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Post by runamuckchuck on May 20, 2024 20:04:49 GMT
A few years ago I embarked on what eventually became an abandoned G scale project which now may be revived in Standard Gauge.
The layout theme would be a circus anchored by the Ives Circus set with red locomotive, and standard gauge tent w/entrance and side show.
My primary hesitation is the lack of standard gauge circus accessories and figures w/o a lot of scratch building/modification.
The temptation is to play a little fast and loose using G gauge tableau wagons and figures to flesh out the actual circus area.
Anyone have any experience modeling a standard gauge circus layout that cares to give some advice other than don't do it!
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Post by Country Joe on May 20, 2024 20:24:26 GMT
I don’t have any experience with either standard gauge or circus modeling but I have an opinion that I hope is helpful for you. Since standard gauge trains are toys that are not built to any scale and are caricatures of real trains I think G scale wagons, people, vehicles and other details would look very good on a standard gauge layout. If you go with G scale accessories I think you would have a good looking fun layout.
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Post by healey36 on May 20, 2024 22:59:20 GMT
Britains made some really nice hollow-cast circus figures that might be about right for standard-gauge, but you'd probably go broke trying to assembly an entire company. I always figured standard-gauge was about 1/32, or is it closer to 1/24?
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Post by runamuckchuck on May 20, 2024 23:24:39 GMT
Britains made some really nice hollow-cast circus figures that might be about right for standard-gauge, but you'd probably go broke trying to assembly an entire company. I always figured standard-gauge was about 1/32, or is it closer to 1/24? As long as I am already going broke if not in fact then in theory if I pursue this, then why stop now!?
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Post by runamuckchuck on May 20, 2024 23:29:18 GMT
I don’t have any experience with either standard gauge or circus modeling but I have an opinion that I hope is helpful for you. Since standard gauge trains are toys that are not built to any scale and are caricatures of real trains I think G scale wagons, people, vehicles and other details would look very good on a standard gauge layout. If you go with G scale accessories I think you would have a good looking fun layout. Thanks for your thoughts. While I don't necessarily disagree with your characterization of standard gauge as caricatures, IMO impressionistic representations seems to be a more accurate goal of the original manufacturers. I would cringe at a caricature portrait of myself, while an impressionistic portrait might be more forgiving. I need a lot of forgiving!
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Post by Country Joe on May 21, 2024 12:56:23 GMT
I don’t have any experience with either standard gauge or circus modeling but I have an opinion that I hope is helpful for you. Since standard gauge trains are toys that are not built to any scale and are caricatures of real trains I think G scale wagons, people, vehicles and other details would look very good on a standard gauge layout. If you go with G scale accessories I think you would have a good looking fun layout. Thanks for your thoughts. While I don't necessarily disagree with your characterization of standard gauge as caricatures, IMO impressionistic representations seems to be a more accurate goal of the original manufacturers. I would cringe at a caricature portrait of myself, while an impressionistic portrait might be more forgiving. I need a lot of forgiving! I hadn’t thought of impressionism but I think you’re onto something.
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Post by runamuckchuck on May 21, 2024 19:50:49 GMT
If nothing else it sounds more expensive!
However one of the things that you point out about the variations of so called scale within the 'standard gauge' offerings is the freedom it gives a person to improvise with the way you can make do with scenery, people, buildings, and transportation vehicles that you can throw together that passes as standard gauge, and G gauge.
As I have no skill or patience for creating realism and detail that seems to put me squarely in the tinplate state of mind!
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Post by runamuckchuck on May 29, 2024 21:13:45 GMT
Well fellow sufferers, the dye is cast. I like speaking in cliches from time to time.
I have located a source for making standard scale circus tents/banners/tent poles and other accessories.
The layout will be of the Von Bros Circus which was owned by my uncle Henry.
Operating in the mid 40s to the mid 60s when he died, the circus played during the mid 40s to the mid 60s in New England, the Northeast, the Mid Atlantic, the Mid West, and in the south on the way to and from Florida.
Von Bros was a 3 ring circus with many of the acts coming from Mexico and Central America.
The train interest will be the MTH Ives Circus set pulled by the MTH Ives Red engine for a totally gaudy circus look. Even though the circus traveled by truck, this is my poetic license.
There will be a main tent w/entrance, and a side/freak show tent with appropriate banners.
Vehicles, and attendees/performers to be sourced from various vendors; suggestions encouraged.
As many of you model from memories, this layout will be personal for me.
It is already fabulous in my imagination.
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Post by healey36 on May 30, 2024 13:22:44 GMT
We look forward to seeing your progress!
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Post by runamuckchuck on May 30, 2024 22:11:23 GMT
We look forward to seeing your progress! Me too!
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