Passenger Locos and Rule 8

[WKDOR]

In accordance with Rule 8 I have happily mixed scales (1:19, 1:20, 1:22, 1:24, 1:29), eras and liveries - even within a train if it looks OK. All under the cover story of a fictional railway that only ever bought recycled locos and rolling stock. But I now need to explore the limits of this approach - is 1:32 off the scale?

I find myself leaning a bit more towards standard gauge and have been collecting Aristo heavyweight passenger coaches (think the train from Chicago to Florida in Some Like it Hot - generally reckoned to be about 1:30), more for their length and the era than the scale or livery. So I have been looking for appropriate locos but without much luck.

I have a strategy of buying economical non-digital locos and upgrading them with battery/RC/sound, but since the demise of Aristo that strategy has become much more difficult.

To the point. Taking advantage of Rule 8 what alternative locos should I consider to match the heavyweights?

mike

 

[beavercreek]

Well Mike
The heavyweights were used right up into the diesel era so an early diesel would be fine like an F3 (USA Trains), F7 (LGB), FA1 (Aristocraft) and even a GP 30, 38 (USA Trains), 40 (Aristocraft) would be fine.

Those last diesels in the list were really for freight but would occasionally be pressed into passenger service.
Different Railroads had different practices but as you like to mix and match that does not matter

For steamers the Aristocraft Pacific, the Mikado and the Consolidation (the last new Aristocraft loco produced) would also be totally fine.......A Challenger would be also okay as, although primarily a freight loco, it was sometimes used to head up a passenger service...imagine the smuts from that one!
LGB do a mikado which would be fine as well.

There were some heavyweights being used right up into the 80's on the smaller railroads.

 

[ntpntpntp]

I usually run my heavyweights with my Aristo or LGB Mikado. OK they're maybe slightly undersize to match the LGB loco but not really noticeable.

 

[Rhinochugger]

As regards 1:32 - if it looks right, it is right.

The risk with 1:32 is that they can look small

 

[beavercreek]

Father Ted: …OK, one last time Dougal. These are small… but the ones out there are far away. .......Near...big.......Small… far away…

 

[WKDOR]

Thanks All

Mike: I know that diesels are the sensible solution and I will reconsider but I am a bit prejudiced as I do like a few whizzy cranks. Does the "F" in all those class numbers mean Freight? I see no mention of Aristo E8 or USAT PAs.

Thank you your steamers are all on my list. Three are Aristo to which I add the Mallet that goes quite well. Yes I had wondered about the MTH Challenger until I discovered that its a shade too long.

Nick: Spot on, your two Mikados are exactly what I had intended to buy years ago - and failed. Now the Aristo prices are going through the roof and heading for LGB numbers. Am waiting to see if the arrival of the new LGB Mike will release some older ones on to the market.

1:32 Part One. This came about when I saw the MTH Hudson, the poor man's USAT. Don't like their proprietary controls so it would have to be gutted and parts sold. But I am more concerned by the perception that its a small 1:32 and that it would be noticeably small with heavyweights. But I have never seen them together in the flesh.

1:32 Part Two. We have an LGB RhB Krok that is very popular but sits a little high for the HWs. So what about the SBB Krok from Maerklin (DC model!), plenty of whizzy-cranks. Cannot find the width and height anywhere, its a couple of inches longer than the LGB, it looks narrow and low. Again I have never seen one let alone with HWs so what do you all think?

1:27 also electrickery: Piko Kroko. Good reputation, bit brutal looking but no whizzt cranks. How does it go with HWs?

Very many more thanks




mike

 

[beavercreek]

Whoops forgot the USAT PA/PB and the Aristo E8...
I have a PA/PB set so I should have remembered!

There is another one and that is the USAT GGI...a fine beast (also dome by MTH in 1:32 scale)

 

[PhilP]

OK, idiot question time..
1. What is a 'heavyweight'?
2. What, or who, are MTH?

 

[Rhinochugger]

Heavyweight - Mike Tyson, George Foreman, our 'Enery...............and the early type of US wooden passenger coach usually with a clerestory roof

MTH - manufacturer of US 1:32 trains with their own sound / smoke system

 

[Railfan]

I believe MTH was originally known as Mike's Train House.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Yes, the brain was fading - it's better recognised as MTH Railking

At 1:32, and with their electrical gizmos, there is a tendency that once you're MTH, you're always MTH ??? ???

 

[pugwash]

Aren't most of Piko's latest offerings in 45mm gauge closer to 1:32, even though they cheat by offering different buffers?
I have to admit that most of their earlier kit looked right on a 1:22.5 layout.

 

[royale]

OK, idiot question time..
1. What is a 'heavyweight'?
2. What, or who, are MTH?

Heavyweight passenger cars: Riveted steel bodies with a clearstory roof, usually about 72 ft. long - the chassis' were steel box section construction filled with concrete to make them really heavy to give a very stable and smooth ride.
MTH: MTH-Railking 1/32 scale (1 gauge ) - have their own dedicated DCC system (DCS) but locos will also run on analogue with lights, smoke and chuff or diesel sound only.

 

[Zerogee]

Aren't most of Piko's latest offerings in 45mm gauge closer to 1:32, even though they cheat by offering different buffers?
I have to admit that most of their earlier kit looked right on a 1:22.5 layout.

I think most of Piko's standard gauge stuff is nearer 1:26 or thereabouts (from reading other folk' opinions, I haven't scale-checked any myself).... cab and carriage doors are a little low compared with typical 1:22.5 narrow gauge, but they look similar enough to be "rule 8 acceptable" - to me, anyway. I would agree that 1:32 is probably going just a bit too far in terms of visual compatibility....

Jon.