Modeling the Mighty PRR In S Scale Today

Phila Chapter PRR T&HS

Modelers Meeting

June 7, 2008

There is “nothing” made in S Scale!

I don’t “play” with American Flyer!

• If this were true, how do I own a VERY extensive collection of there is “nothing” made in S Scale?

• None of the following models have anything to do with American Flyer !

Why Choose S Scale?

• When I switched to S Scale from HO in 1987, the scale was at the beginning of a rebirth, with some nicely detailed generic plastic models available. Since that time, the growth and availability of new products and rolling stock has been nothing short of amazing. My interest in the PRR has evolved and grown along with the growth of S Scale. The Mighty Pennsy accounts for a large portion of the S Scale market. I will show you that you can plan and build a viable PRR layout with the products that are currently available. While there is not the total diversity of rolling stock that HO has, most major class pieces have been made, with more on the way. S Scale is approximately 33% larger then HO, (1:64th or 3/16” = 1”) for those “aging HO eyes.” Unlike O Scale “standard gauge”, which actually scales out to be 5 feet wide, S Scale has the correct standard gauge track width. Furthermore, BTS (formally Bills Train shop) http://www.btsrr.com is producing the East Broad Top in Sn3 in its entirety if you want to add a prototypical narrow gauge line.

• The following is a current listing of accurately detailed models that have been or are being produced for PRR Prototypes, or can be easily made into reasonably accurate PRR models with some minor details added. While the detail level of the stock S Scale models is good to outstanding, my modeling for the past 10 years has been changing something to make it unique or superdetailing to make the model mine. Most of the models shown are mine. With that said most of the models shown here are not stock out of the box, but that is what Model Railroading is all about anyway. I have at least one of most of the models listed here, but they may not be painted yet.

Brass ModelsMy “small” obsession!

• The PRR has been pretty well represented for a minority scale in most categories of brass rolling stock

• Most new S Brass is underpriced when compared to HO and O Scale models.

• Most new S brass was and still is bought directly from the importer. (Overland in the late 80s and early 1990s was the exception)

Brass Steam LocomotivesMost of the S Scale PRR steam engines were imported by the S

Scale only company Omnicon and were built by Samhongsa

• Omnicon• K4 As Built• L1 As Built• M1 As Built• M1a As Built• I1 Modernized• River Raisin Models• J1 Cast Frame Version

Omnicon K4Modernized by Jack Bounds

K4 5495

My K4 5495 in progress

My K4 5495 in progress

Omnicon L1Modernized by me

Omnicon M1

Omnicon M1a Modernized by me

My Omnicon M1bIn Progress

My Omnicon M1bIn Progress

Omnicon Models I1

River Raisin J1With cast frame

Brass Diesels• Many PRR brass diesels have been

produced in S Scale, mostly from Overland Models. River Raisin Models has made diesels as well.

• The larger size makes sound unit installation much easier!

Alco Models RS SeriesThe First Brass Loco In S Scale

Overland Models E7 A & B

Overland Models E8aE8a were rerun by River Raisin in 1991

Overland Models Alco FA FB

Overland Models Alco S Series SwitchersS4 Shown

River Raisin Models 44 TonnerIn Progress

Sunset Models GP7Passenger Version

Greenbrier Models GP30Managed by BTS

River Raisin Models SD9I own 2 of 16 S Scale models built

River Raisin Models BF16

Brass Freight CarsSouthwind Models F30

Southwind Models F34

Southwind GLcaGLcb not shown

River Raisin GLd

Pennsy S Models G26

Pennsy S Models G26a

Southwind Models H21a

Southwind Models H22

Southwind Models H25

Southwind Models H31b

Southwind Models H31c

River Raisin Models H30

River Raisin Models H30a

River Raisin Models H32

River Raisin Models X31a

River Raisin Models X33a

X33a converted to X32aMy First Brass Bash c1992

Pennsy S Models X29 REA Version

Pennsy S Models X29 Freight Versions

Overland Models N5My first Cabin Car paint job

Overland Models N5b

Overland Models N5c

Southwind Models N6

Southwind Models N8

Southwind Models Y4 Scale Test Car

Brass Passenger Cars Southwind Models B60 & B60b

Southwind Models R50b

Southwind Models P70rFactory Painted

They will be stripped and repainted at some point

Brass Models Not Shown• Alco Models RS2 & RS3• River Raisin Models SD7, E8, Airslide Hopper

