The H.O. Conspiracy has finally been exposed!

You really have to watch the entire series. Sheldon occasionally goes off on train related tangents.

Still laughing! Thanks for sharing that.

Now that's some good humor. Thank you!

"Everyone knows it O gauge or no gauge." I love that line!

Thanks! That is a good show.

franktrain

quote:

Originally posted by AGHRMatt:
For years I've postulated and pontificated that there was a well-organized, well-funded conspiracy started in the 1940's to subjugate and marginalize O-Gauge/O-scale. I refer to this as the "H.O. Conspiracy." Their efforts included starting and encouraging the "civil war" between the 2-rail and 3-rail operators which allowed them to infiltrate the hobby and take over as we fought amongst ourselves. Well, evidence of this conspiracy has finally leaked out.

Big Bang Theory

Matt,

I think that your paranoia is wrought by nothing more than HO gauge envy.
And this HO gauge "Conspiracy" is a hallucination brought on by a manifestation of that envy and somewhere deep down you wish that you were an HO scaler too.

I did miss the O scale confessional this last Christmas. Maybe it would help with your Paranoia if you were to start an HO gauge consessional and get those "I wish I were an HO scaler" feelings out in the open.
(Of course you know I'm kidding)

David

Loved it. Shared it. Thanks!

There is NO gauge but O-gauge.

Some friends of ours just turned us on to that show. We don't care for TV comedies, especially with laugh tracks, but this show is really funny. We watch it now. By the way, the people that put Sheldon down for his train obsession are just jealous of his 180 IQ.

matt thanks-my mom watches this show and keeps telling me to watch it-i thought
they were sci-fi nerds not into model railroaders.
hate to admit it-i amk a spiderman nut-collect randy bowen spiderman figurines.

quote:

Originally posted by AGHRMatt:
For years I've postulated and pontificated that there was a well-organized, well-funded conspiracy started in the 1940's to subjugate and marginalize O-Gauge/O-scale.

As per Dr. Sheldon Cooper: O gauge or no gauge !!!

Rufus

Matt, you don't think the conspiracy is after our "precious bodily fluids" do you?? We must deny them that!!

..with apologies to Col. Ripper..

Ah Matt, that's great.

Funny stuff!

Thanks Matt for the laugh.

Funny, but that show is not doing any of us any favors! lol

They tried to indoctrinate me when I was a child, but the cars kept uncoupling, the wheels kept coming off the tracks and my cat pooped on the layout. I even tried "N" gauge, but the same things happened again--except for the cat thing. I came back to the "O" gauge fold and never strayed again!

I will never get tired of that episode. I love the Big Bang Theroy. Infact I have it on now. Thanks for the link Matt.

Well, while I was seduced into HO in my early teens by the
discovery of all this product and different prototypes, and stuck
in a toe by buying a Varney flat car kit, I had some of the same problems with sensitive tracking, (no cat problem), and with a move, school, and discovering automobiles, I never finished the layout.
I really think the return of warriors after WWII, into the small houses of the time, led to the rise of HO. The proliferation of
apartments, too, led to the growing population of people interested in model railroading finding something they could fit into their available space. The low cost of some of the equipment at the time was a factor, too. Doesn't seem to that much cheaper in today's ads, than O. About that time came TT gauge, which never caught on. N scale, I think, is an import developed for European available space, so I have sorta wondered that LGB came from there, too.
When I go through the old MR's from the 40's and 50's I do envy
all the prototypes of rolling stock and even structure kits then
available in HO, and never yet found in O. While I offended somebody with a remark about itsy-bitsy (a pond I once splashed in) and teenie-weenie scales, I have to remember that I can't afford that privately owned 12"=1' Heisler I have looked at or have the room for live steam. So I am not sure it is really a
conspiracy, and I will bet some of the HO'ers feel the same way
about N gauge. All funny, never the less....

quote:

