We know that 9mm gauge track scales out to about 31" gauge in HO scale. Then I thougth of 6.5mm track used for Z scale modelling. That scales out to a bit over 22" gauge in HO scale. Has anyone done, or even heard of, modelling 2' gauge using Z scale track and trucks? Andy Tetsu Uma
I've heard of Z for HO narrow gauge. In Europe, the terms for the model narrow gauges are HOm (uses TT track), HOe (uses N track), HOi (uses Z track). European modellers have an advantage over Americans, in that metre and ~30", not 3' and 2', were/are the predominant narrow gauges, so they can use track of smaller scales. The "i" stands for industrial; gauges that small were/are mainly used in that context.
Yes. I have heard of using Z track. As already noted, mining and industrial scenes seem to be the primary end product. Boxcab E50
2' Gauge Military Railroads That is really cool and thanks for the info. My closest experience with meter gauge is with LGB so I'm going to have to look into this. When you mentioned Europe and industrial, it immediately brought to mind the little 600mm gauge railroads used to supply the front lines in WWI. Recently, I saw a picture from and a WWII of soldiers in Normandy crouching behind a wall beside some very narrow gauge track. I wish I could remember where I saw that. (Too much Military Channel.) Here's one of the cars that carried shells. (Edit: I found this video of American soldiers building and operating 2' gauge trains in France. Narrow Gauge military train lines in France) Apparently the U.S. Army used 2' gauge on some of the larger installations into the 1940s. I found this link to a video. The 2-6-2T is marked "Q.M.C. USA" so they were the responsibility of the Quartermaster Corps. U.S. Army, Fort Benning, GA Railroad Thanks again. Andy Tetsu Uma
There is a small diesel switcher at the military museum on Fort Lewis, WA. These were usually employed in moving ammunition. I recall seeing a couple of WWII photos which were taken on or just after D-Day, showing advancing troops and a very narrow gauged set of tracks are very clearly visible alongside of a street. Boxcab E50
There was an excellent book on the US Army narrow gauge railroads of WWI put out by Benchmark publishing (Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette). It believe it was called "Narrow Gauge to No Man's Land."
I say go for it! The nice little Z scale locos I have seen and messed with seem to be better operators than many N scale locos. They may be a little expensive, but you pay for that German (Marklin) quality. This is something I have thought about a long time ago...back when the eyes and hands were a bit more small scale. Woodie
Thank you for that bit of information. A certain RR bookstore with which I am acquainted has that book in stock. This is where it all breaks down. I am not a good modeler (for example, I studied at "The Bigger the Blob, the Better the Job" school of soldering) and getting a working locomotive is going to be a problem. I did explain to my wife about getting a couple HOn30 F&C cars at the next show in Timonium, MD as a test of concept. (She's Japanese and probably doesn't understand 1/2 of what I'm saying when I start discussing gauge vs. scale but she listens patiently just the same.) Maybe if I powered a car with something like a MT GP35 mechanism. I happen to have one of those kicking around. I love this aspect of "discovery" in model railroading. It's like the layers of an onion - someone says something or thinks of something. That leads to a little research and then you find a whole layer you didn't know about previously. BTW, by researching today, I learned the 60cm gauge railway in Normandy was the Chemins de Fer du Calvados and it's last day of operation was . . . wait for it . . . June 6, 1944. Andy Tetsu Uma
