Harry, I like the strong feelings! Don't most model engineering clubs have 'Ayotollahs'! Best wishes, Jem ----- Original Message ----- From: "Harry Wade" <hww@xxxxxxxx> To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, September 26, 2005 5:53 PM Subject: [modeleng] 3½ versus 5 > 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. > 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.