Model Rail

[[Two characters are standing in a basement, the support beams bare.]] Enthusiast: I want to build a perfect HO-scale (~1 87) model train layout of my town. Realist: In your basement? Bad idea. Never make a layout of the area you're in. Enthusiast: Why not? Realist: Because it'd include a little 10" replica of your house. Enthusiast: So? That'd be cool! I'd make tiny replicas of my rooms, my furniture-- Realist: --And your train layout? ((Break free of the traditional panel system. The following appear in magnification circles, going beyond an original large diagram. Each is labeled with a length scale arrow.)) [[The characters are looking at an HO-scale model railroad, with prominent mountains and a town nestled in the valley.]] <-- 18m --> [[Zoomed in on the first model house.]] <-- 21cm --> [[Zoomed in on the second house. There is a gnat sitting on the model.]] <-- 2.4mm --> [[Zoomed in on the third house. A strand of spiderweb crosses the model, labeled.]] Spider web <-- 28μm --> [[Zoomed in on the fourth house. A cold virus is sitting on the model, which is distinctly composed of tiny dots.]] Cold virus. <-- 320nm --> [[Zoomed in on the fifth house. The entire diorama is composed of large spheres. It appears Dalton's billiard ball model is correct in the comic universe.]] <-- 37Š--> ((A final comment, and normal panels resume.)) The Matryoshka Limit: It is impossible to nest more than six HO layouts. [[The two are standing together once again.]] Enthusiast: My God. Realist: Yeah. It's the second rule of model train layouts: No nesting. Enthusiast: ... what's the first rule? Realist: "Do not talk about model train layouts." That rule was actually voted in by our friends and families. Enthusiast: Philistines. {{Title text: I don't know what's more telling--the number of pages in the Wikipedia talk page argument over whether the 1 87.0857143 scale is called "HO" or "H0", or the fact that within minutes of first hearing of it I had developed an extremely strong opinion on the issue.}}

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