Another NW2 Postwar Lionel question

Hmm it's my understanding that Lionel's NW2's (all of them) are approximately scale-sized.  The die-cast frames on the original issues like #6220 were better looking, especially when the loco is viewed head-on.  But all of them are about the same size.

The reason these switchers appear "big" is that many of Lionel's other locos, rolling stock and accessories were NOT to scale, and actually scale out somewhere between O & S.

 SWs/NWs aren't my favorites.

  My 0-4-0 plastic motor scout is my weakest loco, followed by two mpc NWs.

 My 610, and a Coast Guard can motor starter set unit, have been the two best NWs I've had.

 Scale? Not a clue.

I've read the Trainmasters were close to scale.

 

    

GP7's/9's are close. Just a hair too wide in the body. FM's are close, as well as NW's.

 Alco's are too small, F-3's too long. GE-44 are too big, closer if they call them an 80 ton loco. Turbine and Vulcan switchers a bit too large. That about covers all the postwar diesels. No new diesel models were made after 1957.

The postwar NW2 switcher is very close to scale; the cab is a bit oversize in order to accommodate the open-frame universal motor, similar to the Geeps of that period as Chuck alluded to above.

Actually the Atlas O sw 8 is scale sized. Place one next to the Lionel NW2 and one can see a difference in height and body width