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Modeling The Mighty

PRR in S Scale Today

The following was published in the May 2006 monthly online publication The Keystone Modeler. It is free to receive and is produced by and with the PRR T&HS.

The Keystone Modeler

6-1-08 Update

I produced a 38 MB 97 slide PowerPoint Presentation that was shown at the PRR T&HS Phila Chapter meeting on June 7, 2008. It is very similar to the following but with many photos. You have my permission to use it in the promotion of modeling the PRR and S Scale to other Model Railroaders.

You can download the presentation here:

You have to have PowerPoint to view the presentation. If you do not have it you can download the PowerPoint viewer for free here:

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, (1:64^th 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, 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. All 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 if they are not shown they are not painted yet.

Brass Rolling Stock

Steam Locomotives

Omnicon

K4 As Built

L1 As Built

M1 As Built

M1a As Built

I1 Modernized

River Raisin Models

J1 Cast Frame Version

Diesel Locomotives

Alco Models

Alco

RS2

RS3

RSD4/5

Greenbrier Railroad Models

EMD
GP30

Oriental Models

EMD
SW1

SW7

SW9

Overland Models

Alco

FA2

FB2

EMD

E7 A & B

E8A

F3 A & B

F7 A & B

F9 A & B

River Raisin Models

Alco

RS11

Baldwin

RF16 Freight Sharks

EMD

SD9

G E

44 Tonner

Freight Cars

Southwind Models

F30

F34

GLca

GLcb

H21a

H22

H25

H31b

H31c

N6 Center, offset, & Lines West Cupolas

Y4 Scale Test Car

River Raisin Models

GLd (USRA)

H30

H30a

H32

X32

X33a

Overland Models

N5b with antennas

N5c with and without antennas

Airslide Hopper 1965 version

Pennsy S Models

X29 Many versions were produced

G26 & G26a – Limited quantities were produced and sold. Most cars were returned to the builder due to quality control issues. This project has concluded.

Passenger Cars

Southwind Models

R50b

B60 With 2 different roof styles

P70r

12-1 Pullman

13 DB Pullman

Plastic, Urethane & White Metal Models

Steam Locomotives

American Models (Plastic)

K4 (Streamlined)

Rex Models by Putt Trains (White Metal)

Diesel & Electric Locomotives

American Models (Plastic)

Alco

FA2

FB2

PA1

PB1

RS3

Baldwin

S12

GG1

EMD

FP7a

GP9

GP35

Fairbanks Morse

Trainmaster

Omnicon

Baldwin

RF16 Freight Sharks (Urethane)

S Helper Service (Plastic) – See SHS Info below

SW1

SW9

NW2

F7a

F7b

Freight Cars

Bills Train Shop

F39 (Plastic & Pewter)

H21 (Urethane flat panel kit)

May be out of stock

Des Plaines Hobbies (Plastic)

H39

G24

X29 2 versions so far released summer 2013

Kaslo Shops (Urethane)

N5c

Funaro & Camerlengo (Urethane)

GRa

S Helper Service (Plastic)

F41

GLd

GLf

X26c

Passenger Cars

American Models (Plastic)

12-1 Pullman

13-3 Pullman

Bills Train Shop

P54 (Urethane flat panel kit)

May be out of stock

Track

S Helper Service – See SHS Info below

Code 137 flextrack built to PRR Mainline standards

The best flex track in S Scale.

Fox Valley Models

Code 137 flextrack built to PRR Mainline standards

Also RTR #5 turnouts with scale and hi rail versions

Tomalco

Code 70/83/100 flextrack, turnouts, crossings and track accessories

Fast Tracks

Turnout and frog building fixtures and jigs for code 83 to 139. Laser cut turnout tie kits.

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 than 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.

S Scale brass holds its value. The Omnicon L1 was almost tripled in value. The average production of any item is approximately 100 pieces. However, within the 100 pieces, you could have 3 or 4 versions. In a few cases, I have 3 of 18 pieces produced, making it a very limited and rare model. Building your collection can be part of the fun. But like in HO with pieces made by Key and Challenger Models, you cannot expect to go to a show or convention to get a certain piece as they probably will not immediately available. It is best to get the piece when it is first released, again as with other scales as well.

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. In most cases, you will be buying most new pieces buying directly from the company who made the item.

In conclusion, S Scale today is not your old American Flyer. It is also not the Scratchbuilders scale that it was years ago. Perhaps you would consider a change to S Scale as well. The following is contact information for all the companies that were mentioned in the article. Note that I have included the owners or partners names, so you will know who you should contact. They may become your friends too. I would also recommend that you visit the National Association of S Scalers www.nasg.org for a link to most of the known manufacturers of S Scale products. I welcome any questions about changing scales or modeling the Mighty Pennsy in S Scale at bill@lanestrains.com or 856-848-5133