ3iQU

Cool videos. . I did mention usa trains above. They look great. I've seen them at shows. There very long and might not work indoors without wide curves but they are very impressive! 

DP posted:

I didn't see USA Trains mentioned by anyone, unless I missed it.  You mentioned that you operate modern diesels and such.  USA Trains builds that type of equipment almost exclusively.  The are very well engineered and built.  In fact, I believe Charlie Ro took his inspiration from LGB before he had his stuff designed.  ...

with Aristo out of business, USA Trains is the main purveyor of the 1:29, fantasy, Garden scale.

suncoasttrains posted:

.... I did mention usa trains above. They look great. I've seen them at shows. There very long and might not work indoors without wide curves but they are very impressive! 

overlandflyer posted:

... trying to talk people into "bigger isn't always better" is an uphill battle with the mostly "we don't care" crowd. ...