Originally posted by coloradohirailer:
Well, while I was seduced into HO in my early teens by the
discovery of all this product and different prototypes, and stuck
in a toe by buying a Varney flat car kit, I had some of the same problems with sensitive tracking, (no cat problem), and with a move, school, and discovering automobiles, I never finished the layout.
I really think the return of warriors after WWII, into the small houses of the time, led to the rise of HO. The proliferation of
apartments, too, led to the growing population of people interested in model railroading finding something they could fit into their available space. The low cost of some of the equipment at the time was a factor, too. Doesn't seem to that much cheaper in today's ads, than O. About that time came TT gauge, which never caught on. N scale, I think, is an import developed for European available space, so I have sorta wondered that LGB came from there, too.
When I go through the old MR's from the 40's and 50's I do envy
all the prototypes of rolling stock and even structure kits then
available in HO, and never yet found in O... All funny, never the less....

Thanks. It also didn't help that in the "housing boom" after the war that basements were hunted to near-extinction in many parts of the country. In all seriousness, I do envy the selection in H.O., but O gauge was initially a builder's scale. Going back to our roots shouldn't hurt too much.

quote:

Originally posted by jay jay:
Some friends of ours just turned us on to that show. We don't care for TV comedies, especially with laugh tracks, but this show is really funny. We watch it now. By the way, the people that put Sheldon down for his train obsession are just jealous of his 180 IQ.

BTW, I've been to tapings of the show...there is no "laugh track". The laughter is from the "live" audience.

That was funny!

In 1965, when I was 13, Dad traded my 681 Turbine set, and a Standard Gauge Ives passenger set for some new H0's. At first I thought H0's were neat (did I have a choice?).

But where is the whistle? The Smoke? The real knuckle couplers?

Oh wait, the H0's don't go around the track in reverse without derailing.

And speaking of reverse, no e-unit, I was Gomez Addams watching what happened when you hit the DC reverse button at full speed.

And those chintzy plastic couplers, that don't stay together, and break off with the slightest tug.

And this brass/copper looking track. If you don't run the trains just one day, you have to clean the track with an eraser and Life-Like track cleaner.

Yes, it was cool to run a H0 Big Boy that you could actually afford, at full speed without derailing, but that was about it.

Too bad it took 35 years, the birth of my two sons, and selling/trading away most of my other possessions (including Dad's H0 collection) to get back into O (scale,Gauge). I'm never leaving again, at least while I'm vertical and above ground.

quote:

Originally posted by lionelbob:
In 1965, when I was 13, Dad traded my 681 Turbine set, and a Standard Gauge Ives passenger set for some new H0's. At first I thought H0's were neat (did I have a choice?).

But where is the whistle? The Smoke? The real knuckle couplers?

Oh wait, the H0's don't go around the track in reverse without derailing.

And speaking of reverse, no e-unit, I was Gomez Addams watching what happened when you hit the DC reverse button at full speed.

And those chintzy plastic couplers, that don't stay together, and break off with the slightest tug.

And this brass/copper looking track. If you don't run the trains just one day, you have to clean the track with an eraser and Life-Like track cleaner.

Yes, it was cool to run a H0 Big Boy that you could actually afford, at full speed without derailing, but that was about it.

Too bad it took 35 years, the birth of my two sons, and selling/trading away most of my other possessions (including Dad's H0 collection) to get back into O (scale,Gauge). I'm never leaving again, at least while I'm vertical and above ground.

Good on ya Bob, my thoughts exactly.

When I was young, I could understand why a lot of folks liked HO. When you live in a little apartment, there isn't much space. But, I've always loved O gauge; in part because it's what I grew up with but also because of all the operating accessories.

In my many years in the hobby, I have seen just as many, or more, smooth running and reliably operating layouts in HO, N, and Z scales as I have seen in O gauge. And that, by virtue of my involvement in the publishing area of the hobby, has involved literally hundreds of layout.

You can knock them on the size difference, if you're slowly becoming blind, or even on some of the extra fancy features available in O (you, know, the ones that are constantly giving you fits), but when it comes to operation it's almost always a case of the layout being what the builder is able to make it. Keep in mind that there are countless thousands of more layouts out there in HO and N than there are in O. There must be a good reason why that is the case.

