Plastic on a Tinplate Table...

Ken,

  Whatever makes you happy is the answer!

  Good luck and attach pictures.

Tom

The Christmas Putz in The Lutheran Home at Topton, PA, Mixes Tin, Plastic and all kinds of homemade items

Thanks Guys! Great replys. Thanks Reading Fan for the Great Pics! Ken

google Plasticville.....a plastic building produce made for toy trains. welcome to a great place!

to me "tinplate" is more of a figurative than a literal term with perhaps the only requirement being trains that were built to run on small radius, tinplate, tubular steel track.  true that plastic didn't come into major use in the toy industry until the early 50's, but there are still some early Scout sets, Marx 4-wh plastic, etc that i'd have no problem being identified as tinplate.  likewise, buildings like Plasticville are certainly no exception either.

cheers...gary

I like your definition.

Tom

A book by John Grams was one of my early guides when first starting out in O gauge and he used a very similar definition, which was based less on engine and car construction than it was on track and layout style. Right and wrong are very elusive concepts when it comes to terminology in this hobby. There certainly aren't any rules when it comes to your own layout. Build and run it whatever way pleases you. If you are like most of us your tastes will evolve and change over time anyway.

quote:

My Question to all of you Veterans out there is -- Is it acceptable to mix Tin and Plastic on your Holiday Layout?

Its your layout, whatever you choose is what's acceptable!

Marx sold a lot of trains sets, el cheapos with dummy knuckle couplers, and their more

expensive sets with plastic diesels or plastic  Hudson steamer and metal cars, all happily intermixed.  If Marx doesn't meet the "tinplate" definition, who does?

Thanks Guys - For all the great advise. I kind of felt it was up to what ever made you Happy. And I agree. I will post some pictures when I get the set up and running.  

It's never acceptable to mix plastic and tin. No excuses!

  ... unless you're having fun doing it!  

There's a hand-full of other webpages around that detail what tinplate and tinscaling is. Overlandflyer basically nailed the definition. Tinscale isn't about counting rivets or making sure that the amount of smoke coming out of the stack is just right. It's about having fun and matching things that you like with what your layout is themed on. It's about simplistic beauty and most of all, what you like. They're your trains, have fun! Also, don't hesitate to ask any of the forum members if you have a question. Welcome to the forums and to the most colourful model railroading you'll ever do!