The Little World

If you were a kid in North America in the 50’s you basically had a choice of three scales for electric trains: 1:48 Lionel, 1:64 American Flyer, and 1:87 HO made by Varney, Athearn, and lots of smaller firms.

The 1:87 HO has stayed with us – just as 1:76 has stayed with the British as OO. Lionel has come and gone and come again as both Lionel and MTH trains. There is a surprisingly strong toy train hobby right now amongst old guys with money and memories. But the 1:64 – S gauge – has fallen largely by the wayside. Oh, you can still get some garage stuff and our local WAGR builders have adopted S as a way to get ready-made track for scratch-built rolling stock. And buildings are always made by small firms anyway – you can get a number of scale structures or just scale down plans for yourself.

But try to find an airplane kit in 1:64? Want to make a model airfield? Want to lie weeping in your bed?

This is maddening, seeing that there is a vastly thriving market for die-cast cars and trucks in 1:64 that would complement any plastic models beautifully. Given the nod, the CAD-CAM and pantograph copy works in China could roll out hundreds of planes and other vehicles. Slightly smaller than 1:48 an slightly bigger than 1:72. Perfect to pack in a box and make it as affordable as you can.

We will afford it…