# What is the latest?



## ClassTimeSailer (Aug 10, 2008)

I've been out of it for more than 10 years and my G/1:32 Garden RR rolling stock, engine and assorted figures have been in storage. I always thought that I would rebuild in 1:20.3. 

BUT now that I pulled them out and considered selling/disposing of the collection, all the memories came rolling through and now I am reconsidering the choice of scale for my next RR. 

My question and the reason for this post:

Part 1: What is currently available in 1:32 industrial (short) or switching engines? And where is the best place to see what is available? My Lionel GP-9 is a bit long. And I've never thought that the USA switcher looked the part. 

Part 2: is 1:20.3 still popular? Years ago, it was gaining in popularity and I sometimes wished I went that route. 

Thanks in advance,Jeff


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

ClassTimeSailer said:


> My question and the reason for this post:
> 
> Part 1: What is currently available in 1:32 industrial (short) or switching engines? And where is the best place to see what is available? My Lionel GP-9 is a bit long. And I've never thought that the USA switcher looked the part.


Jeff, deducing from the Lionel GP9 comment, you are actually looking for 1/29th scale items. There is very little available in electric 1/32nd scale; MTH is perhaps the only vendor. 
In 1/29th there is still USA Trains going strong, but their smallest diesel is an NW2. An 0-6-0T dockside is also shown. http://charlesro-com.3dcartstores.com/usatrains.html

There is plenty of Aristocraft equipment available, even though they have been out of business for about 10 years. They made a little center cab diesel, and the stuff is often seen on eBay or Facebook "G scale swap&shop" group.



> Part 2: is 1:20.3 still popular? Years ago, it was gaining in popularity and I sometimes wished I went that route.
> 
> Thanks in advance,Jeff


Fn3 (1:20.3 3' Narrow gauge) is alive and well, although Bachmann appear to have given up on it. Again, their equipment is readily available either new or used.


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## ClassTimeSailer (Aug 10, 2008)

Thanks. We had a USAT NW-2 and thought its stature was too large. The GP9 was more in tune with our MDC and formerly 1:29 USAT cars that I cut down to size 1:32.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Pretty sure that most of the Lionel large scale stuff was very close to 1:32.


If you stay in 1:32, you can still find some of the MDC cars now made by Piko and atill 1:32, and MTH will be your only other "reasonably" priced option.


Pretty slim pickings if you need reasonably priced stuff. If you switch to 1:29, the used market is active as well as USA Trains....


1:20.3 has a fair amount on the used market, and there have been some blowout prices on Shays, Climaxes and Heislers.


Greg


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Lionel was 1/32. Except that the diesels which were 1/32 had 1/29 trucks. Anyone doubts it just measure.


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a (somewhat battered) Aristocraft center cab diesel converted to battery power.

I also have a Hartland (or is it Delton?) Mac converted to battery power.

I like them both.


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## ClassTimeSailer (Aug 10, 2008)

Interesting! When I last gave up my right of way, it seemed that 1:20.3 was taking off with an expanding market of off the shelf product and I've been eyeing a fallow corner of the lot for a narrow gauge layout. Now what!? iIt's all fun. Thanks again. And Greg, your site is fantastic. A Lionel Atlantic? Hmmm...I'm glad you guys are here. 
Jeff


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That Atlantic can be made to be a good loco, just make sure you get one with undamaged crankpins. Add some weight, safeguard the gear mesh and away you go. It can be detailed better, the tender is a bit small, but there's no other Atlantic in the scale, and it does not look bad with 1:29 stuff either.


Greg


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Jeff,
If you're handy and have a 3D Printer then here's a 1:32 EMD SW1500 that you can print out as the files are free.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:916416

This page has some 1:32 rolling stock....

https://www.thingiverse.com/raby/designs

MTH will be coming out with the SD70ACe in 2020...

https://www.mthtrains.com/sites/default/files/catalog_files/2019_rk1_v_1/index.html

Aster/ Accucraft has plenty of 1:32 stuff...

https://www.accucraftestore.com/rs-gaugeone


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

And if you fancy giving live steam a try, Aster/Accucraft(now combined as one company) still put out some amazing locomotives and some rolling stock in 1:32nd scale. The prices are not for the faint of heart however. But then again, nothing in gauge one is. Marklin is still doing its European thing in gauge one as well. They did a tinplate line in Gauge one with some USA style stuff, also very tinplateish called Marklin Maxi. As others have said, several lifetimes worth of 1:29th scale stuff on the second hand market. In fact, the nice USRA 0-6-0 in live steam by Accucraft is in a collection listed here on MLS for sale under the live steam heading of the classifieds. Really nice runner, can handle tighter radius than larger gauge one models. Hope you make a new start in large scale, whatever scale(s) you chose to model in. Mike


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## Lorna (Jun 10, 2008)

As above there is mostly MTH and Accucraft that is busy in 1:32. As far as 1:20.3 it has mostly come to a halt new model wise that I can see. Bachmann while officially has not said it has quit 1:20.3 it is pretty well known that without Mr. Riley it is pretty well gone. There is quite a bit on the secondary market still except for a few models like the K-27 which is pretty scarce.


The next big player is AMS/Accucraft which still has its rolling stock but I notice is not filling out of stock items (refrigerators and high sides are gone out of the estore) and no idea if they will or not. There again there is a healthy secondary market.


That being said there are plenty of Accucraft live steam and electric locomotives on the secondary and Accucraft has just announced that it may release a 1:20.3 model of the DRG&W #315 and #318 both in live steam and electric. A nice little consolidation that should be able to handle tighter curves. 



Missouri Locomotive Company is still marketing their little brass logging locomotives including a neat little three truck two cylinder shay (as an aside that would be a great live steam model if Accucraft cared to try).


As with everything else in model railroad hobby and others as well, a lot of the younger generation has not picked up these hobbies and as such many manufacturers are slow to bring new things out or have gone out of business.


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## ClassTimeSailer (Aug 10, 2008)

Thanks to everyone who shared.

I'm now dangerously leaning toward 1:20.3. The links to Accucraft and Roundhouse did it.
I'll cut some new ties for my rail and switches and run my current equipment while I collect the funds for---first a small inexpensive electric diesel and then a live steam engine : Ruby or Sammy? (For another thread:roll eyes

Jeff in Redondo Beach


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## Lorna (Jun 10, 2008)

ClassTimeSailer said:


> Thanks to everyone who shared.
> 
> I'm now dangerously leaning toward 1:20.3. The links to Accucraft and Roundhouse did it.
> I'll cut some new ties for my rail and switches and run my current equipment while I collect the funds for---first a small inexpensive electric diesel and then a live steam engine : Ruby or Sammy? (For another thread:roll eyes
> ...





Do not get me wrong nothing bad with a Ruby or such but as I found out pretty soon something a little larger beckons. The later run longer and are a bit more controllable. 



Anyway, however you go and whatever you get have fun.


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