Ok, that will come in handy. I have already taken my HO scale former GI JOE play set loco apart, and am examining where to cut the cab so I can make it taller. I figured a crappy diesel is a good place to begin this adventure instead of a more expensive steam engine. Its one of those "who really knows what scale it is?" diesels with 4 wheels and a a vertical motor in the cab affairs. The under side says made in Yugoslavia and MDT as well as GE 35. Since this is a test I am laying down some ground rules: I can only use what modeling materials I have on hand, along with anything I can scrounge from taking apart random things. I figure I can put HO scale No5 kadees on it for knuckle couplers.
The American Models S Scale Rib Side hopper scales 8ft wide x 28ft-6in in Scale55. The Myner trucks fit just right. The American Model trucks can be regauged. The mogul is close to the EBT moguls. Brian Budeit's excellent HO model Harold
Yeah that is the regauge, would make a new bolster. Looking at the S Scale American Models hopper, the question becomes: What about a EBT Mikado? The old BLI On30 C-16 has an almost right mechanism, boiler dia and tender. Bowser HO 69" drivers at 44" are close to the 48" prototype. The axles are .125 on the Bowser and the BLI are .109 but that is an easy fix. The BLI has separate bearings. Not quite a match but close. Harold
My original intent with 55n3 was to build 1870s three foot narrow gauge. Then someone asked if On30 Bachmann equipment could be used for 55n3 and got diverted to that tangent. Scale55 is the only scale that early three foot narrow gauge works easily. Being HO gauge the use of HO mechanisms and locomotives come into play. The MDC/Athearn 2-6-0 is a good fit for 55n3. The straight boiler is typical of early D&RG locomotives. New smaller drivers are available from UK suppliers. Wondered if my stockpile of IHC/Rivarossi 4-4-0 could be used as 55n3. Found a early porter drawing and compared. Yipes! We have a seminal 4-4-0. Sound can be added like my HO Bachmann 4-4-0 upgrade. The PBL Sn3 cars are a close match to the Ohio River and Western Box and other early narrow gauge boxes. The Sn3 cars are more about the gondolas and cattle cars. Making gons is very labor intensive compared with house cars. The trucks can be regauged easily. Now your question will be "Why not just Sn3?", because Sn3 and the other scales don't have motive power for 1870's narrow gauge. Harold
Here is the GI Joe AHM GE 35 ton switcher after it has been re-arranged in photo shop to create a Fantasy Loco. It's not quite anything, but at the same time it's sort of everything at once, and the rivet detail may not be exactly prototype I think I should purchase some figures to see how it looks more clearly. Usually a scale figure really shows you what your results will be. I am trying to do the most easy loco project. It's not about making the finest loco, but simply seeing how this would work. And good practice if I decide to later attack an expensive loco model. I think this would look pretty cool pulling s short string of home made Gilpin Tram ore cars and a caboose, even if Gilpin cars are supposed to be 2 foot gauge.
"Now your question will be "Why not just Sn3?", because Sn3 and the other scales don't have motive power for 1870's narrow gauge." ha ha ha Yeah, I started lo0king at train magazines when I was a kid. I think my first issues were 1970, or 71. I marveled at brass locos, but the prices have never changed. I got caviar taste and a pizza face! I was in the local store last week and saw the Blackstone hon3 k27's, at 450.00 it's just not a reasonable expense to my way of thinking. So while SN3 may not offer what you describe, even if they did it would cost you about 1500.00 and up for those models. All your examples are very tempting. The MDC/Athearn 2-6-0 looks like an ideal early loco. But I gotta get this one project done and maybe work on some rolling tock.
