I think this thread has deviated some what from its original direction but whatever. First, as someone who's intrest is in the original American Flyer I wish you would stop refering to S scale as Flyer. S scale is S scale, Flyer is not scale whether made by Gilbert or Lionel or whoever. Second, those of you that want scale equipment that runs on DC or DCC that is fine but I am concerned that you are going to destroy the Flyer market in your enthusiasm. It is already hard to get new switches that will work satisfactorily with the Flyer wheel flanges.
Thank you Al, it's what I've been trying to convey in another post and I'm pretty disgusted with converted O gaugers extolling the virtues of Lionel products not yet produced. What is scale anyway? I see real "scale" everyday in Albany, NY and it looks nothing like the pristine painted models produced by any manufacturer. The equipment is dirty, rusty and nothing like you can buy as a model. Give me a decent Hi-rail AF product that operates properly and I am happy as a clam. AND, it runs on real 2 rail track. That's all I need.
Threads have a tendency to wander away from there original intent, it is the nature of discussion whether it be in person or the internet. It happens here on all the boards, on Yahoo, CNN... anywhere and everywhere.
And I would also beg to differ about Flyer not being "scale." I go round and round with some of the uber-scalers on Yahoo about this from time to time. With few exceptions, Flyer is certainly "scale." Definitely more so than "traditional" Lionel or most MTH RailKing.
I've always considered Flyer "scale," just "low resolution." Not every rivet and bolt is there, true, but everything, save for the Frontiersman, old time passenger cars and the so called "F9's" is built to 1:64 proportion, with some allowances made for the production realities of the 1950's.
I've also taken a couple of flyer items, done some minor reworking and added scale trucks and Kadee's. They look just fine tucked in with my other scale equipment.
I do very little weathering, if any, on my trains. Does that make them any less "scale?" I'm not about to grunge up my River Raisin Pioneer Zephyr, my AM Pacific that I put a lot of work in detailing or the 290 Pacifics in my Flyer collection.
Model railroading is a hobby of many dimensions, from a wind up tin set running on a circle of track on the carpet to the finest, museum quality model railroad system.
It's all good.
Rusty
