Nn3 - Anyone?

Any Nn3 modelers here?

I took it up on a whim as a sideline. I picked up a book on it, and it's not as hard as you might think.
Use Marklin Z turnouts and Z flex, or if you're looking for a challenge, handlay and use BK turnouts. Use either the Micro-Trains 2-6-0, or buy a Marklin 2-6-0 and a Republic conversion kit which is basically a kit form of an engine similar to the MT one. I've also got a Bachmann 4-4-0 which I narrowed down from N standard gauge, although I'm having electrical pickup problems.

I plan to eventually model a small branch up a narrow "holler" in WV. No specific prototype, but loosely based on some of the 3' gauge lines that ran in WV.

Who else here models in Nn3? Anyone?

 

Hi Jon,

Welcome aboard. As for modeling Nn3, "Not me says the blind man". I started with HO, then HOn3 and now Sn3.
As per hand laying track, not that hard. A Nn3 turnout in code 40 is faster to make than HO one. A lot less filling to do. Also a frog is a frog no matter what the scale. It is true that the larger rail is easier to work with. The only problem is with stubs in Nn3. That 5" throw is kind of stiff for the smaller number turnouts. Even the protypes didn't use that large of rail for the same reason. On the other hand, doing a double slip would be, well you know.

 

Hahah... these are the reasons I'll stick with Marklin Z track... BTW, do you happen to know if Marklin makes metal wheelsets for freight cars in Z? I could probably adapt them to fit a MT Nn3 freight truck and use that as pickup for my American

 

You got me on the wheel sets. How is the pickup done now with the American??

 

The way it picks up, is true Bachmann engineering It has separate wheels, not wheelsets, but individual wheels on individual bearings for each side, which the metal wheels and metal pivot fit in the plastic truck sideframe, and a spring goes from the metal bearings to some large brass strips along the bottom of the tender, which power the motor inside the tender. The way the article I read said to narrow gauge it was to cut the plastic sideframe, and glue it back together narrower. That works, but only kinda halfway. I'd like to use some Micro-Trains freight trucks, but since it picks up power there, I need metal wheels.


Another neat project I came up with was narrow gauging a MDC old timey coach. I basically sliced the floor and ends of the body down the middle, as well as the roof, then narrowed the underframe, and chopped it down so the body would sit lower, shortened the steps at the ends, and put MT Nn3 passenger trucks and couplers on it, voila! narrow gauge passenger cars!

 

Let me do some homework on the pickup problem.

The MDC trick is also used in HOn3. There have been several articles written on it. There is even a blurp on the web about it.

 

Northern Va N-trak has a very active Nn3 group, I saw some very nicely made Nn3 turnout this past weekend. I will try to find out the manufacture. The popular choice for track seems to be the Peco Z flex. loco-leonard

 

Yes, I've been using Peco flex and Marklin turnouts for testing and fiddling, and will likely use them when I get around to building an Nn3 layout.

 

I'd love to run an Nn3 branchline, if only I had time for the conversions. i looked at some of the kits for use with Z scale and they really look fun! Ahhhhh soooo many trains, so little time !!
John

 

Nn3 Yes! I'm working on collecting the materials to add a small mining line to my layout. So far I have some flex track, a turn-out and a few boxcars to get some ideas...

I am also doing a little HOn2-1/2. It runs on N scale track. This way I get to use all my code 70 track. Right now I am scratch building a 2-6-0.
I've got some pics of it up online.

 

Awesome. I'm actually thinking of thinning my Nn3 stuff down a bit... What sort of Nn3 track plan were you going to use?

 

I'm in the tinkering stage right now.
Planning on running point to point. A small mine with siding going to an interchange or industry is as far as I imagine. I'm going to need some gondolas or ore cars. Plus an engine! It's going to take time.

Like Greg says Nn3 is sure small.......!

BV

 

Gondolas are easy. Micro Trains part number 15200 is a very nice looking wooden gon. Engines are a tad bit tougher. You can either slim down an N standard gauge, such as the Bachmann 4-4-0, or build/buy a new body for a Marklin chassis, or buy a ready to run brass engine for $500+.

 

There is a lot of Nn3 info available on the Nn3 list at yahoo. Almost 350 of us from all over the world. A great group, extremely helpful and the most friendly group I belong to. We modified the oNeTRAK standards for Nn3 and have displayed at San Jose and St. Louis NMRA conventions as well as the NG convention in Salt Lake City. A group of us will be at Warick, RI this fall for the NG convention, headed by the NV NTRAK Nn3 guys. I'll have my stuff running at the N convention in Monroe WA next week. Many of the Nn3 folks are putting decoders in the locos and running DCC.
Some specifics:
-The 5th Nn3 manual (available from NTRAK) is the #1 reference. It's got lots of great ideas.
-RLW Republic Locomotive Works) is the #1 source for Nn3 goodies. Besides being a manufacturer, Marshall Thompson carries many things made by others.
-Flextrack in order of preference: 1 Peco, 2 Microtrains, 3 Marklin
-turnouts: until recently, the only chices were Marklin and laying your own. Aspen Models now carries 2 brands of Nn3 track, one in code 40 and one in code 55.
I have two ready to run locos. They are expensive! but I justified them (to myself and spouse) by rationalizing that NG companies typically didn't have a lot of locos. And they run sweet. The LOK14 K27 runs better than ANY N scale standard gauge steam I've seen. You won't believe the flywheel effect.
More and more manufacturers are making Nn3 items.

 

Actually, I'm on that list as well...

 

Mostly steam, a few in diesel, especially the Oz guys. I know one guy in SLC has a Davenport he put a decoder in, and another put a pager motor in a railcar. Someone is modeling the WP&Y.

Roger