I've been following this thread and have seen and appreciated some of the arguments back an forth about the state of S guage/scale. I'm a lifelong S scaler who started out with a 4904T set in 1952. I've had AF, highrail, scale and Sn3 layouts through the ensuing years. Like many of you, I saw the demise of Gilbert and went through those years afterwards where it seemed that S would completely fade away. Those were the years that I was happy with Kinsman kits and converted AF (Ace parts). I also did most of the Lehigh Valley Models structure kits and thanks to the wonderful techniques suggested by Frank Titman that I learned, I honed my skills as a scratchbuilder. I'm from the old school that says you make due with what you have.
A good example of that is my experience with SN3. I live near the East Broad Top RR and decided to include a section of it with my scale layout. BTS had announced several kits. But, after trying the waters, BTS has pretty much ceased producing EBT equipment due to lack of adequate sales. I've soldiered on however and once again resorted to scratchbuilding and kitbashing (MDC HO hoppers for example).
Outside of two others that I know about, there are only 3 of us modeling the EBT in S.
I'm certainly not bragging because I won't win any modeling contests. What I'm saying is that being an S gauger/scaler is what you make of it. I won't disparage those who move on to other scales because S can't satisfy their particular needs. Maybe it takes a lifelong S gauger to have the kind of loyalty it takes to stick it out no matter how many manufacturers or modelers abandon the scale. All I know is that I'm in it for life and will always love everything S, from scale layouts featured in MR to circles of AF under the Christmas tree. The folks in the other scales, just don't now what they're missing when they just judge the scale by what's available to buy.
