Scale 55 - Modeling 3 foot narrow gauge on HO track

[hminky]

Anybody  want to follow me down this rabbit hole. Like Bachmann did with their large scale adjusting the scale to meet the track, if you divide 16.5 by 3 it equals 5.5 mm or  a scale ratio 1:55.4. I am correctly modeling 3 foot narrow gauge on HO track.



Bachmann "On30" equipment with a Scale 55 man, becomes scale 1:55.4

The small On30 4-4-0 which is silly in O scale becomes a perfect Scale 55 1890's 4-4-0 instead of an O scale amusment park locomotive.

Visit:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/

Scale 55 - "We DON'T need no stinkin" letter!!!!"

Thank you if you visit
Harold

[Terry Toenges]

Good to see a new site from you. Your sites are always informative.

[Jim Banner]

An interesting thought.  Rather than using track which is 13% too small for the gauge you want, use trains that are 15% too big.  That is probably not as bad as it sounds, seeing 0-scale has a long history of mismatch between scale and gauge (0-gauge track works out to 5' gauge in American 1:48 scale.)

Does the 1:55 automatically mean it is a scratch building scale?  Or are there 1:55 figures, buildings etc. available?  I suppose S-scale buildings etc. would be as much too small as 0-scale ones would be too big, but at least they would make the trains look a little bigger (less like Amusement Park locomotives??)

Like I said, interesting thought.

Jim

[hminky]

Nice observation,
but I am torn between wanting to slap you and hug you, I don't know whether to think you are lazy (No Scratch Building) or resourceful, either way do not give any clues to your location, My wife is already fed up with my scale of the month fickleness and would likely send you a strongly worded letter. 

NM
P.S. Nice website

You know you want to jump into the abyss!!!!! To have a new scale you need:

A locomotive that runs - the Bachmann On30 small 4-4-0

Cars - the Bachmann On30 cars work, slightly too wide, but can be narrowed quickly

Figures - plastic 28mm and 1/50 preiser can be reworked

Vehicles - 28mm has more than 1/48

Buildings - I would say converted O scale, but I am not that rich.

If you are lazy you have to be resourceful.

Scale 55 - "We DON'T need no stinkin" letter!!!!"

Harold

[hminky]

Rather than using track which is 13% too small for the gauge you want, use trains that are 15% too big. 

Jim

The scale is correcting the gauge to scale. It is the same as 1:20.3 in large scale. The models are adjusted to the track gauge. The 1:55.4 models on HO track gauge are correct 3 foot narrow gauge

Scale 55 - "We DON'T need no stinkin" letter!!!!"
Harold

[ebtnut]

Reminds of the time in ancient history when a few dedicated modelers began building in 17/64" scale so that the models would be properly proportioned to O gauge track.  Today, there does seem to be a modest movement in P48, where the track gauge and wheel standards are prototypically correct for 1/4" scale.

[hminky]

Car narrowing tutorials will be coming shortly. Probably take longer to do the Gondola tutorial than actually narrow the car.

Scale 55 - "We DON'T need no stinkin' letter!!!"
Harold

[hminky]

Looking at the boxcar it would only be two boards narrower. I am wondering if that would be worth the bother. On the layout it isn't noticeable while the flats and gons do look better narrower.

Looking through my narrow gauge books there were box cars on the Pacific Coast Railway that were only one board narrower so the housecars are fine.

"Scale 55 - We Don't need no stinkin' letter"
Harold

[Jim Banner]

Harold,
I understand about multiple scale on 45 mm track in "Goofy Gauge."  What I was referring to was H0 track being 13% too small for 3' gauge in 1:48 scale.  I see you have solved the problem of the cars being oversize in 1:55 scale by narrowing them.

I enjoyed the new website and will checking it out as it develops.  Having modelled 42" gauge in 1:32 scale, I don't find 1:55 scale modelling at all strange.

Jim

[hminky]

Ever have one of those D-oh!!! moments. Looking through my photos from the old On30 site I found this one. I took this picture while whining, yes I whined, about the On30 4-4-0 was too small for O scale narrow gauge. Why didn't I see the light then? Now that looks like three foot narrow gauge. That was my handlaid On30 track that looked so very "sucky" looks perfect if you project those locos as three foot in Scale 55.

Oh so very dumb!!!!!!!!!!




Harold

[hminky]

Ted Hawkins had a couple of 55n3 layouts:



Visit:

http://lillines.ted-hawkins.com/possibles.html

Harold

[glennk28]

but, Why???

[hminky]

but, Why???

I don't understand the question?

Maybe because it is fun, sorry about your tight little thought box.

Harold

[Woody Elmore]

This reminds me of an article that ran in MR years ago. It featured a 1/5th scale layout.

Great idea - lots of work!

[hminky]

Harry Gill October 1962 Model Railroader

Harold