11-07-2009, 12:45 PM
Triplex, you are being too literal on this one...citing obscurities confirms the rule.
At the start of the narrow gauge movement, the width rule of thumb was 2x the loading gauge. It was quickly determined that it was too restrictive, and so the cars quickly grew from 6' wide (2x) to 7' wide to even 8' wide (2.67x). The standard 3' gauge freight car width was 7'6"-7'8" and the standard passenger car width was 8'2". If memory serves me, the Maine 2' passenger cars were right around 3.25x.
I think I would refer to Harold's latest flavor of the moment is really more of a realization for him (with promotion) than a discovery. He's moved back and forth between On30, Sn42, HO, Sn3 from HO mechanisms, and now 55n3 over the past few years. These are all things which have been done before, but have never caught on (On30 and HO excluded). As I recall, Hugh Boutell did some 55n3 modeling back in the 1930s & 40s, and I'd be shocked if a British modeler hasn't done it already. Effectively, it just shifts the scale compromise from track to other components (yes, I know that 1:1 scale locomotives don't typically have giant Faulhaber motors in them).
Generally, do feel that On30 leaves many people with a less than 100% satisfied feel due to the 31" gauge track. I've seen/heard numerous On30 people just go off on how inherently superior it is to other gauges/scales, only to later admit that the frustration came from their own reservations about On30 rather than people deriding it. Afterall, it is the supposed "freelance" capabilities of it that are being cited here as a problem.
Personally, I think On30 is here to stay for at least the next decade. It isn't all that dissimilar from other fudge factor scales of the past (1/2", 1:29, HOn30). I'm sure that there will be plenty who will switch from On30 to On3, On2, Sn3, or such in time...but I bet it will thrive as long as their isn't a low-cost source for introductory (non-craftsman) On3 or Sn3 as the casual On30 modelers won't care about the 5-7". On30 sits in the odd position of which toy train (and village) people are purchasing the exact same stuff as serious modelers. I personally consider On30 to be one of the 2-3 best things to happen to the hobby over the past 30 years. It is a tremendous source of stuff for On3 and On2 modeling, and it is great for recruiting more NG modelers into the fold.
At the start of the narrow gauge movement, the width rule of thumb was 2x the loading gauge. It was quickly determined that it was too restrictive, and so the cars quickly grew from 6' wide (2x) to 7' wide to even 8' wide (2.67x). The standard 3' gauge freight car width was 7'6"-7'8" and the standard passenger car width was 8'2". If memory serves me, the Maine 2' passenger cars were right around 3.25x.
I think I would refer to Harold's latest flavor of the moment is really more of a realization for him (with promotion) than a discovery. He's moved back and forth between On30, Sn42, HO, Sn3 from HO mechanisms, and now 55n3 over the past few years. These are all things which have been done before, but have never caught on (On30 and HO excluded). As I recall, Hugh Boutell did some 55n3 modeling back in the 1930s & 40s, and I'd be shocked if a British modeler hasn't done it already. Effectively, it just shifts the scale compromise from track to other components (yes, I know that 1:1 scale locomotives don't typically have giant Faulhaber motors in them).
Generally, do feel that On30 leaves many people with a less than 100% satisfied feel due to the 31" gauge track. I've seen/heard numerous On30 people just go off on how inherently superior it is to other gauges/scales, only to later admit that the frustration came from their own reservations about On30 rather than people deriding it. Afterall, it is the supposed "freelance" capabilities of it that are being cited here as a problem.
Personally, I think On30 is here to stay for at least the next decade. It isn't all that dissimilar from other fudge factor scales of the past (1/2", 1:29, HOn30). I'm sure that there will be plenty who will switch from On30 to On3, On2, Sn3, or such in time...but I bet it will thrive as long as their isn't a low-cost source for introductory (non-craftsman) On3 or Sn3 as the casual On30 modelers won't care about the 5-7". On30 sits in the odd position of which toy train (and village) people are purchasing the exact same stuff as serious modelers. I personally consider On30 to be one of the 2-3 best things to happen to the hobby over the past 30 years. It is a tremendous source of stuff for On3 and On2 modeling, and it is great for recruiting more NG modelers into the fold.
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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