I tend to agree. As I've made no bones on the list, after thirty-five years or so in O scale (twenty in HO before that) I have accumulated a massive collection, far more than I am ever likely to actually use if I ever get around to laying track (and still buying more, although at a somewhat slower rate); there is no way in the world I am going to REPLACE all that with S scale. S scale is a secondary interest, although I do envision building a modest switching yard and single-track branchline when I finally retire and settle some place permanently. Although I've bought five or six brass cars, including a gas-electric, I have yet to buy a brass locomotive in S scale. It is not that I couldn't, it is that I don't choose to; unless it were my first commitment, the prices are just more than I can justify. My general rule of thumb, as I recently wrote another list member, is that I am willing to spend equivalent amounts on S scale to what I am used to paying for comparable O scale items: e.g., the SHS EMD switchers retail for $200; Atlas SW units (Don Thompson actually offers more types than Atlas does) list at $225 (or at least they did without the subsequent electronic gadgetry). Or the AM diesels are very similar in engineering and design to Weaver diesels in O scale; although economies of scale in the much larger market resulted in substantial discounts for the Weaver RS-3, GP-38, and FA-2, the list on them was still originally $200--and that was twenty years ago. Atlas freight cars still list for more than SHS is charging for theirs, and AM again can be compared to Weaver O scale ones. My point is that price alone should not dissuade anyone beginning or with relatively little investment in O scale from considering S scale seriously. Right now, as others have pointed out, the major problem is supply, and without reliable supplies of what passes for mass-market goods, the distribution network Ii.e., hobby shops and other retail outlets) suffers, and tire-kickers just don't see enough real S scale to tempt them.
On the other hand, S scale brass locomotives as a whole are priced about twice the cost of comparable O scale brass ones. The one minor exception is S scale brass diesels, as the going rate for even second-hand O scale brass is now around $500 per, with more desireable ones going even higher. Another limitation is that there have just been fewer offerings of prototype diesels in S scale, just as there have been far fewer choices for steam. I was quite tempted twenty-five years ago when the Omnicon imports arrived, as the owner wisely chose smaller locomotives, of which there have been only a handful in S scale. I might add here that Don Thompson chose wisely in the B&O E-27; the comparable mass-market non-brass O scale is a freelance junker also built in the PRC and listing for $500--without DCC and sound. It has been a problem in O scale going back to Max Gray almost sixty years ago that it costs almost as much to manufacture an 0-6-0 switcher as a 2-10-4, but the psychology of the market is that people are less willing to pay nearly as much for smaller locomotives as large prototypes, so importers--who need to at least earn back their investment--build what will sell. This seems to be the same situation in S scale... Jace Kahn General Manager Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co. > --- In [email protected], "richgajnak" <rustytraque@...> wrote: > > Unfortunately, the most common response from folks in HO and O you hear > > after seeing the advantages of S is "I've already got too much invested > > in..." > > > They say that then they go and spend twice as much over the next decade. > Don't worry they'd buy S if it is easy to buy. I've seen the same thing > happen many times, 4 track tape, cassettes, vinyl records, Cd's, 5.25 floppy > disk, tube TV's ,etc. People move on once they can get a better product at a > do-able price. Stock a train store with N, TT, HO, S and O stuff all of the > same quality, quantity, and relative price based on size and see which scales > are the winners.My money would be on S and TT based on the ergonomics of > handling versus space required....DaveBranum [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