1965 version, GLf (Unpainted)• Overland Models F3, F7, F9, S1, S2, RS11• Oriental SW1, SW7, SW9, SW1200 & NW2• Sunset Models GP9• Southwind Models12-1 & 13 DB Pullmans, GLca

hopper, N6 Center & Lines West Cupola

Plastic & Other Models

• BTS• American Models• S Helper Service• Putt Trains (Formally Rex Trains)• Des Plaines Hobbies• Pacific Rail Shops (Now Des Plaines Hobbies)• S Scale America (Now Des Plaines Hobbies)• Funaro & Camerlengo

Putt Trains (Formerly Rex) B6

American Models Baldwin S12

American Models PA-1 & PB-1My A B A Set in progress

American Models GG1

American Models K4 Streamlined

American Models GP9Heavily reworked in 1990

American Models FP7

American Models E8

American Models TrainMaster

American Models RS3

American Models FA-2 & FB-2

American Models GP35

Omnicon BF16 Urethane

S Helper Service SW1

S Helper Service SW9

S Helper Service F7a & F7b

Funaro & Camerlengo FM Sold as Central Hobby Supply c1990s

S Helper Service F41

BTS (Formally Bills Train Shop)F39 (Pewter)

Funaro & Camerlengo GRaSold as Central Hobby Supply c1990s

S Scale America G24(Des Plaines Hobbies)

S Helper Service GLd

S Helper Service GLf

S Helper Service H34c

S Scale America H39Hand Built Prototype (On Left) and a

Production Model (Assembly required)

S Helper Service X26 & X26c

Pacific Rail Shops X37bSpecial Run For The South Jersey S Scalers 1995

Pacific Rail Shops X41bSpecial Run for 1993 NASG/NMRA Convention

Kaslo Shops N5c

S Helper Service 12-1 Pullman

S Helper Service 10-1-2 PullmanCafé Car Not Shown

Known Future Plastic Models

• S Helper Service NW2, E7 A & B due 2008-2009

• Des Plaines Hobbies X29

Plastic & Urethane Models Not Shown

•BTS - H21 and P54 flat panel kits

•American Models U25b (Undecorated)

Track• Shinohara• Code 100 flextrack• Code 100 #6 & 8 turnouts• S Helper Service• Code 125 flextrack built to PRR Mainline standards• Code 125 turnouts with wood ties are in development• Tomalco• Code 70/83/100 flextrack, turnouts, crossings and track

accessories• Fast Tracks • Turnout and frog building fixtures and jigs for code 83 to 125.

Laser cut turnout tie kits.

Links Of Interest

• National Association of S Gaugers www.nasg.org

• NASG Convention Lowell Mass August 5-10, 2008http://www.nasg2008.com

• Lanes Trains www.lanestrains.com

• Pennsy S Models www.pennsysmodels.com

ALL of this S Scale looks good Bill!

• But I already have SO much rolling stock in ______ Scale. How can I switch scales now?

Sell it all NOW!Bidders are standing by!

S Scale today is not your old American Flyer. It is also not the Scratchbuilders scale that it was years ago. • This is where I could have continued the listing by including the many

other plastic R-T-R and kit form cars that are available. However, the focus for this article is accurate PRR prototypes. Even the most discriminating modeler in any scale has to fill in the rolling stock collection with more generic models

• Considering that 80% of the above models were not available when I switched to S Scale in 1987, I truly believe that S Scale will only continue to grow at a faster rate then it has previously. What attracted me is that it was a minority scale. I can be a little obsessive. There was not the pressure of wanting everything that I might have had in HO. You can get everything if you want. However, even if you did that, you would still have a sizable collection and investment as you have seen.

• You can also call up the owner of a company at home to make modeling or project suggestions. It very well could get made. I know that to be true, because I have done it. Try that with any of the major manufacturers in other scales! S Scale is a close knit community of people and friends that enjoy the common bond of modeling in the scale between HO and O Scale.

End MarkersQuestions?

All text and photography © Bill Lane2008

• Some photos were “borrowed” from the manufacturer's website in the name of the promotion of modeling the PRR in S Scale

• No websites or photos were harmed in the production of this presentation

• See www.lanetrains.com for more of what has been made in S Scale in roads other then PRR.