From: Alan Lambert Fort Worth, Texas Fred,
Thanks for this post. I think you answered Ed's question about "scale" . Maybe you are right. It may well mean the size of the body. I'm with you on giving Lionel a chance. SSL&S is in my favorite folder if I need you for anything later. Alan Lambert ________________________________ From: Fred Rouse <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 2:07 PM Subject: {S-Scale List} Scale, not scale, SSL&S wheels, axles etc. Want it or not here's my two cents on these subjects and others. At present S scale has a friend at Lionel. It would be nice to appreciate what they are actually doing without thousands of words of speculation about what they will or won't be doing. Could some things be better? Yes, but it takes time, effort and PATIENCE to influence a corporate machine. Don't bitch about what MIGHT be. I would guess ( MY speculation.) that Lionel's add writers go by an outline given to them by marketing or others and they may not have the same idea of what scale is that most of us do. Could it be that to them scale means the bodies without regard to wheels at all? Before there is also too much speculation about SSL&S wheels here are the facts. All of my wheelsets and driver tires are NMRA / NASG compliant using the RP 25 contour, code 110 (0.110" wide) specifications. My wheels and tires are made of nonmagnetic stainless steel as to not affect magnetic uncoupling. They are more expensive to machine but nothing looks more like steel than steel! I have 33" and 36" wheels and many sizes of driver tires. My axles are normally also nonmagnetic stainless steel. The machine that makes them is down at present so we are using NWSL axles for now. I am using pointed axles made to SHS length and also shouldered axles to fit ACE, SSL&S and others. We will be able to make wheelsets and axles in most any configuration when we are up to speed. If Lionel or others make scale cars with decent trucks and with only large flange wheels we can make the scale wheels or wheelsets as long as there is sufficient demand. If you want examples of my drivers with these tires take a look at the CN Moguls and Ten-wheelers by SPCM used on the fine S Scale Workshop layout. Along with Simon Parent we also produced the kits for those engines. Disparaging remarks about the AF operators,hi-railers (Whatever that really is.) or anyone with rail higher that 0.125" serves no one. Roger Nulton, Brooks Stover, Frank Titman and many other fine modelers started in this best of all scales with taller rail. Don't be the cat in our sandbox. When you get the urge to say something uncomplimentary go build something instead. I have customers that want detail parts to make their AF engines look more "real" like the products out now. It takes a lot of time to figure out what they are trying to do but I always try to help them as they may become the next Roger ,Brooks or Frank. I belong to the NASG and the NMRA and they are complimentary not mutually exclusive. How many don't realize that the present standards are the same? Fred Rouse SSL&S
