OScale Trains

The Art of FinescaleMichael CougillStandards—Part 1I’ve been reading a collection of Norm Buckhart’s old ProtoJournal recently, and learning about the early days of Proto48has been interesting. What surprised me was how often thesepioneers met with adversity and, in some cases, even outrightanimosity from the established model railroad community.Thanks to their persistence, we now enjoy a healthy networkof P48 products and suppliers. One can get started in no time atall, where once considerable effort was required just to have alocomotive, a few cars, and some track to run on. But P48 stillhas a way to go. One thing that would go a long way to popularizingP48, for new converts, would be a track system.P48 is about modeling to higher standards of accuracy andfidelity to the prototype. Most guys handlay their track. Handlayingmodel track really isn’t hard, and the information is readilyavailable. Many still find it intimidating, tedious or not totheir liking for whatever reason. True, it takes time and effort toproduce track that looks prototypical and runs well. For thoselike myself who enjoy it, it’s a relaxing part of the hobby. Forothers it’s just plain work, which brings me back to the idea of atrack system.One has only to look at the success of On30 and the smallergauges, particularly HO, to trace the contribution that readilyavailable track systems have made to their popularity. Further,the smaller gauges never had to deal with the gauge discrepancythat O Scale still wrestles with. HO track is correctly gauged at4’ 8-1/2” whether it is made for toy trains or scale models.I don’t think that P48 needs a finescale version of snap-track.I fear that the temptation to a major manufacturer would be tocompromise accuracy and detailing for the sake of appealing toa broader market in order to recoup their investment quickly.What would be nice would be a set of matching componentsthat are fully detailed, to scale, that would speed up or simplifythe tracklaying process. Such as system may be in our futurevery soon.Many of you know Jim Canter of Indianapolis. A long timeadvocate for P48 and 1/4” modeling; Jim runs Canter Rail Services,a sideline business featuring a line of track templates,gages and other accessories for P48. He also organizes a showin the Indianapolis area each September for 1/4” and P48 thathas become a major event in the O Scale community.Jim is planning a large layout. This means lots of track and alot of work on that track. He wanted to speed things up on thelayout, and started thinking about a tie-strip product geared toP48. Always thinking “big picture”, he reasoned if he could useit, others could too.I spoke with Jim recently, and learned that the tooling for thedies is underway and that matching #8 turnout strips will also beproduced. These products will have all the detailing, tieplates,rail braces and so on, built in. All the modeler has to add is rail.The strips will accept both Code 138 and 125 rail, since thewidth of the rail base is nearly the same. Joint bars will also beincluded on the sprue, and can be clipped off and attached tothe rails every scale 39’ if one wishes.What is really exciting with the turnouts strips is that Jim hascollaborated with John Pautz of American Switch and Signal, toensure that his tiestrips and John’s frog and point castings will beperfectly compatible with each other. Cooperation of this sortadvances the hobby for everyone.Remember, both of these guys have day jobs. The incomederived from their model railroad projects likely just covers theexpense of production (hopefully). It doesn’t pay the bills orput food on the table. Bringing top quality products to a ficklemarket is a major risk. A substantial chunk of their own moneyis tied up in development and marketing, with little guarantee ofsuccess.The P48 community should welcome their efforts, and thoseof many others, who bring us the products we enjoy. As wecontinue to press for more prototypically accurate products (notonly track, but rolling stock, buildings and scenery), the futurefor all O Scalers looks bright indeed.For further information about any of Jim’s products contact:Canter Rail Services1203 Rotherham LaneBeech Grove, IN 46107-3323E-mail: jcanternkp@sbcgobal.netuTHE WESTERN RESERVE “O” SCALE TRAIN SHOWCLEVELAND, OHIOSaturday, November 4, 2006 9:30 am - 2:30 pmAdmission: $5.00 6’ Tables - $35.00LAKELAND COMMUNITY COLLEGEI90 and ST.RT. 306 (S.E. Corner)Held in the Auxiliary Gym / Athletic Center24 Hr. Police • Public Welcome • Free Parking • 2-rail “O” scale only • Please no other gaugesSORRY NO PASSES ACCEPTED AT THIS SHOW • THIS SHOW IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE WESTERN RESERVE O SCALE COMMITTEE WHO ANNUALLY PUT ON A SIMILAR SHOWBOB FRIEDEN - 9695 CHILLICOTHE ROAD - KIRTLAND, OHIO 44094 - 440-256-8141 - FAX: 440-256-1749Sept/Oct ’06 - O Scale Trains • 39