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Svein

I've had the narrowgauge bug for quite some time now, and a couple of days ago I finally took the plunge and ordered a small tank engine, some cars and enough track and turnouts to build a small layout. I've chosen H0e / H0n30 for this small adventure, and the layout size will be only 60cm x 120cm (approx 2 x 4 feet).

I've been working on different track plans, and yesterday I printed out a couple of the plans full size and did a mockup with some structures to see what worked and to make sure I didn't try to cram in too much. The mockup will be sitting in our living room for the next couple of days, so I can study it and maybe make some minor changes before construction begins.

I expect the order to arrive within a couple of weeks, and will post updates here as the process goes along.

Svein
Did you order the MiniTrains set?

Svein

Actually, MiniTrains were nowhere in my mind when I made the order :oops: Checked out their site just now, are you talking about the set #5080 / #5081?

I went with Roco, they don't have complete starter sets so I ordered the engine and cars separately:

http://www.roco.cc/en/product/22511-0-0-...ducts.html
http://www.roco.cc/en/product/39732-0-0-...ducts.html
http://www.roco.cc/en/product/39733-0-0-...ducts.html
http://www.roco.cc/en/product/39734-0-0-...ducts.html
http://www.roco.cc/en/product/39735-0-0-...ducts.html

I also ordered Peco turnouts and flextrack, and a Fleischmann DC transformer, maybe I'll convert to DCC later but for now DC will suffice.

Svein

Apparently my track plan called for a crossing that doesn't exist (at least I haven't been able to find one), så today I tried something I've never done before:

[Image: 3644_w1200.jpg]

[Image: 3645_w1200.jpg]

The wood ties are Kappler S-scale low profile narrowgauge ties, which turned out to be almost an exact match to the Peco branchline ties! The soldering could use some filing, and the rail ends will be trimmed to fit when the crossing is placed on the layout. I still have to make all the small rail pieces and guard rails in the center of the crossing, and I'm thinking of building a small jig for this.
Nope :oops: I still haven't found the courage to try an Nn3 version of the "shipyard's" outside frame 2-4-4-2.
Looks like you are off to a good start with your HOe / HOn30, "small narrow gauge adventure".
This looks like it could get interesting Thumbsup Wink Big Grin

Svein

Well, with all our other ongoing projects, like Vigdis' D&RGW H0n3 layout and my own NSB H0 layout, plus our garden railway outside, we certainly don't need a fourth layout and yet another gauge to keep our hands full, but I find narrow gauge quite charming and wanted a small setup I could play with in the living room. And just to top it off, Vigdis has now begun to express some interest in N scale..! Icon_lol

Anyway, I got a feedback from Duncan at Tam Valley yesterday, saying that their frog juicers only work on DCC, and because this layout will be plain DC I've made some small changes to the track plan and removed the crossing. There are probably other frog juicers out there that work fine on DC, or I could just use a DPDT switch and control the frog polarity through the crossing manually, but I think the new track plan is an improvement over the old one.