Crazy stuff...Nn3

[nkp_174]

Six months or more ago, I assembled an Nn3 EBT hopper car kit. It was a novelty gift my lovely wife gave me for Christmas a couple years back. While I put it up on my blog, I don't think I ever posted it here. So, here are a few photos of her:


That's the components of the kit


Here's the styrene I cut up to fabricate the end platform as well as my "scratch built" brake cylinder and reservoir.


The car, my finders, and mat for scale....it is a 1" grid.


The assembled car.

Insanity occurs periodically in me. Usually, a fruitless search on ebay for cheap Z-scale mechanisms ends it.

Michael

[Ralph]

Wow Michael! I'm so impressed by your ability to neatly work with equipment that small! Nice work!
Ralph

[nachoman]

I hope you wore a mask while building it - because one sneeze and your work is toast . A few years ago, I saw a cool Nn3 layout in NGSL gazette, and thought it may be fun to build in that scale. Like you, I priced Z scale mechanisms and quickly gave up.

[Fluesheet]

This is timely, Michael. I just finished listening to the most recent Model Rail Radio Podcast which focused on N scale. The main guest was Tom Knapp, who is apparently well known in the Nn3 circle. He shared a lot of information about that scale / gauge, including mechanisms that make good foundations for locomotives. I put together the show notes for this particular show (they should be posted in a day or two), and for a scale / gauge I thought bordered on mythical, there's a lot of stuff out there.

The show (#28) can be found here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.modelrailradio.com/">http://www.modelrailradio.com/</a><!-- m --> (or can be subscribed to via iTunes)

[Sumpter250]

I saw quite a bit of Nn3 at the 2001 National Model Railroad Show in St Louis. I was surprised by how well things ran!

[WT fan]

Cool !!
You have good eyes and a steady hand.

Wolfgang

[nkp_174]

I really want to try one of the Republic Locomotive Works laser cut Colorado Central 24' boxcars. Under 2" long, I think it would be an interesting challenge. I'm still 100% committed to On3, but I'd like to dabble in Nn3. Interestingly, there is a gentleman out there who found a way to power a Mason Bogie in Nn3 (quite the feet considering their small size).

Yep, Tom Knapp is, perhaps, the godfather of Nn3. He models the Pacific Coast NG and wrote a fair bit for the Gazette back in the '80s. Robert Sloan's Narrow Gauge Databook ($10 or so from Ntrak) puts a wide varied of stuff into N-scale, and has Tom's trackplan. He designed a gorgeous (and expensive) 3-truck Nn3 shay: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?ID=1115&CategoryID=2">https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com ... tegoryID=2</a><!-- m -->

Ebay seems to be the cheaper way to get Marklin mechanisms. Only my usually strict rules for spending hobby dollars have prevented me from picking one up.

Michael

[AF350]

Wow,

neat little train car.

but is far from the smallest as the Japenese developed a new scale labled T for tiny, all interurban type models so far. How did the On3 passenger cars turn out you were working on awhile back? My porjects are on the back burner until I get the club layout up and running.

[nkp_174]

Yep, it isn't the smallest of models...but this is the smallest scale, to my knowledge, that has kits. And I definitely enjoyed improving this kit with my own brake parts and end platforms. I'm tempted to scratch build a car or two in this scale.

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Here's the most recent photo of the coach that I currently have:



Since then, I've added the truss rods, interior walls, and the rest of the windows. I'm currently hung up on deciding if I'll produce molds for simple casting or invest in a pressure pot for pressure casting. I recently switched to a better silicone rubber, but I still have the old molds in which to produce additional pilots. I have caught a few details I'd like to change...to simplify construction for the remaining 30 or so cars to add to my eventual fleet...plus those to sell. The decals have 90% of the work done (thanks to my wife...she's a professional in that sort of thing...and the Oahu Railway didn't use a standard font).

For the South Park cars, I've got 60 arched windows sitting in my parts box to use in building the car side masters. I already have the master work done for their roof (I need a lengthened version for a couple of them), as well as a few other odds and ends.

Thanks for remembering my main project! I should update that thread...

Michael

[AF350]

Wow that is awesome, like how it has turned out so far.

[Fluesheet]

but is far from the smallest as the Japenese developed a new scale labled T for tiny, all interurban type models so far.

Hey AF350,

I had the opportunity to visit the Nuremburg Toy Fair a couple of years ago and the T gauge proprietor was there. I have about 40 seconds of video towards the end of my (one and only) youtube video - starting at 8:48. I have to chuckle at myself as it took me until just a month or so ago to take the video off the camera!

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7g3BmfZcHs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7g3BmfZcHs</a><!-- m -->

Michael, the doors especially for your coach are exquisite!

[P5se Camelback]

Very neat video, Matt!

And I used the word "neat" ...

... despite how much flack my daughter gives me ...
about using that word to mean I like something!
I guess it's a generational thing!

[AF350]

but is far from the smallest as the Japenese developed a new scale labled T for tiny, all interurban type models so far.

Hey AF350,

I had the opportunity to visit the Nuremburg Toy Fair a couple of years ago and the T gauge proprietor was there. I have about 40 seconds of video towards the end of my (one and only) youtube video - starting at 8:48. I have to chuckle at myself as it took me until just a month or so ago to take the video off the camera!

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7g3BmfZcHs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7g3BmfZcHs</a><!-- m -->

Michael, the doors especially for your coach are exquisite!

Nice video, saw some TT in there as well as the T cool stuff. Liked the aninmated sigures as well.

[P5se Camelback]

... Nice video, saw some TT in there as well as the T cool stuff. Liked the aninmated figures as well.

If you want to see some amazing figure animations an learn a little bit about decoder programming and speakers/speaker enclosures while you're at it ...

... Check out the work of Laurie McLean MMR from Down Under! hock: