I am not aware of any WbB freight rolling stock that is scale. 

To my knowledge Williams stock cars are not scale but more the old Lionel 6464 size. For a hopper I would bet it's close to Lionel 6436/56 size.

The former K-Line freight cars are actual O scale. That includes the "55-TON 2-BAY USRA OUTSIDE BRACED HOPPER".

Happy Labor Day Forum friends,

This short video shows a set of William's F3s pulling several Postwar aluminum passenger cars:

These Williams F3s are bigger than my other F3s (I'm limited because of my tight 031 curves) that make me think they might be scale, though I'm not sure. They are no frills, great pullers, were reasonably priced, and I think they look very good pulling the Postwar aluminum passenger cars.

Arnold

falconservice posted:

The former K-Line freight cars are actual O scale. That includes the "55-TON 2-BAY USRA OUTSIDE BRACED HOPPER".

Thanks,

Which others are former K-Line?

-Jim

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Happy Labor Day Forum friends,

This short video shows a set of William's F3s pulling several Postwar aluminum passenger cars:

These Williams F3s are bigger than my other F3s (I'm limited because of my tight 031 curves) that make me think they might be scale, though I'm not sure. They are no frills, great pullers, were reasonably priced, and I think they look very good pulling the Postwar aluminum passenger cars.

Arnold

 

Thanks,

Those are the FA-1 & FB-1 models, which are scale, and fairly well detailed.

-Jim

Speaking of K Line, I have a three of their locomotives that were a great deal: very good detail, very good pullers and very reasonably priced. Very disappointed they went out of business.

Just like the Menards 40ft box cars...(clones of WbB cars) the WbB 40ft box is almost  exact scale size of a PRR X-29 box car. 

Overall WbB are semi-scale but I run scale and use the 40ft box and quad hopper along with the larger passenger cars.

Many locos are scale too.  

Anyone have a picture of a WbB 55 ton hopper  with an MTH, Lionel, Weaver scale hopper?

Thanks

I think this has been discussed before,  but in terms of aesthetics, whether to go with scale or semi scale may depend on one's layout.

For those with gigantic layouts, wide radius curves with no reverse loops or only very large ones, scale is great.

For those like me, who like to run long trains, with tight 031 or 027 curves and not so large reverse loops, semi scale is better IMHO.

Another advantage of semi scale is that it tends to be cheaper than scale.

Arnold

Whether your layout is scale or semi-scale, anyone that comes to see your layout won't know the difference. While I try to keep my layout mostly scale, it was designed with curves that vary from 031 to 072.  A good amount of engines can navigate these curves but if you take some rolling stock like the long passenger cars they don't do well on the tighter curves. In this case std size O gauge (Williams/Lionel. KLine) cars run well and they look good to my eyes.

Thanks for the input...

I have switched over to scale sized equipment and sold/am selling off most of my "modern" traditional size equipment.

I ask because if these can be had at a reasonable price, they will fit in with the scale hoppers in a coal drag.  The traditional size stuff is noticeably smaller.

-Jim

Weaver rolling stock can be a good deal. I buy items that may need small repairs or fix up. Most need some weight added or slight mods but these are cheap and easy....and ALL Weaver is scale so no figuring scale or not. 

More work but even cheaper is old Atlas 2 rail items from the 1970's, AHM and Rivirossi rolling stock. To run well on i modify them pretty heavily and add 3 rail trucks. 

Lots of options.....

"Traditional" is smaller. I think 1:48 is aprox scale, and "Scale" is as close to a measured model they're gonna get.

  As time goes on I'd expect a creep toward more scale products in general since Bachmann's new product focus seems to be all about that anyhow.

Adriatic posted:

"Traditional" is smaller. I think 1:48 is aprox scale, and "Scale" is as close to a measured model they're gonna get.

  As time goes on I'd expect a creep toward more scale products in general since Bachmann's new product focus seems to be all about that anyhow.

NO - 1:48 is North American standard O-scale, period. 1/4" to the foot. It gets no "O-scaler" than that.

There is nothing "approx" about it, numerically.

Euro O ("Eur-O"?) ranges from 1:43 to 1:43.5 to 1:45, as I understand. But that has nothing to do with us, unless you buy MTH Euro models (I have one MTH French 4-6-2, er, 2-3-1, which is 1:43 or 43.5, I forget).

====================

Modern, post-brass Williams products are all over the place as to scale (size, not detail level, as originally stated).

Their brass products - including the rolling stock - were nice, 1:48 scale models. The modern stuff can be scale here and there (FA, E7, F3, NW, "773" Hudson, for example), but always leans towards Toy or at least compression - but compression can be fine in the "real model RR" world, if you use your head. 

This Williams post has inspired me to run some of my Williams engines that have been in the closet for a long time. Below is a short video of smooth running Williams Penn Central diesels that look great effortlessly pulling Postwar aluminum passenger cars:

Wow Arnold, looks like you need an extra set of feeder wires attached to the curve prior to that Rio grande station. Layout looks nice and traditional.

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

Wow Arnold, looks like you need an extra set of feeder wires attached to the curve prior to that Rio grande station. Layout looks nice and traditional.

 Thanks. Mark. When I built the layout in the late 1990s, I was thrilled to upgrade from 027 to 0 Gauge. My parents gave me 027 while my older and more well-to -do 1st cousins had O Gauge, which I coveted. I find the O Gauge track is much less likely to warp than O27 track, and the independently powered 022 switches are far superior to their 027 counterparts. I also love the look of the bright 022 switch lanterns.

Concerning the reduction in track power near the Rico station, I an fine with it since the trains should slow down as they pass the station so as not to endanger the"little people" waiting at the station. LOL, Arnold