At 08:38 AM 9/26/05 -0700, you wrote: >around here in Middle Tennessee, the only available track is in 7-1/2"ga >Al Al, There is a reason for that. 40 years ago there were a number of 3-1/2"ga and a couple of 4.75"ga locos either built or under construction in our area. My first was to be a 3.5"ga British loco. When what few live steamers there were around here comgealed into a club (the MSLS) there was only one local 7.5"ga loco under construction (IIRC) and the builder of that one was elected president. He promptly began to progagandize (bludgeon is a better word) the rest of us with a 7.5"ga-ONLY agenda which resulted in what we have today. I'd have a few choice words for him today, but back then I was the "kid" and didn't have much of a say. I don't know that anyone could complain about how it turned out, but until he died the policy was 7.5"ga only, and no furrin' locomotives, and that pretty much set the tone for policy today. Smaller gauge track facilities have been proposed, a la the Pennsy Live Steamers and others, and practically every society track in England, but that ain't natural apparently and has been roundly rejected by the "powers that be." (Can you suspect I have strong feelings on this? :-) I think the best advice so far is from IP, . . . . "you have received all sorts of well intentioned advice but at the end of the day it is really only you who can decide." Among all the other parameters, choose what makes you happy. Regards, Harry Wade Nashville Tennessee MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.