I wonder what they are calling an NMRA coupler in the Fleishmann advertisement at the bottom left. I never knew the NMRA was promoting an N scale coupler back then. Or maybe that was an HO locomotive that somehow got wedged into an N scale ad. Did Fleishmann even sell an N scale Mikado? 14 1/2" inch curves would not be much of an issue for an N scale Mikado. They are also pushing HO catalogs in the fine print. Probably the HO "horn-hook" coupler that the NMRA never officially sanctioned.
Wow, the prices for those items are surprising. The 0-6-0 set at $34.98 converts to $290.00 in today's dollars, the FA-1 freight set $14.98 to $125.00. The FA-1 alone at $10.98 to $90.00. These must have seen some serious discounting at retail. It's unlikely my parents would have spent anywhere near these prices for my first simple oval track Rapido set in 1968.
Lol, hit the nail on the head there. I dream of having the layout where we hang out. Living room, dining room etc would be nice then I can watch it put around while I am relaxing. But family needs that space. N scale makes gets my imagination going, " Where can squeeze in some track".
With respect to the "large project layout" question... Model Railroader's current project layout is an HO Scale Free-Mo module. I'm not sure how I feel about that personally, but I suppose we (and they) should recognize the popularity of the concept.
From March 1967, I think although I am not 100 percent sure that this is the first time that the venerable Madison Hardware Company included "N Gauge" trains in its ad. It's in the last column on the right.
Oh, I see Marklin there too. Not to divert our topic, but I had a good friend who's Grandparents lived in West Germany and would send my friend and his brothers Marklin items as gifts. This was back in the '60s and early '70s when much was all metal and they had some beautiful stuff, like the turntable and roundhouse, and select routes on their layout were under wire. Marklin trains were built with great precision and were something to behold.
