Piko vs Pola - Another G Scale Mystery

[Paul M]

But I sure do have fun

And that's what it's all about. Whether you like just watching trains going round, time tabled operation, highly scenic and detailed lines or just anything goes, fun is what it's all about.

 

[David Palmeter]

I rather like the G layout concept, looks to me like a Start to Station to Station round a reverse loop and back again. Entirely suitable for Timetable and Train Order running. Wagon cards and some waybills and you have yourself a real operating session railway, Tunnel or not. To my mind scenery to a certain extent is all in the imagination, for me Operating like the real thing is king.

Thank you. Another challenge with big structures results in having a lot of tracks in a relativity small space. The outer loop allows the 4-4-0 locos to look more presentable around the curves. The inner folded dogbone branch line, with both an inner loop shortcut connection and a reverse loop to change direction (much nicer to operate with the radio control engines), along with a couple of yards and some sidings, provides many operational opportunities. And the pride of the Bridge Engineering Department is the removeable bridge to the shelves. LGB standard slip connectors on the layout end and modified splitjaw connectors on the shelf end.

Below is the FTRR Board of Directors on the initial inspection tour. (Yes, Grandma selected the rolling stock!)

 

[stevedenver]

david…looks great
looks like a lot of fun.

i think large trees could add some visual separation. Perhaps too, one of the large plastic garden rocks

 

[David Palmeter]

Final solution? A friend in our G Scale club mentioned he needed structures for the outdoor layout he was building, so I sold him the three large Pola buildings for the same US$60 that I had spent to purchase them. We are both very happy with the deal!

The next project? Carve up the RBRBB* into several smaller buildings!



*Really Big Red Brick Building

 

[pugwash]

Way back in time, when I had a G outdoor railway I bought a couple of Piko kits and a couple of Pola kits. Even during construction, before they even met the great outdoors, it was blatantly obvious that the Piko kits were a) too flimsy and b) too small (put a LGB figure nest to a doorway) whereas c) the Pola kit was far more substantial and even the right size - they even used an interesting pin and hole system that was really strong and (almost) negated the the use of cement (oh yes, why did Pola make G cement? And I still have some and use it under certain circumstances) So there you go.

 

[David Palmeter]

Speaking of structures - how would you like a closer, very detailed look at the construction of my largest scratch built project, the RBRBB? Alrighty then, click HERE.

Previews:





Yes, it finally got functional roof drains (the tiny white spec in the lower right corner of the roof)! All the electronics survived several years outdoors in the Central Hoosier Flatlands weather!