S Scale Musings |
Two months ago, when I made the decision to change from HO scale to S scale, I recognized several factors which prompted the move. In the meantime, I have since discovered another principal reason, which has its roots in my modelling philosophy.
For the past two years, I have enjoyed the opportunity for continuous running on my HO scale layout. Once around the room is well over a scale mile, occupying two or three minutes of time for the average train. I have approximately 75 pieces of authentic, well-detailed freight rolling stock. Four steam locomotives, equipped with decoders, are available for two Digitrax throttles. A card order system is in place, and, for the most part, the track is free of electrical and mechanical malfunctions. All the ingredients are there for enjoyment of operation. Indeed, fellows such as my Dad, Rich Chrysler and Trevor Marshall have accepted invitations for operating sessions, during which everything ran smoothly.
However, aside from three formal operating sessions with these other people, plus the odd bit of poking around on my own, I have not embraced the opportunity to operate my layout over the span of two years. Until deciding to switch to S scale, I assumed that it was only a matter of time and circumstances—all track fully operational, scenes completed, more locomotives in service, switch controls for staging yard in place, etc.—before I would become charged with excitement at the thought of recreating the train movements on the Allandale Division in September 1952.
It was not to be. In fact, to paraphrase the Grinch at his moment of discovery, I recently hypothesized that maybe railway modelling means a little bit more than operation. In a past topic of the month, I related my experiences in the cab of CNR Mikado 3254, and declared that I would not choose the career of a railway engineman in steam days. And, for that matter, I have no desire to be a conductor, brakeman, station agent or despatcher. I don’t want anything to do with running a railway, in real life or miniature. What I am, however, is a spectator and a keen observer of the scene. When I applied that insight to my activities in the hobby of railway modelling, it became clear to me why I have not retreated to the basement at every opportunity to operate my layout.
Bringing this change in perspective back to the move from HO scale to S scale, I see now that what I am embracing is the chance to be a railway modeller as opposed to a model railroader. In planning my S scale projects, I am going to discard the notion that I will be constructing a layout for the purpose of re-creating railway operations. Having wrestled with the too-little-space dilemma, which confronts all of us, in HO scale and even moreso in S scale, I now see a solution.
Maybe someday my situation will change, and instead of the 350 square foot L-shaped room at my disposal I will have a luxurious 40’ x 100’ outbuilding in which to construct my dream layout. If and when that day comes, I will put the space to good use. In the meantime, however, I realize that the essence of my interest in railway modelling is the re-creation of favourite railway scenes. Virtually all of these have appeared, or will appear, in my series of books dealing with the CNR in Southern Ontario during the 1950s.
I do not have a single favourite location or railway subdivision, which is one of the drawbacks of intensely studying every CNR line in Southern Ontario. Try as I might, I will likely never stick to one locale or theme for the rest of my modelling days. Coupled with the realization that operation is not important to me, and that my primary motivation is to re-create favourite scenes, I have reformed my thinking toward setting goals in the hobby.
It does not take much investigation to discover that in S scale, or even HO scale, not many of us have the space available to re-create even a moderately-sized town such as Harriston, Georgetown, Penetang or Dundas in its entirety, let alone larger places such as Stratford, Allandale, London or Kitchener. But what would happen if one were to eliminate the need for operation, and just focus on a scene or, better still, several scenes? And what if each of those scenes was small enough to be modelled without compression, and self-contained? I believe I have hit upon an approach which will answer the need for a periodic change of scene throughout my modelling life, as well as breaking free of the constraints of a given space.
The way I first saw it, there were two approaches I could take: build for today’s space, or build for the hopes of having more space tomorrow. Upon further investigation, however, I believe that I (or you) can do both. Suppose that a given town is too large for the space available. If modelling, as opposed to operation, is the primary goal, what is to prevent a modeller from building a number of sections depicting a given town, even if they occupy more space than the layout room? Sections can be worked on one at a time, and assembled a few at a time, but the modeller need not put the whole thing together at once. Someday, in a larger space, the sections can be assembled in toto. Or, a modeller could choose a favourite place, build it in a section or sections, then sell the finished units to a fellow modeller before moving onto new territory.
Returning to my short term goals, I know several things won’t change. I have settled on scale (1:64), prototype (CNR), era (summer 1954), general locale (Southern Ontario) and type of line (single track branchline or secondary mainline, which generally implies nothing larger than a Pacific or Mikado). Without spiking down a single piece of track, I can proceed on amassing a roster of locomotives and rolling stock. I have already mentioned that brass kits for a CNR Mogul and light Pacific will soon be available. These will likely be followed by other popular engines such as H-6 Ten Wheelers. In a few weeks, resin kits for CNR wood cabooses will be produced. Steel 40-foot boxcars, in both 10’-0" and 10’-6" heights, are already available in plastic. There is promise of a 36-foot Fowler boxcar in resin. Being a model builder, I am not going to wait for kits to come available, however. I anticipate scratchbuilding several cars in styrene (CN gondolas, 40-foot steel-frame boxcars, reefers and coaches come to mind), making rubber moulds, and casting numerous duplicates in resin.
Beyond the acquisition of rolling stock and locomotives, there are favourite structures to scratchbuild. As for choice of locale for modelling, I am going to forget about the limitations of my space. I am going to enjoy building models for their own sake, and not seek to fill my layout room with a miniature transportation system. To that end, at the moment I am considering the section of track between Allandale and Penetang. Favourite scenes along that stretch are the crossing at Essa Road, the bridge at Wyevale, the freight shed and turntable at Penetang, the Penetang station on the wharf, and the coal sheds on the industrial spur at Penetang (all of these scenes are in Steam at Allandale).
If I were to explore another area in the next little while, it would likely be somewhere between Palmerston and Owen Sound. Places such as Harriston, Chesley and Hanover are loaded with atmosphere, and scenes of Ten Wheelers, frame stations, furniture factories and freight sheds are aplenty in Steam Over Palmerston. Again, I would simply concentrate on scenes, and not get in over my head trying to re-create an entire town all at once. The area in the vicinity of the roundhouse, freight sheds and station at Owen Sound is another favourite. Finally, the granddaddy of all for me would be to construct the entire Palmerston yard full size in S scale. Pierre Oliver and I have already determined that this could be done in about a dozen sections, and be housed in a 30’ x 80’ space. Perhaps because I’m a dreamer, perhaps because I’m approaching a mid-life crisis or perhaps because I’m yearning for a supreme challenge, this last project has not been ruled out.
Ian Wilson
April 2, 2003
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