A look at the San Diego s-gaugers's layout

Here's a quick look at the s-gauge layout that the San Diego s-gaugers had on display at the Del Mar train show in Del Mar, CA on 12/13/09.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• s-gauge
• train
• layout
• San
• Diego
• s-gaugers
• Del
• Mar
• show

[robertgift]

S gauge is nice!

Why did Lionel not do S gauge?

Why did Lionel do three rails?

[trainkids]

@robertgift Lionel has been making s-gauge trains since the 70s! As for why they did three rails, you'll have to ask Joshua Lionel Cowen about that, but apparently even three rails did better than 2 because they outsold American Flyer 3-1!

[robertgift]

@trainkids Thank you. Two-railooks so much better than three.

Did Lionel not wanto bother with electrically isolating wheels? Maybe they thoughthat dumb American's would shy away from having to insulate track sections where power would otherwise short - such as a loop returning to a switch.

So that caused them to have to produce the roller pick-ups and middle rails mess.

[trainkids]

@robertgift Hey look, I like Lionel! They're my favorite train company! And I could care less about three rails! Who gives a crap if the track has three rails! They're still fun to operate. And isn't that what model trains are supposed to be all about? To have fun? Also Lionel started making 3-rail trains in 1906 and since it did so well I guess they figured why change a plan that works well? It's like trying to fix a ship that's not sinking.

[CoasterFan2105]

Were you there on the 12th too?

[trainkids]

no i wasn't

[markjs2]

The pre-war American Flyer trains also ran on 3 rail O gauge track. It was after the war that A.C. Gilbert chose to manufacture S gauge and 2 rail track. I still have my 1948 Royal Blue set and it still runs.

If Lionel outsold American Flyer before WW II, then it is understandable why it would do after. Fathers probably bought their boys what they themselves had as kids. My dad never had an electric train, so his "ignorance" resulted in my becoming a life-long S gauge fan.

[robertgift]

@trainkids I like Lionel, too. My Lionelayout is large and colorful withe signals and street lights and search light, and buildings and blinking billboards, etc.

It is unfortunate thathey did not make it TWO-rail for morealism with still the same fun.

They did do something withe third rail being a ribbon.

Hey, I should paint my middle rails black!

[bravosixxx]

That was SuuuuuuhWEEET! Thanks for sharing bud!