Lionel's biggest "scale" engine till modern times was the 700e scale NYC J1e Hudson 4-6-4. Other brands offered kits of larger engines and a few with the wallet depth to afford more than one of the Hudsons could "bash" them into something larger by cutting things, splicing boiler and frames together to make larger engines. Way back then, the selection was much more narrow than it is in todays marketplace. Lionel was the big dog in the show back then. And the scale movement was just taking hold right before WWII, prior to that, the tinplate world of colorful "toy" trains was the thing. If you watch the video on Amazon Prime about the history and development of the prewar 700e, you will better understand what the modeling world was like back then. Its also just fascinating to watch! AD
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