Now that the Trainbarn is effectively finished I'm starting to install some of the 'permanent' displays, which of course I have dreamed of doing for so long! The first is in the entry area and is what I call the 'Scale and Gauge' display. Long term readers will have seen a preview of this display quite some time ago, but now it's complete!
The most recent addition to the display is the print on canvas showing the iconic image of the Santa Fe Super Chief, and I think this photo goes very well with the collection of locomotives. I have collected a Santa Fe 'warbonnet' F 7A diesel locomotive in every model railroading scale, from Z to G scale. In front of each loco and track is the scale's name, the scale proportion and the track gauge, the intention being to help clarify the often confusing terms and sizes for someone new to the hobby. The photo of this display was kindly made by my son-in-law, who is a professional photographer and is way better than my usual snapshots!
On the far left of the picture above you can see a piece of OO/HO track (the same gauge- 16.5mm) with two British Brake Vans on it, which at first sight might seem a bit out of place. Not so! One is the 'normal' British OO scale (4mm/one foot) and one is the much less common (in Britain) HO scale (3.5mm/one foot), both running on the same gauge track, and the difference in size is very noticeable.
Here's a closer view from a different angle showing the sizes of the locos more clearly. The smallest is Z scale, then N, TT, HO, S, O, 1 and G scale.
It is extremely exciting setting up these displays at last, which I've been planning for many years!