It's perfectly fine enough to love O gauge because you love O gauge. There's absolutely no need whatsoever to claim any kind of superiority or to knock the folks--that vast majority, by the way--who enjoy something else.

Now see there's a lot to the other trains,

When I got my first train set it was N scale .I was excited but just a little disappointed when my brother who had american flyer called them sissy trains.

But for 42 years I stayed with sissy trains and had a huge layout.I'll stay with O. I like the detail and now his american flyer are sissy trains.

Of course there can be advantages to owning N scale for someone like say Scott Smith who needs clandestine ways of sneaking trains into the house.

For him it would be like Blazing Saddles when his wife ask "What's in your mouth" Scott's reply with his lips together would simply be "Nupin"

David

What was it that Sheldon said in the latest episode about train conductors???? I was half asleep. Was it when Penny offered him an alcoholic beverage and he turned it down. Guessing here: because he said he might be a train conductor some day???

- walt

Never mind. I just saw the other thread on Sheldon and my question was answered there. Yes, now I remember the pocket watch reason.

- walt

Personally I think if you're looking for something to compare O Gauge with, that G Gauge is a lot closer match-up than Half O.

Both are the largest gauges common for indoor use (Standard Gauge usually implies Pre-War look-alikes and tinplate).

Both are appropriate for outdoor use. HO isn't.

Both have room for adequate sound systems. HO doesn't.

Both are OK for old, arthritic hands and fingers, and are visible to eyes with cataracts and floaters. HO isn't.

Both are OK for around the Christmas tree displays. HO isn't usually preferred for that.

Both are OK for commercial display use like in railroad themed restaurants. I know of one such that has elevated tracks around the dining room. HO wouldn't do for that. Too hard to see from a distance. And you for sure can't risk having trains fall off the tracks and right into a patron's soup.

So there're a few similarities. Even the O Gauge couplers, which some enjoy criticizing. I do believe O Gauge couplers would be just about a perfect alternative in G Gauge.

It's a great hobby no matter the size, number of rails, and level of detail. I'm happiest with O gauge, but there are advantages and disadvantages to each, and everyone has his and her own personal taste. I'd hazard to say we all like trains, no matter what the size. We just favor some over the others.

No go and run your trains. Invite the neighbors over to your house, club or public display. Make some new fans and friends. And have fun!

Rick

quote:

Originally posted by Ginsaw:
Matt, you don't think the conspiracy is after our "precious bodily fluids" do you?? We must deny them that!!

..with apologies to Col. Ripper..

LOL

quote:

Originally posted by Stratocaster:
It's a great hobby no matter the size, number of rails, and level of detail. I'm happiest with O gauge, but there are advantages and disadvantages to each, and everyone has his and her own personal taste. I'd hazard to say we all like trains, no matter what the size. We just favor some over the others.

No go and run your trains. Invite the neighbors over to your house, club or public display. Make some new fans and friends. And have fun!

Rick

Exactly. A friend has a really nice HO layout and we get our digs in about the others choice of scale. But I really appreciate his work and he appreciates my O gauge stuff.

quote:

"H.O. Conspiracy"

It's a problem alright but it's not a BIG problem.

See the Train Acquisitation thread. You can sure store a lot more HO than O in the same place.

Very funny show. Sheldon has to be into HO, I doubt if he could suspend his disbelife enough to appreciate the center rail.

Despite all the claims of superiority of HO over O, your typical household cat isn't going to be able to send an O gauge locomotive flying across the room by batting at it.

Thank you for exposing this. Just another example of the media furthering their small scale agenda. I will vote for the candidate that supports a 3 rail platform.

quote:

I will vote for the candidate that supports a 3 rail platform.

I guess that means you won't be voting.

We have been fans of the show for a long time. I think in part, it is due to fact that compared to the three PhD's and the less educated Howard (teased by his friends for only having a M.S. in engineering from M.I.T.), we rank very low on the nerdy scale!

Jim

Allan, I think any of the candidates could support a three rail platform if they would only hold still. Come to think of it, that might be an appropriate use.