Flyer turbine

I agree and have often wondered why Lionel or Gilbert did not make additional Models such as cab forward, turbine and others,

@k-liner posted:

I'm a Lionel guy , but like all scales as well. I have worked on many Lionel PRR turbines and have wondered why didn't Gilbert make a model also? The Lionel version was a huge success, so I have to think a Flyer model would have done well too. It would have been very neat! What are your thoughts?     Mike

Gilbert did not produce models of larger steam engines beyond the Northern due to cost and tooling. The steam engines were based upon 4, 6, and 8 wheel chassis that were utilized for commonality, the 6 wheel chasis being the most common by far. The 4-8-4 Northern was their biggest steam engine model and sold in markedly less numbers than the others. Both Flyer and Lionel were limited in the postwar period by the curve radii and turnouts on which their models could operate. For example, the postwar Lionel PRR S2 Turbine and GG1 are severely foreshorten models relative to scale. The core philosophy behind Gilbert Flyer was that it was THE scale train product line which tended to limit producing models too far out of scale. Gilbert did consider some ideas for a few articulated steam engines via wood mockups with the notion of using a chassis they had, but tooling costs, expected sales, and operational limitations associated with a 20"  radius precluded pursuing them further. Below is a picture of a Gilbert mockup of an Allegeny based upon two 6-wheel chassis from their 0-6-0 Dockside model which would run on standard Flyer curves (This mockup resided in the Olsen collection for a number of decades and the note card of authenticity was penned by Maury Romer).

Hope this clarifies a bit.

Bob

How does the size of the Lionel turbine body compare to S scale?

@John Hutnick posted:

How does the size of the Lionel turbine body compare to S scale?

The 671 is "closer" to S scale than O, but this is using the word "closer" in a most imaginary way. The 671, although an appealing toy train, is not a model built to any scale with a sense of precision.

Bob

For all here, let me ask the basic question.  Lets say I take a 671, narrow the frame, and use some sort of drivers gauged to S.  Does it come out as a reasonable size for S, or am I wasting my time?  Can someone here measure the size of a 671?

The S2 was 122'-7" long and 16' tall. In S gauge the engine would be 23" long and 3" high. I have no idea what the dimensions of the Lionel engine are. My guess would be the Lionel castings would be too, wide, too tall and slightly short of S scale. It would look the the K-Line Big Boy that Lionel released with S gauge running gear. The length of the Big Boy is ok but the height and width are way off.