HO track translating to 55n3

[hminky]

Here is a picture of Model Power code 83 HO track with every other tie removed:



It scales out to 6"x5.5' on 28" centers, within the parameters of light small time "golden age" narrow gauge.

Harold

[Sumpter250]

Typically, would that be lightly ballasted?, or pretty much set on level ground, with little or no ballast?
I can see now, the difference between 1/48, and 1/55

[nachoman]

This makes me wonder - if many feel that the lack of prefab track components are the biggest limitations to On3 and HOn3 - you would think that a track manufacturer like Atlas would take advantage of that - especially with RTR HOn3 now on the market. I've got nothing against building my own track, or even against building my own locos and cars, at least for a small layout. But things like trucks, wheelsets, figures, automobiles are the tricky ones - for me it is best to stick with a "standard" scale. I would do On3 if it weren't for the fact of limited space and a desire to have a standard-gauge interchange.

Harold, if I understand you correctly, you want more prototype fidelity than On30 offers, but don't want the hassle and expense of On3. I think I have stayed away from On30 for the same reasons as you. I don't want to model 30" gauge lines, and most of bachmann's offerings are of diminutive prototypes rather than 36" gauge prototypes with a "gauge compromise". I saw their 2-6-6-2 offering, and am a little disappointed that it is not of the Uintah 2-6-6-2. I often wonder if bachamann would have been better off just releasing On3 trains, and a line of track to go with it.

[hminky]

THe track would be ballasted with dirt most likely laid flat on the lightly graded ground. The dirt would be removed from each side in the form of a drainage ditch and deposited between the ties to keep them in place.

Trucks-wheel sets, figures, vehicles etc. are available in Scale 55:





a truck from the 28mm Military world

Visit the website at:

http://www.55n3.org/

On3 cars should scale up to Scale 55 standard gauge box cars with regauged O std gauge trucks, the Bachmann On30 boxcars also are the same size as the small box car from the 1879 Car Builders Dictionary.

Not to speak ill of Bachmann because that is where I get my 55n3 equipment, but their selection of On30 motive power in relation to US narrow gauge is pretty lame. The Tweetsie 4-6-0 is too huge and late for the "narrow gauge era" , 1875-1895. I have seen the 2-6-6-2 and is once more a South American export model. The Uintah locomotive is too large and most participants in On30 don't really care about prototype. It won't be a big seller because On30 loves the HO Mantua 2-6-6-2 with a Big Cab.

Why no track in On3 and HOn3? San Juan has On3 turnouts now. HOn3 had Shinohara but HOn3 has too small of a constituency. Bachmann introduced the On30 for the Dept 56 crowd, that is why it succeeded. There aren't enough On3 people and the cost of tooling track is too expensive for a big corporation.

Harold

[hminky]

But actually modifying the HO track gives the common perception of narrow gauge track, wide spaced ties. Most pictures show the ties about a tie width between. The dirt roadbed failed to support wider tie spacings. That was the reason for the longer ties. The dirt wouldn't support the track. Tie spacing also narrowed.



I will be using the HO track as it comes. I made that picture to make people happy with the perceptions.

Harold