on30 and 0 guage

[Naxos]

Anyone have any pictures or a link to a 3 rail O guage set up next to a 2 rail on30 set up?

I have been wondering about mixing these 2 rail sizes to show a narrow guage rail next to a main line.

I am very very new to the hobby but from what I understand on30 is simply a narrow guage 1/48 scale engine or car. Am I missing anything? Thanks.

Ed

[Allamuchy Joe]

Yep, that is about it. On30 is O scale, 30 inches between the rails (standard gauge is 56.5 inches between the rails).

I have an On30 layout in the works and I put a siding with a regular O gauge 40 foot reefer to represent a narrow gauge to standard gauge interchange. I was amazed at how big that reefer was in relation to the narrow gauge equipment.

Neat stuff, this On30. 

[Sherwood]

I do have both on a simple oval layout.  The physical size difference is striking where they come together, even if you use some of the 3 rail stuff that is undersized for tight curves ("O27").  I plan to incorporate an interchange with O-3 rail in any future layout for the contrast and for a reason for the On30 to go to meet it.

However, even if you stick with the newer well-detailed scale size 3 -rail stuff so that most of the dimensions are correct, when it comes to comparing the rails, flanges and couplers, there is a gross discrepancy left over from the "toy" days of Lionel 3 - rail.  We worry about code 72, 83 or 100 which are all pretty close to some narrow guage application, but the rails for even the most correct-appearing 3 - rail versions such as Atlas O come up to the knee of an O scale person, one coupler would fill a scale pickup bed, and the flanges (and tread width) are also grossly oversize compared to the On30 equivalent.  Using HO couplers in On30 to represent the larger couplers of the Colorado 3 footers just makes it even worse.  (Of course there is the minor issue of 3 rails - and it does not look like 3' dual gage!)

Also note that O guage, 3 rail or traditional O 2 rail is actually over 56.5" by convention unless you go to Proto:48, and of course our On30 is actually a little over 30" and certainly not quite right for 2 or 3 foot guage.

  If you don't have a current investement in 3-rail like I do, I would  recommend starting in scale O 2-rail for your interchange with On30, although not necessarily the perfect scale "proto:48", (afterall if you're in this forum you may already have accepted some compromises) You can now get most of the better 3 rail manufacterer's models in 2 rail versions to go with better sized 2 rail flex or sectional track and even close to scale couplers.  Some offer these as options and some can be retrofitted.  I noticed in the Williams forum interest in seeing the Bachmann / Williams include these optoions.

[Allamuchy Joe]

For my O scale standard gauge interchange siding, I purposely bought an Atlas  2 rail reefer car for a more realistic look.

[Tomcat]

Naxos,

I got started into O-Scale by On30 once. Later adding O Standard Gauge, I relied on Atlas 2-Rail Track.

If you have any choice, best keep up with 2-Rail Operation: It looks far better than 3-Rail, Atlas, Weaver (and as I still hope, Williams pretty soon...) are much into 2-Rail O-Scale and there´s a wide variety of Models to choose from. If you take a closer look at MTH, they already offer 2-Rail Scale Rolling Stock which can be converted to 2-Rail easily. They even add the correct 2-Rail Wheelsets...

Let´s hope, Bachmann will decide once to go on the 2-Rail O Scale Market too, there is (just an example...) a wide field for O-Scale Steam Engines...
And we may see a Double Gauge Track System once...

Kind regards, Tom