British On30

[siemer]

Is Bachmann English- or European-style rolling stock compatible with Bachmann's American On30 equipment in terms of gauge, coupling, etc.?  In other words, can I build a European railway using HO track, On30 locomotives and English or European rolling stock?

[Klingsor]

Partly. The gauge is the same for HO and OO (as well as on30 of course) despite the difference in scales and the British running gear is larger which can be useful but the standard British coupling is a rather crude and toylike thing and only the newer wagons tend to have NMRA sockets to allow an easy change - the Kadee style couplings are increasingly popular here in the UK with many people.

The scale is obviously quite different between HO and on30 but you can still use the under bodies and some have reported success with using some wagons with very little work - an open wagon or hopper car looks much the same in any scale. The wheel diameters are larger than HO which makes OO a better doner for running gear than HO.

The German maker Fleischmann do a European version of on30 called Magic Train which intended for children but some of the pieces are rather nice and the couplings can be swapped out for Kadees quite easily. A very useful source for many wagons of a short European style though the larger scale (1:43rd) is more apparent with the coaches. The locomotives though do not compare with the Bachmann ones.

on30. 1/48th scale
OO. 1/76th scale
HO. 1/87th scale
Magic Train. 1/43rd scale

Most of my gear is Bachmann on30 with a few Magic Train wagons, with more shortly I hope. There are also odds and sods and some freakish hybrids.