Whether a scale can be developed depends on motive power. Made this On30 boxcar back in the mid 1970's but HO locomotives don't make credible 1/4" motive power. That was built before Evergreen siding, the siding is hand scribed. Unless you are modeling Colorado in the mid-1930's the major scales are lacking and require cubic money. The boxcar makes a good mid-era 55n3 box. Harold
I'm just messing around for now. As you can see I have a plan for this small build. I have adhesives and filler. Just need to figure out the best way to cut the shell. I've never successfully modified anything in the past, so the real question is how to get a decent straight cut? ACtually the first question is how best to measure. I am thinking I should use a metal worker divider I have and measure my proposed distances on the scale rule. Then I can mark them on my model shell and do a starter scratch with an Xacto before commencing to cut. The other thing is the Blade width - gotta remember to saw outside my measured line or I end up removing too much. That box car is actually quite well done. I find the home made look to be really nice. I suppose there is the standard gauge modeler who wants 300 box cars of all sizes or colors, but I am thinking all I need is one box car and one water car, and maybe 3 ore cars. But I'm not there yet, I need to get this loco started! You probably are not aware that I am a HO scale Garden Railway enthusiast. My last layout which I need to revive and redo, had a mainline that was roughly 90-100 feet of track, with a double track mainline. If I can get into this 55n3 scale I can go crazy on my layout and perhaps even move it to the back yard for something like 300 feet of mainline to run on. 55n3 would be ideal as a garden railway scale. This first photo was only single line but the bench work had been completed. The second is a wide view from the same period. I guessed at how long my mainline was for the one oval and based on how many pieces of flex track were there, it was at least 47 feet.
A single track mainline in 55n would be perfect. The larger scale and the lighting effects of real light would make it truly come to life. And all it would need is a couple of structures.
I'm still playing with my 55n test. Got all my cutting done. The tough part is the addition of sheet plastic and making it all fit together nicely, as of now it's just a bunch of puzzle pieces.
The hardest part about an off-scale is determining if an object is the right size. Found this site with cars and trucks listed at 1/64. They sell this paper model garage. I took the picture of the garage and scaled the photo to 1/55 using a figure height of 30mm. Looked like the cars would work in Scale55. Ordered one. Upon receiving the kit the car looked small but placing the parts on a set of scaled plans the car was Scale55. Love scrounging for stuff, that is what makes odd scale modeling so much fun Harold
And yet, the best part about a non existent scale is that you aren't tempted to buy everything. You want a loco, well build it, or adapt it. those cars are pretty cool, but My interests lie in the era before cars. All I need is some decent pack mules and horses. I am already examining some old tyco cars as a basis for some false wood planks and such to hide what they are. I could care less about underbody detail and such because no one but me will be allowed to touch them.
Thanks! The gas loco is really a test more than anything. Better to destroy a free model on one's first step back into kit bashing. Then I can go look for some 2-6-0's and 4-4-0's to fiddle with.
That is a On30 Bachmann Mogul regauged to S gauge and the cab lowered to make the loco a S Scale standard gauge mogul. Harold
Feeling in the mood to think about building a 55n3 layout, I re-examined PECO 0-16.5(On30). Love PECO track, sturdy, robust and available. Something for the ham-handed. How close is PECO track to 55n3, the ties are 8 inches wide x 6 feet long on 26 inch centers? The D&RGW had these specs: "The ties have a cross section of (HxW) of 6"x8" (15.25cm x 20.32cm), regular ties have a length of 6' " "It seems that 30' long sections of rail were most common, 16 ties were used for such a section, resulting in a distance of 22 1⁄2″ from mid of tie till mid of tie. For 33' long sections of rail a distance of 22" and for 39' long sections of rail a distance of 21 1⁄4″ had been defined." The Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette Nov/Dec 89 had an article on track and the PECO track fell within many railroads parameters. Even got some figures painted. Harold
No! No! No! I did NOT just see a Quincy and Torch Lake Mogul on the previous page. I WILL banish any thoughts of selling off my collection of Pere Marquette, Detroit and Mackinac, and Grand Trunk Western HO and starting a 55n3 Port Huron and North Western layout. Port Huron (perhaps with a steam tug towing a string of old schooners up the St. Clair river past the roundhouse), Fargo, Brockway Center and the high trestle across Black River- Aargh! I will banish any thoughts of this recurring dream. Seriously, it's very tempting. There is some very nice work in this thread and the possibilities appear to be nearly endless.
