O27 with S scale buildings, etc...

Well actually if you put some of the smaller items like the Lionel plug door box car next to some thing from AF, S Scale Helper or American Models, you'll see while they are in the "neighborhood" as far as size, they are still large.

Likewise, taking an AF car and putting Lionel trucks on it, it is obviously smaller than the typical 027 train car. I know K-Line took their early production 027 cars and put S gauge trucks on them... I don't think that was a big hit for them. I do know other of other 027 guys including myself, who got them and put regular Lionel trucks on them... the K-Line S gauge PRR and NH box cars were nicer paint jobs than many of the marketed 027 cars.

I admit to having your same idea, until I actually placed some AF cars next to some of the typical 027 cars, and thought the AF ones were just a little too small for my liking.

It's really a matter of taste Edstrains. The Plasticville buildings for example, were a little small for true 0 scale, and a little large for true S... and I've seen them used with both types of trains.

If you had a larger sized layout, with an elevated section, the smaller buildings and cars could certainly be used to help created the illusion of distance.But then again, most folks I know that are into 027 is because they don't have the space to do a big layout. And while there are limitations to 027, you can do more on a small layout with 027 track and trains.

The only Lionel O27 car that is just about spot-on with no chopping and channeling in all three dimensions for S Scale is the cars derived from the old "Scout" double door boxcar.  Here are some comparisons of a redetailed Scout boxcar (left) vs. Flyer, American Models, Pacific Rail Shops and S Helper Service S Scale cars.

Everything else in Lionel O27 isn't close to S and is flexible in it's "scale" in height, width and length by means of Lionel's masterful use selective compression. (and they were really good at it.)

The old Industrial Rail also made a caboose that was only off by a scale inch or so:

Rusty

If you have S scale buildings, I would use them, put them in the back and away from a full scale building. On real railroads, especially in past years, there were rail cars of all sizes being used. Have a mixed freight rolling down the tracks and no one would notice. I have compared Lionel O and Scout, Marx and AF.

Except for a few kits, there are no "S" buildings. Plasticville is a bit large for "S", but it "works". For my small "S" layout I have found that a few "HO" Woodland Scenics Ready-Built structures work well. Members of a "S" modular group once told me that they add larger doors to "HO" city buildings.

Since many O27 trains are the same height as O, I'd err to the large side, and use Plasticville or "O".

I thought Plasticville was S scale buildings with O scale windows & doors?

I think this is a great idea. A whole new branch in the hobby - O27S 

Ertl made a building set called the Farm Country Ranch that included several old west style building that would be perfect for your O27 project.  They are listed as 1/64 but seem to be just a little big for S. There are other buildings in the series, but I've not seen them in person.

027 is such a magical spot in the O gauge hobby because anything goes.  No matter what you do it's going to be right.

This is awesome! Do you have any more pictures of this "S" caboose?

Other than a little more of the same, not really:

And a websnag of what it looked like with O27 trucks from IR.

One of these days I'll get around to reworking the cupola ends, but for right now, it's good 'nuf.

Rusty

Y'all are a bit late to the S scale on O gauge party.

American Flyer and Marx did that before WWII. Lionel was involved briefly after the war. Marx never left and AF jumped ship and stated S gauge.

Check out some vintage Marx scale tin. It's S scale on O-27 track. I like it!

That's pretty much my take on Plasticville, too.  They've done a masterful job of compressing, but getting all sorts of details to be realistic.

I bought a few of the K-Line S gauge cars, even a caboose and had a small problem with the K-Line caboose as it would overhang too much(the steps on the caboose) and hit stuff along the track side or side swipe another freight car when passing on a curve. The caboose even looked like it was 027 and not S gauge.

I use Plasticville buildings with my O & S gauge trains and it looks great to me. 

K-Line buildings for O gauge are about the same size as Plasticville and they are good to use as well.

Lee Fritz

I agree with Rusty's assessment.  The double door cars are almost spot on.  As far as the Industrial Rail caboose, here's mine.  I filled in the end windows in the cupola and simply painted the area with Boxcar Yellow.  As far as size, they're almost perfect.

Plasticville buildings are a tad large for S, depending on which one you choose.  But with a bit of cutting, hacking and painting, they can be quite useful.

Yep, that 027 thing has been a bridge between O and S for a long time. Here's an O American Flyer boxcar next to a Karl Bub/KBN freight house. The AF is full O "tinscale" and doesn't have that little-kid-on-roller-skates 0-27 look . The KBN building is tin but looks great next to AF S scale.

Thanks for the additional pictures Rusty Traque & poniaj. That caboose is such an ugly duckling in the Industrial Rail line, but on s trucks it looks great!

Great responses, and some nice model work. When you model in S scale, I learned this early and often, you have to be able to adapt equipment from other scales when its available. After reading the responses, and further consideration, I plan to use O scale buildings, with modest footprints, to the front of the layout, and my S scale structures towards the back, with some S scale autos for good measure. We will see how much you can fool the eye in 4 feet of depth! Thanks..

Good info there!!!!!!

I knew that IR caboose was small........never thought it was S scale......sure works well!!!