Welcome Dan,
I got into S scale trains in the late 1960's, my parents bought me a used set of H.O. race cars and their friend threw in the S scale train from American Flyer. The engine I got was a 295 steam engine. As a child I played with the S scale train and tracks, got the switches to work after my dad tried but failed. S scale 2 rail track looks better then O gauge track because of 3 rails. Have not seen the size savings in S scale tracks but like the size better then H.O. trains.
I am also into O gauge trains, Atlas O, Lionel, MTH, and Williams, more so then S scale.
Lee Fritz