I am in favor of "realism" to a point, but has Menards gone too far with the "o-gauge rats" in the overturned garbage cans outside the new o-gauge buildings they now have in the store ???
The two new buildings are great,however, and I got both.
Charlie N
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It may not be everybody's cup of pumpkin latte frappacino but I have no problem with it. As long as our toys run on 3 rails, they'll always be toys and more realism or less is really a personal decision. Put 'em in O gauge traps!
I suspect you'll find the rat-pack in the Woodland Scenics version when it arrives at a LHS near you. The WS versions tend to hit the shelves later than the Menards versions. Last year's editions differed mainly in the signage on the building(s). I 'spect it'll be the same this year.
Hey, WS got the ball rolling when they offered 'pasture pies' with their Holsteins.
They made a "Pesky Racoons" set (now retired) rummaging through trash cans in HO.
Seems fairly benign to me. I'm sure it's more horrific in the real world than cast in resin in 1/4"=1 foot.
The great thing about this hobby is that we can make our own rules when it comes to realism. Don't like tagging? POOF! It simply doesn't exist. Like to mix things in an "unprototypical" manner? NO PROBLEM! You can rationalize anything you want. Like/Don't Like rats in your scene? NO PROBLEM! Just take them out or leave them in. It really is as simple as all that.
To answer the original question: No.
I haven't seen them. It depends on how well the "rats" were done.
Makes me wonder if the O-gauge rats have O-gauge hair.
Makes me wonder if the O-gauge rats have O-gauge hair.
Yes and if you look really closely, there are other O-gauge rat "items" too.
Until they have O guage rate droppings - no, they have not gone too far.
I guess some people would think this is too realistic behind Louie's Philly Cheese Steak shop on my layout. I thought this figure was hilarious when I found it on Ebay a few years ago.
Lionel had a rat in the insert "scrap load" for some of the Standard O gons!
Haven't seen them in the store yet. How much are they selling them for?
Heck, Woodland Scenics has a set of cows complete with "pasture mines." It all depends on how real you want to be. Some modelers include birds complete with droppings on roofs of buildings.
As long as they are scale rats.
Paint the rats white to make them more appealing.
Andrew
Until they have O guage rate droppings - no, they have not gone too far.
Well, the late John Allen had HO scale pigeon droppings on the roof of his 2 stall Gorre & Daphetid engine house.
Rusty
But do those rats have the correct number of hairs to be prototypical. If not then they're just toy rats.
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